Frank Motko is tired of seeing telephone books littered along roads in Butler County.

He's seen hundreds of the books strewn about throughout the southern half of the county. While many are still in bags, a number of them are loose.

"This is just wholesale littering," Motko said.

He walked by dozens of books laying in the mud and snow at the intersection of Panther Road and Route 528 in Connoquenessing Township.

Motko of Butler has spotted the dumped phone books in numerous locations from Prospect to Buffalo Township.

"The abuse is rampant," he said.

Despite phone companies' intent to have the books delivered on doorsteps, many aren't reaching their destination.

Motko said the problem is the phone companies hire Product Development of Monterey, Calif., to distribute the books. That company sometimes uses subcontractors to hire the drivers.

"It's very preventable," Motko said. "Just do what you were contracted to do."

He has contacted one of Product Development's subcontractors, Specialty Directory Distribution Services of Buford, Ga., which was unaware of the problem.

Sue Oleath, a Specialty Directory representative, refused to comment on company policy or the complaints it has received.

"We're not at liberty to discuss that," she said.

Motko said the companies must implement an effective monitoring system to ensure the books are delivered.

County officials agree with Motko the mess shouldn't have occurred.

"I think the guy has a point," said Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman.

Pinkerton said he will talk with the phone companies about rectifying the problem.

In the city, there are books left in front of vacant buildings.

So far, the abandoned books Motko has seen are Yellow Books and Verizon yellow pages. Embarq white pages are in the process of being delivered.

Kristi Smaby, human resources director for Product Development, confirmed the people hired to be delivery drivers are required to leave the phone books on front porches.

"We expect the people delivering for us to be professional," she said.

Kurt Brandenburg, Product Development distribution manager, pointed out in rural areas doorstep deliveries aren't always feasible.

"We're diligent about delivering to the door whenever possible," he said.

Brandenburg said Product Development mainly delivers Verizon yellow pages and likely doesn't drop off Yellow Books.

Photographs of the Route 528 intersection in Connoquenessing Township show bagged Yellow Books along the road. A few are loose.

Product Development delivers about 90,000 phone books in the Butler County area.

Following delivery, Product Development supervisors inspect their areas.

"We do quality checks," Brandenburg said.

The company also uses electronic calls asking residents if they received their books and were they sitting by the door.

"We do investigate complaints," Brandenburg said.

So far this year, he's had fewer than 10 complaints from the county.

Embarq uses another distribution company, Dex, instead of Product Development, but does pay for doorstep delivery.

Stephanie Meisse, Embarq's media relations manager for Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, said the company has received some complaints in the past about phone books left in yards rather than doorsteps.

"They get ruined," she said about books that are exposed to the weather.