WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of
Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is
employing infrared technology to screen trucks and buses for potential
problems with brakes, tires, and gears as these vehicles travel roads near the
2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
From Feb. 3-24, the FMCSA and DOT personnel from Utah, New Mexico, and
Virginia as well as from the product manufacturer, Infra Red Inspection System
Ltd. (I.R.I.S.), is using this infrared technology. It was funded and
evaluated by the FMCSA.
Thermal-imaging cameras will allow the Utah Department of Transportation's
Motor Carrier Division and FMCSA representatives, in addition to other DOT
personnel, to enhance existing safety initiatives at the Olympics. The
Canadian-based manufacturer of the system will also provide its services on-
site. All screening personnel have undergone background checks before working
at this event.
First used during the Persian Gulf War -- specifically in the nose cones
of Sidewinder missiles -- this military technology now has civilian
applications. At the Olympics, four vans equipped with high-resolution
monitors will use an infrared sensor to screen trucks and buses traveling at
highway speeds, noting temperature discrepancies with varying colors on those
monitors. This system alerts roadside enforcement officers to identify
possible problems.
The technology was manufactured by I.R.I.S. of Burnaby, British Columbia,
Canada. FMCSA personnel tested it in four U.S. states before its use at the
Olympics. FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program facilitates the
purchase of enforcement tools and equipment, such as the I.R.I.S. system, by
states.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Transportation
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Related links:
http://www.dot.gov/briefing.htm
CONTACT:
Suzy Bohnert of U.S. Department of
Transportation, +1-202-493-0189
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