Trooper Halts Semi with Cars Secured on Top of Dump Trailer, Claims It’s Acceptable

      Arizona Department of Public Safety via Facebook

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      Any truck driver will tell you that if the DOT can find a reason to issue a ticket, they will. This makes the recent commercial vehicle stop in Arizona quite astonishing. On Saturday, June 14, an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper noticed a semi-truck towing a dump trailer in Phoenix that lacked taillights and was carrying two cars on top. Concerned by the situation, the trooper called in a commercial vehicle inspector, who assessed that the setup was legal (aside from the missing taillights) and allowed the driver to go on their way.

      How did this happen? According to a Facebook post from the Arizona DPS, it was concluded that the load complied with the minimum tie-down standards. One might criticize the driver for the idea, but not for the implementation.

      On the trailer, there was a Chevy Tahoe and a Lincoln MK… something, likely either an MKX or MKT, though the dim photo and limited angle make it hard to determine. Both vehicles had wooden blocks under their axles, with the Tahoe missing its rear wheels and the Lincoln lacking all four wheels. Tightly secured chains and straps were visible in the poorly lit images, running through the undercarriage of each vehicle to ensure they stayed firmly attached to the trailer.

      I still have doubts about the safety of this arrangement, considering the increased height and the potential for encountering a low-hanging interstate bridge. However, I must commend whoever loaded the trailer. As wild as it appears, it’s arguably safer than the skid steers and other heavy equipment often towed by pickups with only a strap or two for security. If this rig were to tip over, it’s likely the cars would remain on the trailer—unlike Charlie Contractor, whose Bobcat is bound to be launched across the median.

      There are certainly more conventional and safer methods for transporting two broken cars to the scrapyard. Nonetheless, if the Arizona DPS sees it as acceptable, who am I to criticize?

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