By Darren Svan | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – A heavy manufacturing transportation company faces $24,000 in Bossier Parish fines for transporting equipment without a parish permit.
This week, an appeal hearing came before the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement board, which is a unit of the Bossier Parish Police Jury. It regulates commercial vehicles who use parish roads.
Attorney Mark Perkins told the board that independent contractor PDQ, the company cited, operated under United Vision Logistics’ authority.
PDQ was responsible for obtaining the permits but the company was unaware of the parish requirement.
“On this particular roadway, there’s no warning signage to say you need to make sure you have a parish permit,” Perkins argued.
According to Brian Kendrick, director of the Enforcement Unit, “We have… big signs that say, ‘All weight laws applicable in Bossier Parish. Contact this phone number for a permit.’ We have that at every port of entry in this parish.”
As well, the state permit says transportation companies need to contact local authorities and United Vision Logistics previously purchased 214 permits within the last four years, Kendrick said.
“What they’re asking for is some consideration, a reduction, because a company like PDQ with a $24,000 fine against them is pretty substantial,” Perkins said. “It’s hard for them as a small company to operate and deal with that.”
The board said to expect an answer within a week.
According to Kendrick, the infraction occurred on Sligo and Mayflower roads. He said a total of 18 trucks were moving generators, although only four were cited.
Those citations were fdor using a parish roadway without a permit to carry a load in excess of 88,000 pounds. Each truck was approximately 55,000 pounds overweight.
In addition to other state or federal rules, the parish requires a separate permit, which would have cost the company $300 per truck.
The proposed penalties are $5,830, $5,874, $5,742 and $6,006. They’re calculated by how many pounds each truck exceeded the legal weight limit.
“We didn’t make this up,” said Eric Hudson, parish engineer. “It follows the state system for fine assessments for overweight trucks without permits.”
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement board expressed its desire to see companies conduct business in Bossier Parish but said it expects them to abide by local rules.