Wyoming lawmakers eye new plan to keep truckers off Teton Pass

New legislation introduced in Wyoming seeks to keep truckers off of Teton Pass by making it easier to ticket them.

State Sen. Mike Gierau introduced Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) on January 12, 2021 as a way to make it easier for law enforcement to punish truckers who use Teton Pass when it is closed to truck traffic, which is typically from from November 15 — April 1. Those who violate this rule often get stuck and tie up traffic — see the video below of a Teton County Sheriff’s Office cruiser rescuing a stuck truck in March 2020.

Camera systems are currently in place to monitor Teton Pass for truck traffic, but getting caught on camera doesn’t result in a ticket for some truck drivers, officials say.

That’s because under current Wyoming law, citations can’t be issued to drivers by mail — meaning that police have to locate the scofflaw vehicle and issue the ticket in person, so if officers can’t catch up to them, there is no penalty issued. SB 3 would change that and would allow law enforcement to ticket drivers for traffic violations using an automatic vehicle identification system.

SB 3 supporters say that when word gets out about the possibility of a citation arriving in the mail, it could work as a deterrent to keep more trucks off Teton Pass.

“I certainly hope it passes. We’ll be able to hold every single vehicle and driver accountable,” Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Matt Brackin told local news outlet Jackson Hole News & Guide.