News Release 05-15

KCC assesses $58,300 in fines against motor carriers

The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) assessed $58,300 in fines and penalties against 41 motor carriers for violations of Commission rules and regulations during the fourth-quarter of the state’s fiscal year 2005 (April 1, 2005 to June 30, 2005). The violations were discovered during Safety Compliance Audits of 157 motor carriers, performed by the Commission’s Transportation Division.

The Commission fined:

Clisso Company, MInc., DeSoto, Kansas $2,000 for three safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program, failure to maintain minimum records of vehicle inspection and maintenance, and for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Cooperative Agricultural Services, Inc., Oakley, Kansas $4,000 for five safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, to transport a class 3, hazardous material in a non-specification cargo tank, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection; and failure to require a driver to prepare a record of duty report.

Midwest Cooperative, Quinter, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Pitt Trucking & Construction, Inc., Belvue, Kansas $1,500 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program and allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Biomune, Inc., Lenexa, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

The Andale Farmers Cooperative Company, Andale, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Master Landscape, Inc., Manhattan, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Pfeifer Service, L.L.C., Morland, Kansas $3,000 for five safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having the cargo tank periodically tested and inspected, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, to transport hazardous material in a non-specification cargo tank; and failure to require drivers to prepare a record of duty report.

Gildardo Ochoa d.b.a. GO Trucking, Garden City, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Wiebe Trucking, Inc., Burns, Kansas $1,000 for failing to submit to a random controlled substance test.

Frontier Equity Exchange Association, Goodland, Kansas $1,000 for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a record of duty report.

Western Investment, Inc., d.b.a. Western Grain Mill, Council Grove, Kansas $750 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate and operating a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Bainter Oil Service, Inc., Hoxie, Kansas $8,500 for four safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report and to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection, failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program, and failure to require a driver to prepare a record of duty status report.

R & R Wood, Inc., Meriden, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

T Sammons, L.L.C. d.b.a. R&S Transportation, Gardner, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

The Reactor, Inc., Quinter, Kansas $800 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report and operating a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Corner Stop, L.L.C., Kiowa, Kansas $500 for failure to implement a hazardous materials security plan.

Befort Trucking, L.L.C., Hays, Kansas $1,500 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate and for not retaining any bills of lading from the loads transported.

LB & Sons, Inc., Kiowa, Kansas $500 for failure to maintain a current motor vehicle record for each driver employed.

Hiebert Trucking, Inc., Hillsboro, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle after 14 hours without 10 hours off duty and allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle after 11 hours without taking 10 hours off duty.

Farmway Co-op, Inc., Beloit, Kansas $2,500 for three safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, failure to require a driver to prepare a record of duty status report, and allowing or requiring a driver to transport hazardous material in a cargo tank without first successfully testing or inspecting the vehicle.

Double T Transport, L.L.C., Wichita, Kansas $1,000 for allowing or requiring a driver to make false entries on his record of duty status report.

Green Glo, Inc. d.b.a. The Sod Shop, Wichita, Kansas $500 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed and allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Ken Hill, Quinter, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection and for failure to maintain a current motor vehicle record for each driver employed.

C & D Trucking, Inc., Inman, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Gabriel Lopez d.b.a. Lopez Automotive, Emporia, Kansas $500.00 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle in without first obtaining operating authority.

Tow Service, Inc., Wichita, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

Jack Metzger d.b.a. Metzger Tent Rental, Topeka, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed and failure to require drivers to prepare a record of duty status report.

Superior Sheet Metal Company, Inc., Kansas City, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corp., Lenexa, Kansas $2,000 for four safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection, to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection, and failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed.

Vincent A. Arredondo d.b.a. Shawnee Auto Towing, Topeka, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first obtaining operating authority.

House of Denmark, Inc., Overland Park, Kansas $500 for failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed.

Lindell, Inc., Pleasanton, Kansas $1,500 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection and for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

American Linehaul, Inc., Topeka, Kansas $3,500 for four safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to make false entries in his record of duty status report, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection, to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report; and failure to maintain a current motor vehicle record for each driver employed.

Midway Co-op Association, Osborne, Kansas $1,000 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle in excess of the maximum gross weight allowed by law.

Jeff Otott, Washington, Kansas $1,250 for four safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report and failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program.

MJR Enterprises, Inc. d.b.a. Discount Furniture, Manhattan, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

M & S Trucks, Inc., Anthony, Kansas $3,500 for three safety violations. The violations include failure to require drivers to prepare a record of duty status report and for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

Harold D. Gable d.b.a. Ness City Ice Co., Ness City, Kansas $2,000 for four safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle transporting hazardous material without first having documentation on file of hazardous material training and to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed, and failure to require drivers to prepare a record of duty status report.

Andrew J. Servaes, Atchison, Kansas $2,500 for four safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program, failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed, failure to maintain minimum records of inspection and vehicle maintenance, and allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Stagepro, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas $500 for failure to require drivers to prepare a record of duty status report.

The Transportation Division offers free compliance seminars. The seminars are held in Topeka, Hutchinson, Hays, and Garden City. All seminars begin at 9:00 a.m. and last approximately two hours. These seminars are presented by the Commission’s Transportation Division staff and are designed to assist motor carriers comply with safety and economic regulations. The seminar schedule is available on the Commission’s website at www.kcc.state.ks.us or by calling 785 271-3231 for information.

The KCC Transportation Division is responsible for regulating public and private motor carriers in Kansas. The Commission’s goal is to ensure appropriate and effective regulation and oversight of motor carriers and protect the public interest and safety.