Police plan truck checks

Pennsylvania state police today will begin stopping all trucks carrying hazardous materials and check the credentials of the drivers.

'A large number of vehicles will be stopped in the coming days,' state police spokesman Jack Lewis said. 'I know this will be troublesome for some drivers, but it's what we have to do.'

The U.S. Department of Transportation asked state police and truck inspectors nationwide to conduct roadside checks of all trucks carrying hazardous materials. Many of the inspections began Thursday.

The action came as a response to information from the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., that some of the people detained in the investigation into the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had obtained special licenses that allow them to transport hazardous materials.

However, the FBI yesterday downplayed a possible connection between those arrested this week and the terrorist attacks.

The nationwide security dragnet involves more than 50,000 trucking companies carrying everything from chemicals used to make soap to gasoline and fertilizer, as well as a review of 2.5 million commercial driver's licenses.

While government officials have not received any indication of any specific terrorist threat involving hazardous material shipments, the potential for havoc is clear, they say.

A typical gasoline tanker truck carries as much fuel as did each of the jets that were flown into the World Trade Center. Sulfur trioxide, used to make soap, turns into sulfuric acid when exposed to the air or water and can cause severe lung damage.

Pennsylvania's 230 motor carrier inspectors will join troopers assigned to traffic patrol in stopping the trucks on all interstate highways and state roads, Lewis said.

Troopers will check the license and certificates for every driver and truck they pull over, as well as briefly inspect the truck and its contents, he said.

Police may also use the truck weigh stations on the interstates and any rest stops to aid in the inspections, Lewis said.

David Conti can be reached at dconti@tribweb.com or (412) 441-0976. The Associated Press contributed to this report.