FMCSA Shuts Down Trucking Company After Air Bag Explosion Leveled A House And Killed Occupant
Today the FMCSA announced that a Georgia-based trucking company has been ordered to cease all operations following a crash that resulted in the explosion of vehicle air bags that destroyed a Texas home and killed its occupant.
Industrial Transit was issued the out of service order on October 4 for the August 22, 2016, crash involving one of their trucks in Maverick County, Texas.
According to the FMCSA, an Industrial Transit truck transporting Takata air bag components took a curve too quickly, striking a culvert and then rolling over. The truck caught fire, causing the air bags to explode. This explosion leveled a house and damaged several other homes.
The occupant of the leveled home was killed. The team drivers in the truck and two motorists were injured.
While investigating the crash and Industrial Transit, the FMCSA uncovered several violations:
- -The company allowed two drivers to operate trucks without a valid CDL in the past two and a half months.
- -Industrial Transit allowed a driver to transport explosive hazardous materials after refusing to submit to a random controlled substances test
- -Industrial Transit’s last ten roadside inspections all resulted in the trucks being placed out of service for safety violations.
- -The company failed to comply with Hours of Service regulations.
- -Hazmat drivers were not given specific hazmat training or in-depth security training.
- -The company failed to have hazmat communications or security plans in place, meaning that the company did not meet the requirements for a hazmat safety permit.
FMSCSA declared that the company’s “complete and utter lack of compliance with operation of (federal safety regulations)…substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death for its drivers and the motoring public…this risk is heightened further when Industrial Transit transports [hazardous materials].”
As a result of the FMCSA’s investigation, Industrial Transit may also face civil penalties or criminal prosecution.
[su_document url=”https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/Industrial%20Transit%20IH%20Order%2010.04.16.pdf” width=”700″]Trucker’s Letter To Paul Ryan In Washington[/su_document]