Trucking company on the hook for $900,000 in repairs caused by overheight car hauler 

A trucking company is on the hook for some serious repairs after a car hauler damaged a ramp in Oregon. 

The damage to the Highway 20 ramp in Corvallis started back in November, when a semi truck struck it. Then on January 25th, a car hauler was too tall to pass beneath the ramp and knocked off a vehicle as it drove, causing even more damage to the ramp. Now, the Oregon Department of Transportation says that repairs will cost a considerable amount of time and money. 

“Maintaining and improving the transportation system takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of funding,” said Angela Beers-Sydell, Public Information Officer for ODOT. “We all want to know that the dollars we put towards that is being used to move forwards.”

For now, smaller vehicles are permitted to drive on the ramp, but commercial trucks are larger vehicles are prohibited. Repairs have already begun during the week and at night, but the issue of who will pay the bill is still up in the air. 

“Apparently his [the car hauler’s] vehicle was over height and that caused the accident,” Pastre said. “To not know how high your vehicle is… that’s a little questionable,” said one Corvallis resident to ABC 9.

According to assessments from ODOT, the company that employed the car hauler is being charged for the damages to public property, which are expected to cost around $900,000. However, ODOT still has some damage assessment to do, and has yet to fully calculate the cost of materials, labor, and the potential need to hire a contractor. 

“There isn’t an upcharge to it, but it’s labor, materials, and sometimes that is included in a contract, and we have a contractor doing the work rather than ODOT ourselves,” Beers-Seydell said.

“As someone who is aware of construction and how expensive it can be, it’s a bummer that things get real expensive,” said Deanna Carpenter, a Corvallis resident. “But I would think that the gentleman was insured and that a combination of the insurance and his own personal liability would come together and solve the problem.”

Repairs are expected to be completed by early March.