Agency orders six carriers, one driver to shut down

Updated Dec 26, 2012

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been on a cleaning sweep of sorts since late November, as, in addition to Overdrive‘s report two weeks ago of Georgia-based driver Johnny Felton being shut down after hitting and killing state trooper Kyle Deatherage, six fleets have been ordered to cease operations by the agency:

C & D Transportation was ordered to shut down Nov. 23. The Illinois-based carrier violated out-of-service orders, failed to ensure that its drivers had CDLs, committed duty status violations and showed “flagrant disregard for compliance with safety regulations,” FMCSA said.

In enforcing its relatively new household goods hostage loads rule, the agency began the process of suspending the Santa Clara, Calif.-based Trusted Moving and Storage‘s operating authority Dec. 5.

Similarly on Dec. 5, the agency revoked operating authority of California-based Peace of Mind Relocation after it was deemed to be holding household goods hostage.

Gordon’s Tree Service of Slidell, La., was found to have been violating out-of-service orders and used drivers without valid CDLs or medical certificates — two of which who were arrested for possession and driving under the influence of alcohol — and were ordered to cease operations Dec. 7.

The same day, LEX Express was ordered to shut down after falsely reporting records of duty status and using of vehicles that had not been inspected or properly maintained.

Dec. 13, Two Dayes Trucking and Two Dayes Transport were shut down after an investigation showed serious violations in vehicle maintenance and repair, driver hours of service, driver qualifications and violating substance and alcohol policy.