New weigh station bypass facilities have been added to four different locations in Illinois. The additional Drivewyze PreClear stations are along Interstate 55/70 in Maryville, Interstate 64 in O’Fallon, Interstate 74 in Moline and Interstate 80 in East Moline.
With these four stations, Drivewyze now services 12 weigh stations across the state, operated in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois State Police. Throughout the country, Drivewyze has more than 700 bypass stations in 42 states.
Drivewyze chief executive officer Brian Heath said the expansion was, in part, a response to expanding coverage at highly trafficked areas where drivers stop most often. The route along the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway was an opportunity he saw for drivers to earn bypasses, as well as in the Quad Cities area.
Data from IDOT supports this move. Traffic in this area surged 32% from 2002 to 2015, with expectations for this trend to continue. For the I-74/I-80 interchange alone, IDOT estimates an additional 39% increase by 2040, and the Middle Road interchange has a predicted 67% increase in traffic. In the Greater St. Louis area, a 2015 joint IDOT report shows the hub as the fourth largest inland freight center in the U.S.
“Drivewyze is an important part of the state’s efforts in keeping freight moving by allowing trucks operated by safe carriers to stay on the road,” Heath said. “It also helps safeguard the motoring public by allowing commercial vehicle enforcement officers to prioritize their enforcement efforts.”
IDOT partnered with state police three years ago to offer Drivewyze in eight locations statewide. Cumulative analysis revealed Illinois to be the state with the most annual visits out of those with active Drivewyze service in Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Region III.
