65 truckers were ticketed during the travel ban in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, many of whom say they were not aware of the restrictions at the time.
By 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, March 7th, a travel ban on all big rigs and high profile vehicles was in effect on Interstates 380, 81, and 84 throughout the state of Pennsylvania, leaving state police officers to enforce the temporary rules.
According to PA Homepage News, many of the drivers pulled over didn’t even know that they were in the wrong. Trucker Martin Mejia says he was driving his tractor trailer on I-380 when a state trooper pulled him over and issued him a $450 ticket, even after he explained his own ignorance.
“I didn’t know a commercial vehicle travel ban was in effect…. But the trooper gave me a $450 fine anyway. This is crazy, you know?” Mejia said.
“That’s a week pay for me. It no good. I said give me the chance, no. The governor said no to this. It’s no good. It’s no good for me,” he continued.
Truck drivers who were found driving on the roadways included in the travel ban then had their log books and other paperwork inspected by police before being directed off the roadway to wait out the storm.
“Well you know, gotta do what you gotta do. Safety first,” said Richard Ramirez, a truck driver caught up in the winter weather. Ramirez says that he frequently delivers houseplants between Florida and New York, but that this storm definitely caught him by surprise.
“I usually check the weather before I go anywhere, and I wasn’t anticipating this,” he said.
As of 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the travel ban on Interstates 380 and 81 were lifted, while the ban on Interstate 84 remained.
