AASHTO Journal - South Dakota Revamping Trucking Information Website

The South Dakota Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and South Dakota Department of Revenue, launched an effort in December 2021 to update the state’s SDTruckInfo website: an online repository of South Dakota trucking information, including special load permits, emergency notices, and other details.

[Above photo by the South Dakota DOT]

“This launch represents a major upgrade to the current system,” said Dave Huft, intelligent transportation systems program manager for the South Dakota DOT, in a statement. “The website is a true expression of the state’s commitment to safety, efficiency, convenience for the trucking industry, the traveling public, and the state economy.”

A grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is partially funding this website overhaul so the South Dakota DOT can provide a “one-stop portal” to access vital information for motor carriers to operate lawfully within the state of South Dakota.

“One of the newest features is a searchable electronic copy of the completely updated 2022 South Dakota Commercial and Agricultural Vehicle Handbook,” said Huft.

“We are excited to offer the electronic version of the new handbook in addition to the published hard copy, which will be available from South Dakota DOT, South Dakota Highway Patrol, the South Dakota Department of Revenue, and county treasurers in January 2022,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Transportation and Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) are entering into an agreement to streamline and enhance commercial vehicle enforcement at Arizona’s ports-of-entry located at interstate and international borders.

The partnership will assign 89 sworn Arizona DOT Enforcement officers and 49 non-sworn personnel to the DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Task Force on a full-time basis. This will enhance officer safety as well as increase efficiency and operational consistency for both agencies.

The sworn Arizona DOT personnel are uniformed officers certified by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board. They provide commercial vehicle safety compliance, size and weight enforcement, oversize, and overweight permitting and other related enforcement services at Arizona DOT ports-of-entry located near the state lines of California, New Mexico, Utah, and the international border with Mexico.

“Arizona DOT and DPS have a longstanding and beneficial partnership that is dedicated to keeping our highways and freeways operating safely,” John Halikowski, Arizona DOT director, in a statement.

“Streamlining Arizona DOT’s Enforcement Services Bureau with a single management structure is a better use of personnel, uses financial resources more wisely and strengthens public safety for everyone who travels Arizona’s roads,” he added.