FMCSA to Shut Down Trucking Companies in Illinois and Georgia
The two companies are considered imminent hazards to public safety
The FMCSA has ordered Rhino Displays of Payson, Illinois, and Prudential Carriers Inc. of Hampton, Georgia, to immediately shut down following investigations that revealed violations of critical safety regulations.
According to a report, safety investigators discovered that Rhino had transported fireworks to a baseball stadium in Hannibal, Missouri even though the company had informed FMCSA that it closed the commercial fireworks transportation portion of its business in 2010. Some of the safety violations found were: opened and improperly secured packages of fireworks; absence of a federally required fire extinguisher in the vehicle; presence of alcohol in the vehicle; driver not possessing a commercial driver’s license, a hazardous materials endorsement, or a valid medical certificate; no records of duty status; no Hazardous Materials Safety Permit; no hazmat placarding on the vehicle; and absence of required shipping papers.
In May of 2015, Prudential instructed a driver to continue operating a truck that was transporting a damaged, leaking load of canola oil onto Interstate 75 in Georgia. Four vehicle crashes resulted from the conditions before the driver was arrested. The violations from this incident include: failing to ensure its leased and company-owned vehicles were systematically inspected, repaired and maintained; failing to ensure its drivers complied with federal hours-of-service regulations designed to prevent fatigued driving; failing to comply with driver qualification requirements and allowing unqualified drivers to operate a commercial motor vehicle; and failing to comply with FMCSA-mandated random alcohol and controlled substances testing of its drivers.