CHINO, Calif. (KABC) – Chino residents are increasingly frustrated with the number of truck drivers using Chino Avenue through downtown, largely because they have no business being there.

Although there are several signs on Chino Avenue between Central and the 71 Freeway informing truck drivers that this is not a truck route, this message does not seem to be getting through to drivers.

“This is a real problem,” says local resident Claudia Schmidt. “The traffic is really backed up here.”

Schmidt also says the larger semi-trucks have trouble turning onto Chino Avenue because some of the intersections are too narrow. She recalls a recent situation that almost resulted in a traffic accident.

“The driver turned right and couldn’t quite make the turn. He actually cut into our lane so we had to back up a little bit,” said Schmidt. “This happens all the time.”

A spokesman for the city of Chino said the city has received so many complaints from residents recently that it has not only put up additional signs warning drivers of potential $250 fines, but has also increased police patrols in the area.

“From June of last year to July of this year, we issued approximately 400 tickets to truck drivers along Chino Avenue,” said spokesman Matthew Bramlett, adding that the asphalt thickness is not designed for large trucks because the road is not a dedicated truck route.

“The reason we have designated routes for trucks is because they can handle heavy use; they can carry the heavy trucks. All of those heavy trucks, over time, damage the asphalt on Chino Avenue and cause cracks in the asphalt,” he said.

But the city is not only concerned with enforcement – it also wants to educate.

Bramlett said when officials penalize truck drivers, they also try to contact their respective trucking companies.

“We actually go to these trucking companies and if they have special mapping software for their trucks, we work with them to put our truck routes into their mapping software,” Bramlett said. “So when a truck driver gets in his truck and turns the system on, he knows exactly where he can and can’t go.”