The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has ordered Rhino Displays of Payson, Illinois and Prudential Carriers Inc. of Hampton Georgia to shut down immediately as a result of federal investigations that have uncovered multiple widespread violations of critical safety for both companies.
Rhino, a fireworks display company, notified FMSA in writing that they had closed the commercial fireworks transportation portion of its business in July of 2010. However, on May 30, 2015 FMCSA safety inspectors found out that Rhino delivered fireworks to a baseball stadium located in Hannibal, Missouri. During the course of their investigation of the cargo, the driver and the truck the safety inspectors discovered multiple safety violations. Those violations included opened and improperly secured packages of fireworks, absence of federally required fire extinguisher in the vehicle, presence of alcohol in the vehicle, driver did not posses a commercial driver’s license, lack of hazardous materials endorsement or valid medical certificate, no record of duty status, no Hazardous Materials Safety Permit, no hazmat placarding on the vehicle and the absence of the required shipping documents.
The federal out of service order was issued on June 4, 2015 and stated “These widespread violations substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury or death to Rhino Display’s drivers and the public.”
FMCSA safety inspectors began an investigation of Prudential in late May of 2015 as a direct result of the multiple accidents the carrier has been involved in, to include the May 12, 2015 incident where Prudential instructed one of their drivers to continue operating the vehicle that was transporting a damaged and leaking load of canola oil on Interstate 75 in Georgia. As a result of the oil leaking on the interstate four separate vehicles were involved in accidents because the road was slick with oil. The violations uncovered by the safety inspectors 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, failing to comply with FMCSA mandated random alcohol and controlled substances testing of its drivers.
The federal out of service order was issued on June 5, 2015 and states “…uncovered widespread regulatory violations demonstrating Prudential’s repeated and egregious non-compliance with federal safety regulations and a management philosophy indifferent to motor carrier safety.”
FMCSA Shuts Down Two Trucking Companies as Imminent Hazards to Public Safety
