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A trucking company owner in Wyoming says that state governments should take more responsibility for their part in semi truck bridge strikes.
63-year-old Mark Sutherland, owner of Sutherland Trucking in Cheyenne, Wyoming, says that truck drivers are consistently blamed for everything, especially bridge strikes, even if the state government has a part to play in the accidents.
Sutherland says that the state of Wyoming sometimes routes semi trucks onto highways with low bridges that cannot accommodate them, including a recent bridge strike on October 15th along Interstate 90 in Beulah. In that wreck, a lowboy trailer hauling a forklift attempted to pass under a bridge measuring at 15 feet 11 inches high, and damaged the bridge in the process. The Wyoming Department of Transportation says that the driver had the proper permits to transport an oversize load along that route.
“It’s funny how the state can screw up and cause a wreck,” Sutherland’s son, Clint, said to Cowboy State Daily. “The problem is the state doesn’t want to be responsible: ‘If you hit a bridge, you are liable for it.’” He also pointed out that some states don’t even post clearance height on all of their bridges, such as Interstate 80 in Kansas.
“Everything falls back on the truck driver,” Sutherland continued. “There is so much crap we have to put up with, and it’s always our fault.”
WYDOT spokesman Doug McGee says that many bridge strikes happen because of inattentive drivers, and says the responsibility is fully on the driver to ensure their rig can pass underneath a bridge safely.
“It is a driver’s responsibility to make sure there is clearance for their truck and load,” he said. “When a bridge strike happens, it can affect traffic flow for people and cost transportation companies a great deal of money (for repairs).”
“Regarding Bridge strikes, there are more than anyone wishes,” said former WYDOT executive director Luke Reiner. “It is a responsibility of those who use the road to know the dimensions of their loads, understand the potential friction points, and plan their route accordingly.”
Published:
October 21, 2025
ByWimberly Patton
My answer to this is that it is a bunch of bull. As drivers hauling an oversized load will tell you, we must follow the permit given to us by each state or we will be fined and our permit will be taken away. It should be up to each State to ensure that the routes they give us are accurate and up to date. Each time they put down new blacktop on a road, the bridge clearance changes. The driver of an oversized load, if he does not need an escort vehicle with a high pole [per the state], cannot get out and check the heights without being put into a dangerous position.
Another problem is that these states, at times, have the incorrect bridge heights listed or no bridge heights at all. If you are permitted to go on a route, you should not have to get out and check. The driver should not be held responsible if that is the way the state routed him/her.
Deb Tandy
63-year-old Mark Sutherland, owner of Sutherland Trucking in Cheyenne, Wyoming, says that truck drivers are consistently blamed for everything, especially bridge strikes, even if the state government has a part to play in the accidents.
Sutherland says that the state of Wyoming sometimes routes semi trucks onto highways with low bridges that cannot accommodate them, including a recent bridge strike on October 15th along Interstate 90 in Beulah. In that wreck, a lowboy trailer hauling a forklift attempted to pass under a bridge measuring at 15 feet 11 inches high, and damaged the bridge in the process. The Wyoming Department of Transportation says that the driver had the proper permits to transport an oversize load along that route.
“It’s funny how the state can screw up and cause a wreck,” Sutherland’s son, Clint, said to Cowboy State Daily. “The problem is the state doesn’t want to be responsible: ‘If you hit a bridge, you are liable for it.’” He also pointed out that some states don’t even post clearance height on all of their bridges, such as Interstate 80 in Kansas.
“Everything falls back on the truck driver,” Sutherland continued. “There is so much crap we have to put up with, and it’s always our fault.”
WYDOT spokesman Doug McGee says that many bridge strikes happen because of inattentive drivers, and says the responsibility is fully on the driver to ensure their rig can pass underneath a bridge safely.
“It is a driver’s responsibility to make sure there is clearance for their truck and load,” he said. “When a bridge strike happens, it can affect traffic flow for people and cost transportation companies a great deal of money (for repairs).”
“Regarding Bridge strikes, there are more than anyone wishes,” said former WYDOT executive director Luke Reiner. “It is a responsibility of those who use the road to know the dimensions of their loads, understand the potential friction points, and plan their route accordingly.”
Published:
October 21, 2025
ByWimberly Patton
My answer to this is that it is a bunch of bull. As drivers hauling an oversized load will tell you, we must follow the permit given to us by each state or we will be fined and our permit will be taken away. It should be up to each State to ensure that the routes they give us are accurate and up to date. Each time they put down new blacktop on a road, the bridge clearance changes. The driver of an oversized load, if he does not need an escort vehicle with a high pole [per the state], cannot get out and check the heights without being put into a dangerous position.
Another problem is that these states, at times, have the incorrect bridge heights listed or no bridge heights at all. If you are permitted to go on a route, you should not have to get out and check. The driver should not be held responsible if that is the way the state routed him/her.
Deb Tandy