Trucking News and Briefs for Friday May 31, 2024:
A small N.J. trucker’s fleet previously shut down is ordered OOS
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has also shut down the one-truck operation run by Gurpreet Sing, a truck driver from New Jersey, . This operation was shut down in April by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Singh was ordered to stop working after he rear ended another vehicle and left the scene. He was later found in his truck with a bottle marked “vodka”. He then violated the out-of service order and drove his truck later on that day. He had also been in trouble with the police before, when he was found to have exceeded the legal limit of alcohol impairment.
After the imminent hazard warning, FMCSA investigated Singh’s company, 1 Noor Trucking. It found that it was “egregiously in violation of multiple federal safety regulations”.
- Testing for controlled substances and alcohol
- Commercial Driver’s License Standard — Requirements, Penalties and Driving of CMVs.
Singh was also stopped on March 22, 2024 for failing to maintain a lane while driving his CMV in New Jersey on Interstate 78. Singh was arrested after failing a field-sobriety check. A probable cause search revealed four open bottles of vodka in his CMV. In New Jersey, Singh is charged with driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving while using alcohol, driving recklessly, unsafe lane changes, and following too closely.
The FMCSA’s Imminent Hazard Out-of Service Order states that 1 Noor Trucking Inc. does not have effective safety management controls in place to ensure that its drivers operate CMVs in a safe manner. The cumulative violations of FMCSRs increase the likelihood of death and serious injury for 1 Noor Trucking, Inc. drivers and the public.
Civil penalties of up $33,252 per violation can be imposed for failure to comply with the Federal Imminent Hazard Out-of-Service Order. 1 Noor Trucking, Inc. could also face civil penalties of up to $18,758 if it operates a CMV without registering with the USDOT. Criminal penalties may be imposed for knowing and/or willful violations.
[ Related to New Jersey driver shut down after crash and multiple DUIs]
Tennessee passes Towing Reforms
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed towing reforms into law that appear to be tailored to protect the trucking industry against predatory towing firms, as one particular outfit appears to terrorize truck stop with impunity.
House Bill 1731, also known as the Modernization of Towing, Immobilization and Oversight Normalization Act, states that it is illegal for a commercial lot owner to boot or tow a motor car parked on their lot, if the vehicle is not abandoned, immobile, unattended, or unattended. A1’s Towing, located in Memphis, was filmed holding the driver hostage for over 33 hours.
[ Related to Truckers robbed, roughed up by towing company]
The billalso prohibits individuals without a license from booting cars, restricts booting to commercial lots, and gives parking attendants thirty minutes to come out to remove a boot immediately upon a driver’s payment. This amount has been capped to $75. The “modernization” component of the law includes many other provisions, including license plate readers and detailed notices before seizure.
According to the new law it is a Class B misdemeanor for any truck or trailer with a clearly visible number of the USDOT or a commercial license plate in the state.
The American Trucking Associations praised Tennessee for the bill, calling “comprehensive reforms” to crackdown on predatory towers which target heavy-duty vehicles.
“Predatory towing firms that hold equipment and freight hostage by issuing inflated, excessive and fraudulent invoices tarnishes the reputation of the whole towing industry. “They have abused the trucking industry far too long and we refuse any longer to make these ransom payments,” ATA President & CEO Chris Spear stated in a press release. “ATA’s federation state associations is ready to fight back against unscrupulous businesses that target our industry, by injecting more fairness and accountability into state and local laws pertaining t towing.”
[ Related: Trucking’s best defense against predatory Towing: A step by step guide]
C.H. Robinson’s 2024 “Carriers of the year” for service excellence
Broker C.H. Robinson announced this week the winners of the annual Carrier of the Year Awards. These 24 carriers were selected from the network of 450,000 contract drivers on the platform of the company. They were chosen for their operational excellence, which included adoption of technology that enhanced efficiencies, according to the company, and growth in the amount of freight hauled by C.H. Robinson and resilience in a difficult market. The U.S. truckload, LTL, and intermodal carriers are among the standouts this year.
An ongoing three-day event at Robinson’s Eden Prairie, Minnesota, headquarters, May 29-31, delivered prizes and further recognized carriers reps in several appreciation initiatives, including an awards banquet.
“Over the last year and beyond, truck drivers have shown resilience in overcoming challenges, learning to adjust and persevere in adversity,” C.H. Michael Castagnetto of Robinson North American Surface Transportation called it a “testament” to their strength and dedication. We’re thrilled to celebrate these outstanding carriers personally to pay tribute to their importance to us and to the economy.
The company stated that seven of the award recipients for 2024 were repeat winners. This included all three LTL honorees. This further reinforced their status as high-quality, consistent and dedicated carriers.
Transco Lines Terry Wallace, truckload winner of the 200-999 trucks, said he was “honored” by the recognition for his “efforts to expand and evolve my business in exciting new ways.”
The 2024 Carrier of the year winners:
- ABR Transport Inc. — Sacramento, CA
- Acme Truck Line Inc. – Gretna (LA)
- Barrera’s Express – South Gate, CA
- CRST — Cedar Rapids (IA)
- Darrough Transportation Inc. – Beech Grove, IN
- Day to Day Logistics Inc. – Mississauga Ontario, Canada
- Estes Express — Richmond (VA)
- Gabriela Transport Services — Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- Garesp — Phoenix AZ
- GL Logistics — Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
- McGuire Transportation Inc. — Temple TX
- Old Dominion Freight Line – Thomasville, NC
- Pahoa Express Inc – Clinton Township, MI
- Paveway Express – Greenville, SC
- RBX Inc. – Strafford, MO
- Rodrial USA LLC – Houston, TX
- Skyline Fleet Inc. – Stockton, CA
- Southeastern Freight Lines – Lexington, SC
- Sunrise Trucking Inc. – French Camp, CA
- Takata Trans Inc. – Delaware Water Gap (PA)
- Timmons Transit — Jonesboro (AR)
- Transco Lines, Inc. – Russellville, AR
- Trucks for You Inc. – Muskogee (OK)
- Zana Transportation Services Inc. — Tucson, AZ