Maine State Police Inspect Hundreds of Trucks During Operation Safe D.R.I.V.E.

January 17, 2026 — by Scanner Alerts Media

A Maine State Police commercial vehicle enforcement effort conducted as part of a national safety initiative resulted in hundreds of truck inspections and dozens of vehicles being removed from service due to safety concerns.

The Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU), Troop K, participated this week in Operation Safe D.R.I.V.E. (Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement), a three-day enforcement and education initiative hosted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). According to Maine State Police, FMCSA personnel worked alongside Troop K members during the initiative, inspecting vehicles and interacting with drivers to promote safe commercial vehicle operations.

During the three-day event, Troop K inspected 390 trucks. Of those, 80 trucks were placed out of service due to issues described as imminent safety risks to the public.

Maine State Police said the enforcement action used “smart roadside technologies” to screen large volumes of trucks so troopers and inspectors could focus on vehicles with defects and violations. The technologies cited included tire anomaly sensors, thermal imaging for brakes, and license plate readers used to check company credentials and safety scores.

The most dangerous truck inspected during the initiative was reportedly flagged by tire anomaly sensors. During the inspection, troopers found 37 violations, including bald tires and missing brakes.

Maine State Police stated the technology allows limited staff to screen nearly 600,000 trucks annually to help detect unsafe operators and vehicles on Maine roads.

Credit: Maine State Police