Trucking Laws · Colorado · November 7, 2026

Colorado Chain Checks Contact 703 Commercial Truck Drivers

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Colorado State Patrol contacted 703 commercial truck drivers during two chain-check operations near Dotsero on Interstate 70 and issued 262 citations, according to CDL Life's report. The operations took place Oct. 23 and Oct. 28 in Eagle County, not during a newly reported November storm. Sources: CDL Life.

Troopers reported 63 citations for not carrying chains and stopped 119 truck drivers who failed to stop at the chain operation. Those figures describe different issues. Possessing the required equipment does not mean a truck driver can pass an active inspection point without stopping.

Carrying equipment and using equipment

The report puts compliance with the chain-carry requirement at 91%. That figure concerns equipment being on board. It should not be interpreted as a finding that the road required chains to be installed at the time, or that every truck driver received an equipment citation.

From Sept. 1 through May 31, the carry requirement applies to commercial vehicles over 16,000 pounds on I-70 west of Morrison and several other designated mountain routes, according to the coverage. The seasonal carry rule is why an inspection can matter even when the weather is not severe at that location.

The reported penalty can reach $500 plus a $79 surcharge. If a vehicle becomes stuck and blocks the road, the report cites a $1,000 penalty plus a $157 surcharge. Those amounts should not be applied indiscriminately to every citation issued during these operations; the coverage lists multiple types of violations.

Another operation is planned

The coverage says another check is planned near Dotsero on Tuesday, Nov. 10. That is a planned enforcement date, not a statement that every commercial vehicle will be inspected at a particular hour. Any later notice from troopers could change the details.

The results show why the seasonal carry requirement and instructions at an inspection point should be treated separately. Most of the commercial truck drivers contacted had the equipment, while a substantial number failed to stop. The report does not provide a complete explanation for each truck driver's decision or a breakdown that would justify attributing the missed stops to a single cause.

The truck laws by state reference provides broader operating-rule context, not a replacement for current agency instructions or a determination in this specific case.

FAQ

Were the Dotsero checks conducted in November?

No. The two operations behind these results occurred Oct. 23 and Oct. 28. Nov. 10 is the next planned date cited in the coverage.

Does the 91% figure mean chains were installed?

No. It describes compliance with carrying chains or approved traction devices, not the number of trucks running with chains installed.

What makes a seasonal chain check most useful to truckers before the first major storm?

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