Troopers crack down on overheight commercial vehicles on New York State Thruway
New York State Police (NYSP) troopers conducted an enforcement campaign targeting overheight commercial vehicles.
The enforcement effort took place on Tuesday, October 8, on the New York State Thruway (I-90) in the Syracuse division, according to Thruway officials.
Troopers with NYSP Troop T’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU) partnered with the New York State Thruway Authority to spot check commercial vehicles for height violations.
The maximum height clearance on the New York State Thruway is 13 feet 6 inches.
A similar truck height enforcement effort took place in September.
Bridge strikes have become troublesome enough in New York State in recent years that in November 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a Bridge Hit Mitigation Task Force made up of the NYSP, the New York State Department of Transportation, the Thruway Authority, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
The purpose of the task force is to educate commercial vehicle drivers as well as drivers of rental box trucks and moving trucks on the importance of knowing the height of their vehicles so they can safely make it under bridges they encounter.
“Bridge strikes are potentially hazardous to motorists and first responders and have caused needless inconveniences for local communities – but these incidents are 100 percent preventable,” Hochul said. “While we have implemented measures and technologies across the state to help prevent bridge strikes, nothing is more powerful than knowledge. Drivers of overheight vehicles have a responsibility here as well: follow posted warnings, know the height of vehicles and most importantly pay attention.”