Trucking News and Briefs for Friday, May 24th 2024:
Five arrested for multi-state pump skimming and diesel theft ring
Five individuals were arrested after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and several Florida law-enforcement agencies. They were accused of participating in a multistate fuel device conspiracy that involved the theft of diesel.
In a press statement from U.S. attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, it is stated that the five arrested worked together and with others to place skimmers at pumps in north Florida and in other states. The skimmers were used to steal account numbers, which they then used to make counterfeit cards and purchase diesel fuel.
Court documents claim that the conspirators used vehicles with bladders/containers to pump the diesel fuel fraudulently purchased into. They then offloaded the fuel into containers in a fuel yard to be sold to an associated gas station.
The five arrested individuals were:
- Luis Edel Trujillo Pena, 29, Miami
- Deyvis Hernandez, 37, Miami
- Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa, 32, Miami
- Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo, 38, Jacksonville
- Deonelky Tabares Cid, 36, Tampa
Each was charged with conspiracy, 4 counts of wire fraud and 15 counts of access devices fraud. They were also each charged with three counts of aggravated identitiy theft.
If convicted, they could face up to 20 years of federal prison for each count for wire fraud, 10 years for each device fraud count, five years for the conspiracy count and a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years for every identity theft count.
The FBI, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), U.S. General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office investigated the case.
[ Related to: Fuel payment providers increase theft protections amid card skimming explosion]
The truck tonnage dropped in April
The amount of freight transported by trucks continued to decrease in April, indicating a continued soft freight market.
ATA’s Truck Tonnage Index decreased by 1.2% in April after a 2.2% decline in March.
ATA
The American Trucking Associations advanced seasonally-adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 1.2% in April, after declining 2.2% in March. In April, the index was 111.7 (2015=100), compared to 113.1 in March.
Bob Costello, ATA’s Chief Economist, said that the truck freight market remained soft during April. Seasonally-adjusted volume fell for a second consecutive month. “With a freight rebound still elusive, additional capacity is likely to leave the industry as a result of the continued softness on the market.”
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Comparing April 2023 to the current month, the index dropped 1.5%. This was the 14th consecutive year-over-year decrease. In March, the index fell 1.3% compared to a year ago.
The index that is not adjusted for season, which represents tonnage hauled by fleets prior to any seasonal adjustment, was 112.2 in April. This is 1.7% less than March. The For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index of the ATA is dominated more by contract freight than spot market freight.
[ Related to: Fuel Prices Continue to Fall, but Roadcheck Rates Bump Fails to Materialize]
Covenant wants to waive the CDL requirement to allow drivers without CDLs to drive
Covenant Transport and Landair Transport are jointly doing business under Covenant Logistics. They have petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to grant a waiver allowing pre-CDL drivers the ability to drive without a CDL driver in the passenger’s seat.
If granted, the exemption would allow Covenant Logistics, to hire a driver immediately after they pass their CDL skills tests and while their CDL documents are being processed by their state. Covenant’s petition states it recruits and trains driver candidates who have a good safety record and have graduated from reputable driver training schools.
It hires about 1,200 new drivers a year through driver-training schools, and estimates that 2,000 drivers a year would operate CMVs if the exemption was granted.
The company stated that before the implementation of 49 CFR 383.25(a),(1) states issued temporary CDLs to drivers who passed a CDL test. These temporary CDLs were only valid in the state where the driver resided. This process allowed Covenant to designate a driver as On Duty, immediately and direct them to their state without putting a second driver in an on-duty position.
Covenant said that it cannot employ a new truck driver until his home state issues him a CDL. The company can either wait for the CDL credential to be issued by the driver’s state of residence before commencing on-duty operations, or send the driver back to their home state in a non-productive position.
Covenant said that this leads to inefficiency in the supply chain and a missed opportunity for employment for the new driver. States can take weeks to update and properly document the status of a CDL for a new driver after they pass the CDL skills tests. Covenant is unable to employ the driver without a second driver at the front of the CMV during this time. The company stated that this administrative waiting period is a major burden to its operations.
FMCSA will accept public comment on the request through June 24.
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