Trucking news and briefs for Monday, May 12, 2025:
Trucking company owner charged for allegedly defrauding Amazon
A Connecticut trucking company owner was charged May 7 for his role in an alleged fraud scheme against Amazon.
According to a press release from Marc H. Silverman, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Ameer Nasir, 24, of Trumbull, Connecticut, was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count.
The indictment alleges that Nasir registered 23 trucking businesses with Amazon Logistics to haul Amazon freight within the company’s network. One of the accounts was created in the name of Nasir’s business, Pak Express Transport LLC, and others were allegedly created fraudulently using the names and identifying information of other trucking or transportation companies without the knowledge of the operators of those companies.
Between approximately December 2019 and February 2021, Nasir allegedly used these accounts to sign up for more than 1,000 loads with Amazon Logistics, manipulated information in Amazon Logistics’ transportation management system to misrepresent that he had completed trailer movements when he had not, and submitted fraudulent invoices to Amazon Logistics that were subsequently paid. Through this scheme, Nasir defrauded Amazon of more than $3 million, according to the indictment.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Amazon.
[Related: Norman Camamile's weekend with the 'Iluminati' hacker: Four Amazon runs, no payment]
Iowa fuel haulers get HOS relief
Joining the governors of Nebraska and Kansas, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on May 9 issued an emergency declaration due to a shortage of fuel as a result of high demand.
As reported last week, emergency declarations were issued in Kansas and Nebraska due to fuel shortages, waiving hours of service regulations for haulers transporting certain fuels into or within the states. Local officials in Kansas clarified that there’s not an outright shortage of fuel, but rather a bottleneck in the supply chain “due to multiple causes” resulting in long lines at fuel terminals.
In Iowa’s declaration issued Friday, drivers delivering diesel, gasoline or gasoline blends, ethanol and biodiesel into or within Iowa are exempt from the maximum driving time regulations during the duration of the emergency. The current declaration is effective for 14 days through May 23.
[Related: Are you Roadcheck-ready? Inspectors to key in on PC, false logs]
Air tank capacity issue prompts Freightliner, Western Star recall
Daimler Trucks North America is recalling a small number of Freightliner and Western Star trucks in which the air tank capacity may be too small, impacting braking performance.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the recall affects approximately 68 model year 2025 Freightliner 114SD, Business Class M2, Cascadia, and Western Star 49X trucks. In these units, the air tank capacity may be too small, resulting in reduced braking performance. As such, the trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
The remedy is currently under development. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 6. A second notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 800-547-0712 with recall number F1019. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-295.
Trucker recognized for helping put out roadside fire
Kerry Netusil, a truck driver for Bay & Bay Transportation from Hawley, Pennsylvania, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for helping put out a vehicle fire on the side of the road.
Kerry NetusilTCA
“I pulled over and ran back with my fire extinguisher,” said Netusil.
The fire caused extensive damage to the truck, and Netusil, who has been a truck driver for eight years, quickly worked to extinguish it. The pickup truck driver sustained injuries from the fire, which was caused when he plugged in his cell phone.
“The guy’s truck was totaled,” he said, “and he definitely burned part of his hand in the fire.”
Netusil’s grandfather and father were both firefighters, he said, and he never hesitated to stop to help the distressed driver.
“I don’t like the idea of people losing stuff because I didn’t feel like pulling over,” he said. “It just doesn’t sit right with me.”
