4/2/2012 DOT Shuts down Utah-based Reliable Transportation Services

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered Utah-based Reliable Transportation Services, Inc. to immediately cease all transportation services, declaring the trucking company and its principal, Jay Zachary Barber, an imminent hazard to public safety.

The order follows an extensive review of the company's operations, which found multiple hours-of-service, hazardous materials, drug and alcohol testing and vehicle maintenance violations, as well as a high occurrence of recent crashes.

"Commercial truck companies that blatantly disregard safety should not be on our roadways and will be shut down," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

FMCSA immediately shut down Reliable Transportation after safety investigators found hours-of-service and driver qualification violations that substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury or death to the traveling public.

Investigators discovered that the company was using drivers with suspended or revoked commercial driver's licenses and operating without a driver drug and alcohol testing program. In addition, Reliable Transportation was transporting concealed hazardous material loads without valid federal registration.

"This agency will continue to exhaust every resource within its legal authority to pursue and shut down unsafe trucking companies that place the public at risk," said FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro. "Companies that refuse to adhere to federal safety rules will not be allowed to operate."

According to the FMCSA order, “Reliable Transportation has violated countless federal statutory and regulatory motor carrier safety rules and has been in at least seven crashes in the last year, which include six crashes since December 2011.”
The order comes after an extensive review of the company’s operations that found the company:

• fails to monitor and ensure that its drivers comply with drivers’ hours of service (HOS) and records of duty status requirements;
• fails to ensure that its commercial motor vehicles are inspected, repaired, and maintained;
• fails to ensure that its drivers have appropriate licenses and endorsements for the commercial motor vehicles they operate;
• fails to ensure its drivers are medically examined and certified;
• fails to ensure its drivers are properly qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles;
• fails to comply with driver controlled substances and alcohol use testing requirements;
• fails to comply with hazardous materials regulations (HMRs ), including registration requirements, training requirements and placarding requirements; and
• intentionally submits fraudulent documents in order to avoid detection of continued safety violations.

According to the FMCSA order, the company used drivers with suspended or disqualified commercial licenses, did not have a driver drug and alcohol testing program, and violated the federal hours-of-service regulations to a degree that the company “substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury or death to the traveling public.”

Legal Representation

If you or your trucking company have questions about Hours of Service violations or questions about compliance with these regulations, the attorneys at the law firm of Bostwick & Price, P.C. are available to answer your questions and concerns. www.bostwickprice.com