POLICE Department

Truck Enforcement Unit

HISTORY OF THE TRUCK ENFORCEMENT UNIT

The Truck Enforcement Unit was established in July 1999. Officers within the unit conduct commercial truck and motorcoach safety inspections. Officers are certified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) through the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS). Officers have successfully completed the North American Standards School to receive state and federal certification to conduct commercial truck, Hazardous Materials, Cargo Tank and Motorcoach safety inspections. The Truck Enforcement Unit is assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Division.

The Truck Enforcement Unit’s mission statement is:

“Safe Trucks Driven Safely”

• Officers within the Truck Enforcement Unit conduct a 37-item commercial vehicle safety inspection. If a serious federal regulation violation is detected, then an out-of-service order is conveyed to the driver. Upon repairs of the out-of-service item(s), the commercial vehicle is allowed to continue on its way. When a commercial vehicle passes a Level-1 safety inspection, a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) safety decal is placed on the vehicle(s). This CVSA safety decal affords the driver the benefit of not having to undergo another Level-1 safety inspection for 90 days from date of issue.


• In addition to daily safety inspections performed throughout the city of Houston, the Truck Enforcement Unit conducts a minimum of two-area truck safety inspection operations each month. Commercial truck safety operations are conducted at different quadrants of the city and officers will inspect haz-mat, cargo tank, flatbed, or overweight trucks depending on the safety operation. On occasion specialized units from within the department such as the Auto Theft Division Port Squad, Criminal Intelligence Division, Major Offenders Division Environmental Squad and Narcotics Division will participate in these truck safety operations. Officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Internal Revenue Service, Rail Road Police, U. S. Custom Agents, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife may also participate in these safety operations.

Truck Enforcement contact information:

Houston Police Department
Truck Enforcement Unit
61 Riesner
Houston, Texas 77002
713-247-4033
713-247-5909 fax

If you would like to make a donation to the Houston Truck Enforcement Unit please go to houstonpolicefoundation.org and designate your donation to, The Houston Truck Enforcement Unit.