“Operation Southern Shield” Returns to Southern Arizona Interstates Feb. 24-28
- For Immediate Release -
The Arizona Commercial Vehicle Safety Partnership (ACVSP) will conduct its annual “Operation Southern Shield” from Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, through Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, on Interstate 10 from Phoenix to the New Mexico state line and on Interstate 19 from Tucson to the international border.
The ACVSP comprises Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau troopers and Arizona Department of Transportation Enforcement and Compliance Division officers.
During this year’s operation, more than 80 commercial vehicle enforcement inspectors from the ACVSP, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the Marana Police Department, and the Goodyear Police Department are committed to reducing the risk of commercial vehicle-involved collisions. Enforcement efforts will be conducted along I-10 and I-19 with special emphasis placed on motor carrier safety regulations, including driver qualification, hours of service, and overall safe operations.
Inspectors and enforcement officers will target hazardous moving violations, distracted driving, and seat belt violations while conducting commercial vehicle inspections to ensure commercial drivers and vehicles comply with commercial vehicle regulations and state laws.
The mission of the Arizona Commercial Vehicle Safety Partnership is to ensure safe, secure, and efficient commercial transport across Arizona.
Update: Thursday, March 6, 2025 - Results of Operation Southern Shield
During the five-day special enforcement detail Operation Southern Shield, the ACVSP and partners completed 910 commercial vehicle inspections and recorded 2,614 driver-vehicle examination report violations.
Throughout the operation, 146 vehicles and 92 drivers were placed out of service for critical violations. With Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data and research indicating fatigue, inattention, and distracted driving are the leading causes of collisions in which CMV operators are at fault, ACVSP personnel placed special emphasis on violations related to driver hours of service and qualifications, as well as cell phone use and other causes of distracted driving. Additional importance was placed on restraint usage, with 25 restraint violations reported.
This year’s operation included more than 80 commercial vehicle enforcement inspectors from the ACVSP, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the Marana Police Department, and the Goodyear Police Department.
The mission of the Arizona Commercial Vehicle Safety Partnership is to ensure safe, secure, and efficient commercial transport across Arizona.
