Commercial cargo transportation requirements advanced

Commercial vehicle operators would be required to store cargo more securely under a bill advanced from general file April 9.

LB698, sponsored by Brainard Sen. Bruce Bostelman, would require commercial motor vehicle operators to ensure all cargo is secured adequately to prevent it from falling off of the vehicle. Bostelman said the bill is aimed solely at further deterring and penalizing individuals and companies who refuse to comply with load securement laws.

“The debris that they lose from their loads is not only an environmental problem,” he said, “it is also a highway safety danger for other vehicles on the roadways.”

The bill also would require that the structures, systems, parts and components used to secure the cargo be in proper working order with no damaged or weakened components that could cause cargo to fall from the vehicle.

Bostelman introduced an amendment, adopted 34-0, which would classify a violation of the bill’s provisions as an infraction, subject to a $200 fine for the first offense and a $500 fine for second or subsequent offenses.

In addition to the infraction, the superintendent of law enforcement and public safety also could assess the owner of a vehicle a civil penalty of $1,000.

Senators advanced the bill to select file on a 36-0 vote.