FMCSA Orders Shutdown of Alabama Trucking Company, Driver Sleeps At The Wheel

by Jake Tully - Published: 4/28/2017

J&L Trucking, based out of Beatrice, Alabama has been ordered by the Federal Motor Carrier Association to cease all current national and in-state operations immediately in order to investigate what may be a case of imminent hazard to public safety.

The federal order, which was served earlier this week to the trucking company by the FMCSA, will cease operations of J&L Trucking’s two current trucks.

Alabama Department of Public Safety Officers report that the investigation is due to a crash caused by a J&L driver last month. The driver was found at the scene without a valid medical certificate and missing a week’s worth of record-of duty status.

It was reported by The FMCSA that a J&L Trucking driver fell asleep at the wheel in late march, causing his truck to cross the centerline of Highway 13, Colliding with a passenger vehicle head-on. Those in the passenger vehicle were fatally injured.

Alabama officers additionally found that the truck from J&H suffered from worn tires, grease and oil leaks and other safety-related violations.

The FMCSA believes the poor quality of the truck found to be linked to a inefficient momentous program for vehicles at J&L Trucking.

FMCSA officials say that without a proper maintenance program that follows federal regulations, the situation, ““…substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death for its drivers and the motoring public if the operations of J&L Trucking are not discontinued immediately.”

Up to $25, 705 may be assessed at J&L Trucking for the counts of violations that the FMCSA has reported. As penalties are made final, the carrier may also see close to $10, 282 for operating trucks without proper federal operating authority registration. At this time of writing, the carrier may also see a fine of close to $14,000 for running vehicles without the required Department of Transportation registration.

If determined by the FMCSA, J&L Trucking will consider civil penalties for safety violations.