GPS technology has certainly proven to be useful in modern society. Almost every new car is built with one, our phones come with one, and the overall prices for a GPS have decreased.
Solely relying on GPS, however, remains to be a problem, especially for commercial drivers.
Florida trucker Francisco M. Amareles-Amareles, 58, was using his GPS to guide him to his destination as he was hauling drilling pipes in Cecil Township, Pennsylvania.
According to NBC12, Amareles-Amareles wasn’t using a GPS designed for commercial vehicles so he ended up turning onto a street that had a weight restriction of 10 tons, making him 59,346 pounds overweight.
After making a left from Strabane Avenue onto West Pike Street, the 58-year-old driver was stopped by officer Scott Bashioum who issued a $17,386.50 fine, and arrested the driver because he was unable to pay the $10,000 bond.
The judge reduced Amarles-Amarles’ bond to $850 from $10,000 during his hearing, 4 days after his arrest. His company will still be required to pay the full fine before the truck is released.
Officer Bashioum explained the arrest:
“The driver in question was from out of state. If we don’t put him in custody for a fine of that size, he doesn’t have to come back to Pennsylvania if he doesn’t want to. How else would we recoup the infraction that was made?”
Police say the entire incident could have been avoided if the driver was using a trucking GPS device.