Residents living near a trucking company on 183rd Street told Orland Park trustees a neighboring business, GT Express, is operating far beyond its permitted hours and activities, running a 24/7 operation despite being licensed only as a truck park with Monday-to-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours.
The company, located at 11351 W 183Rd St, has been violating its operating permit since March or April 2026, according to neighbors who presented documentation to the board.
“They’re supposed to be truck parks only. They’re supposed to be operating Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 5:00,” Rick Pagano said at the board’s committee of the whole meeting Monday. “Since April, they’ve been operating outside of those parameters. They essentially are disrespecting everything that you folks have put together in this business license.”
During public comment session, Pagano and his neighbors described a full-blown trucking operation where employees live in trucks or in a building on the property. The company operates a tire shop — not listed on its permit — and conducts truck repairs that are not authorized under its license.
“When it’s nice outside, we sit on a patio and we listen to the shop with sledgehammers and pneumatic machinery that they’re fixing trucks that they’re not supposed to be doing,” Pagano said.
Neighbors alleged during public comment at the board meeting that the company violates noise, speed, safety, and operating-hours regulations.
Violations neighbors allegations included a report of sledgehammers and pneumatic machinery operating at night and on weekends; trucks speeding on 183rd Street, a 20 mph zone; two separate incidents in which employees approached neighborhood children, prompting police reports; and operating seven days a week around the clock despite being permitted only Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Neighbors said they documented the alleged violations with videos and photos provided to code enforcement. Police have conducted night patrols, but neighbors said violations continue.
“We’ve had great conversations with both the mayor’s office and with code enforcement,” Pagano said. “But we wanted to go on record about this because this is a really big concern because it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse.”
Pagano emphasized that the employees are transient truckers from out of the area, not local residents.
“These are over-the-road truckers. And the bottom line is these are transient people. They’re not from around here,” Pagano said. “They’re outside the building. They’ve told neighbors that they live in their truck when they’re out of hours, and they just shower and do other things within the building, which that’s not what it’s supposed to be.”
Mayor James Dodge acknowledged the concerns and said staff would meet with residents after the meeting to discuss next steps. “I appreciate you coming up and letting us know,” he said.
He directed a staff member to brief the residents on the village’s enforcement strategy.
