Nebraska has promoted 70 carrier enforcement officers - who are in charge of ensuring that trucks and other commercial vehicles comply with traffic safety laws - making them officers of the State Patrol, The Omaha World-Herald reported recently.

The state passed a law in April of this year elevating carrier enforcement officers to the same status as troopers. Each officer will receive a substantial pay raise - $366 per month - and a state patrol badge.

The officers are required to understand federal motor carrier safety rules, calculate weight loads, decipher log books and inspect brakes and other mechanical systems. However, until the change, carrier enforcement officers did not arrest motorists for traffic violations because of legal questions about their authority.

Leaders in the State Patrol asked for the change to help the organization cut down high turnover rates in the carrier enforcement division, the newspaper reported.