NORMAL - Truck drivers and truck owners say they are tired of an apparent lack of communication between Bloomington city departments on where they can drive and the $3,000 to $5,000 in tickets they have received because of the mix-ups.

About 45 local drivers and owners met with Bloomington, state and county officials Wednesday at the Days Inn in Normal to discuss the problems.

Tom Kirk from Kirk C&D Recycling in Bloomington described the most common problem: The city's engineering department issues permits to allow overweight trucks on city streets, but police stop the trucks and issue them tickets for being overweight.

Public Works Director Jim Karch and Police Chief Randy McKinley said Wednesday was an opportunity for officials to listen to the business owners. They said they would evaluate the situation and see what they can do to solve some of the problems.

"This many people in a room makes a statement," McKinley said of the turnout.

City Manager David Hales, McLean County State's Attorney Bill Yoder and Lt. David Beasley from the Illinois State Police division of truck enforcement also attended the meeting.

Joe Scharf from Carri Scharf Trucking in Bloomington said the problem is forcing businesses to look for work outside the city.

"There is not a designated truck map (for approved routes), so the rules get interpreted a different way every time, and we get caught in the middle," Scharf said. "It's a frustrating process."

Truck owners said that during traffic stops, which can last from one hour to three hours, their trucks are idle, losing money while accumulating fines.

"For some of us, every hour the truck sits along the road is an hour where four or five guys are idle and we are losing $1,200 to $1,500 an hour in work," Kirk said.

The issue is more frustrating, Kirk said, when city garbage trucks run overweight but are not penalized. Kirk said he has obtained weight records for the landfill company which charges the city for dumping by the ton.