Enterprise (Apr 03/06) - For Brian Planidin, this is the busiest time of the year at work.

Planidin is one of four highway transport officers at the Department of Transportation's weigh scales in Enterprise.

From mid-January to early April, many transport trucks head north to take the ice roads to isolated communities and the diamond mines.

"The winter haul on the rivers is really busy," Planidin says.

There could be 140-150 trucks a day checking into the Enterprise weigh scales.

However, Planidin says on some summer days, such as a Sunday, only 15 or so trucks might check in.

All transport trucks must stop at the weigh scales, whether the vehicles are heading further north or into Hay River.

Planidin says his job focuses on highway safety.

"We weigh the trucks and make sure their loads are legal," he explains, adding the trucks' licence plates and permits are also checked to make sure everything is in order.

Weighing the trucks ensures they are not overloaded, which adds to highway safety and protects the roads from undue wear and tear.

Planidin mans a computer to run plates and check the trucks' weights.

Along with checking permits, he can issue permits for truckers who have called ahead for them.

Sometimes Planidin also conducts mechanical inspections of trucks to check for such things as improperly functioning brakes. "We don't fix them, but we can identify the problems."

And he and other highway transport officers sometimes do highway patrols. For instance, they check the ice crossing on the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence to ensure truckers maintain a safe speed while crossing.

The 50-year-old Planidin, who lives in Hay River, has worked at the weigh scales in Enterprise for almost 25 years.

"As many years as I've been here, there's always something new happening," he says. "It's a challenge and it's interesting."