After shutting down a driver back in February who was involved in a fatal accident, the FMCSA has also investigated the carrier, DND International, and shut them down as well.
The driver, Renato V. Valasquez had reportedly been on duty for 26 hours straight with a maximum of 5 ½ hours of break time when the accident occurred. Consequently, the driver was accused of falsifying his logs and was charged with multiple felonies.
However, after comparing toll transaction data with the logs of several DND drivers, the agency found that all of the drivers had falsified information in their logs.
The FMCSA concluded that the carrier has “an unmistakable, dangerous pattern of serious falsifications that substantially increase the likelihood of serious injury or death to [the carrier’s] drivers and the motoring public.”
The agency has shut down eight other carriers this year for violations as well as four other drivers. FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro stated, “Companies and commercial drivers that knowingly jeopardize public safety by disregarding common-sense regulations that prevent driver fatigue will not be tolerated and will be banned from continuing their dangerous and illegal behavior.”
–Update–
A judge recently reversed the decision to shut down the carrier, stating that DND International’s violations did not cause an imminent safety hazard. The FMCSA plans on appealing the judge’s decision.
