FMCSA Orders Trucking Company to Shut Down
The agency ordered DND International, Inc. to shut down, declaring it a hazard to public safety.
FMCSA has ordered the immediate shutdown of Illinois-based DND International, Inc. (USDOT No. 1434005), declaring it an imminent hazard to public safety. According to a press release from FMCSA, the agency completed an investigation that found the company had committed "widespread, serious violations of federal regulations that protect the safety of the motoring public."
Following a January 2014 crash that killed a tollway worker and injured a state trooper, FMCSA began investigating both the incident and the company. They found the driver in question operated a tractor-trailer for 26 hours, only resting between 3.5 and 5.5 hours, well short of the federally required rest period. Federal rules prohibit truck drivers for driving for more than 11 hours each shift and/or remaining on duty after 14 hours of work.The investigation also found that seven drivers had falsified their hours-of-service records.
"After the horrible tragedy on I-88 earlier this year, I asked for a thorough investigation of DND International so that we could get to the bottom of the incident," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in the press release. "The investigation confirmed my suspicions that the problems with this trucking company are putting travelers at risk every day. I am happy that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration took swift action to take these trucks off the road. This type of strong and vigorous oversight must continue in order to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent this kind of dangerous driving behavior."
Renato Velasquez, 46, was charged with driving while fatigued and longer than his approved duty hours after the January crash in Aurora, Ill., when his truck struck three vehicles. The impact killed tollway worker Vincent Petrella, 39, and seriously injured Illinois State Trooper Douglas Balder, 38, who were responding to a disabled semi.