• 24
  • January
    2012

We described in a recent blog post (December 29, 2011) just how serious federal regulators and safety agencies are about the laws and regulations put into place that govern the operation of commercial motor vehicles plying the interstates and roadways across the United States.

Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) spokespersons routinely link commercial drivers' failure to abide by applicable laws with the commercial truck accidents and bus crashes that occur on the nation's roads.

They especially posit a close nexus between truckers' violation of maximum on-duty hours and required rest breaks with accidents, owing to fatigue, and they are quick to punish transgressions.

A North Carolina trucking company and its owner just found that out.

Mabe Trucking Company, Inc., and its president, Roger D. Mabe, Jr., were fined by the government recently after the latter pleaded guilty to issuing false statements concerning the number of hours Mabe drivers were actually driving.

Mabe's guilty plea was made on January 11, following discussions with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Greensboro.

Investigators began close examination of the company's driver logs after they began suspecting fraud in the number of driving hours stated. They found that many of the logs were falsified, with drivers being behind the wheel in excess of maximum time limits.

Mabe faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The corporation, which is based in Eden, North Carolina, could be slapped with a fine of $500,000.

Source: News & Observer "NC trucking company owner may face prison, fines over falsified driving logs" Amanda James, Jan. 11, 2012