What would happen if one of the big (5000+ power units)carriers got shut down by DOT?

Has this ever happened before? What if it happened today or tommorrow or whenever, ......even briefly for say 10 days? Some of the impacts are obvious, like other carriers diving in to scrap for the carrier's customers, but what else might happen within the industry because of an event like this. There are some large carriers with some shaky safety scores!!!!

Edit: I did a quick look at SafeStat. I counted over 40 carriers (and it was a quick count) with 500 or more power units that have DriverSEAs above 70.... I think 75 is the "you suck" point. I didn't look at the VehicleSEAs. Both of these areas will, in some fashion, be predictive of BASIC scores.

Oh Dave, I know you know this, but your old friends really, really, really SUCK!!!

 

Ya know Dave, I've been obsessed, maybe unneccessarily (we'll see) by this CSA 2010 deal. I've spent a fair amount of time at the SafeStat site because I don't want to work for a carrier that doesn't put a lot of emphasis on safety. I've been shocked that some of the big boys, maybe some not quite as big as 5000 PUs, have been sailing merrily along with crappy safety scores. I'd be willing to bet that an internal audit at FMCSA would bring up some questions about why some of these carriers have been getting by with those scores. Pay offs? or "Oops, how'd we miss that?".
If DOT/FMCSA is going to go after the "bad guys", seems to me a good first shot would be to make a stop at some of the big boys' houses. It's would be kinda like shootin' birdshot at a fence lined with crows, know what I mean?
If Carrier A has 5000 PUs and a crappy safety score and Carrier B has 5 PUs and a crappy safety score identical to that of Carrier A, doesn't it make sense that, for the sake of saving lives on the highways, that you take out the most PUs first?
I've got a stinking suspicion, Dave, that economic impact and supply chain interruption helps DOT/FMCSA to turn a blind eye to the big picture!

 

Some, probably most, of these carriers will survive. They might do it by terminating drivers. That's the quick and easy. But what about the managers and the other upper-level muckity mucks that let this happen in the first place? What level of management skill did it take to create this situation? What have they been doing to earn their keep? What have they been doing to ensure the survival of their company? Lunches with other muckity mucks? "Dial-a-Democrat"? "Redial-a-Republican"?

Oh yeah, another thing....did it ever occur to them that the lax attitude that blatantly allowed this to happen killed or injured more people than the individual drivers they have terminated or will terminate?

(Oh hell, I just ranted through a hijack of my own thread. Never mind!!!)

 

I remember Dave's travails. He just wouldn't let 'em fix the problem. (definite sarcasm). I think he's let bygones be bygones....Kevin was over to his place just last weekend for a BBQ!!!

 

Funny you should mention that. My boss, who I'm leaving for the green pastures of OTR, is scheming to hook me up with friends of hers that own a charter bus line (tiny one) right here on the MS Coast. Her husband drove some for them and told tales of $500 tips from some of the tours. I told her I'd hold on to the idea but I've got enough people that pizz me off for now, but if I ever needed another bus full, I'd let her know!

(Truth is, probably not a bad way to go....less aggravation I would imagine.)