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Crawford County intensifies enforcement of unsecured truck loads after repeated roadside littering
Summary
Sheriff Billy Tomasi and a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper urged more enforcement of failed-to-secure-load rules after repeated trash at roadside sites, and county deputies planned targeted traffic enforcement while the county follows up with the hauler.
Crawford County Sheriff Billy Tomasi and a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper told county commissioners they will step up enforcement targeting trucks that fail to secure loads after persistent roadside littering, particularly along U.S. Highway 69.
Sheriff Billy Tomasi said he and troopers had been stopping trucks in recent days and that county deputies would run enforcement the afternoon after the meeting. Trooper Russell of the Kansas Highway Patrol outlined the patrol’s enforcement authority: “They can stop for failed to secure load. They can stop for the tarp,” he said, noting the KARs and state statutes empower troopers and deputies to cite many violations short of putting a truck out of service.
Trooper Russell described common, enforceable problems such as broken or unsecured tarps and open trailer gates that allow material to “float” or fall from the truck. He said a citation he recently issued cited a driver for “failing to secure his part” and emphasized that visible debris or material “floating around” the trailer is sufficient grounds for a stop. Tomasi said the sheriff’s office would run a dedicated traffic enforcement detail that afternoon to target those violations.
Commissioners and staff discussed practical enforcement steps troopers suggested, including accompanying a suspected overweight truck to a certified scale at a cooperative facility if deputies do not have scales on hand. Commissioners asked the county to invite the waste-hauler’s management to discuss corrective steps; Tomasi said Mark Purvis, described in the meeting as “in management with cards,” was scheduled to attend an upcoming meeting to answer questions.
Why it matters: Unsecured loads pose public-safety risks and create recurring cleanup costs for the county. Troopers and deputies said state law gives them tools to cite drivers and to request weight inspections or other measures when routes or bridge limits are violated.
Next steps: The sheriff’s office said deputies would run targeted enforcement and that the county would meet with the hauling company's management at a scheduled time to seek better compliance.
