In the past month and a half, two men have been sentenced to prison time for running two separate CDL testing schemes. And though they received the maximum allowable sentence, they’ll only be spending two years in prison each.
One man was part of a scheme which involved DMV employees in California. Together with his co-conspirators, he was paid roughly $90,000 to give at least 60 drivers a passing grade on their CDL tests in DMV records. He has been sentenced to 2 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee.
The other man was a former employee at a CDL training and certification school in Mississippi. After he was fired in 2014, he went out on his own. He got a list of the names and ID numbers of licensed CDL instructors in the state. He used that information to fill out fraudulent paperwork for paying customers. People paid between $200 and $400 to get their CDLs without ever needing to take a skills test. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a total of $1,600.
“These types of crimes endanger our children, our families and the public at large on our roadways,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst according to a DOJ press release. “When a person chooses to exchange our safety for their personal benefit, they will be prosecuted and held accountable. I commend our law enforcement partners for their excellent work to ensure our roads are and remain safe.”
Source: overdrive, brokernewswire, justice, ccj, truckersreport
Steve Boggs says
Mike Hurst, US Attorney General, what a hypocrite.
His statement “When a person chooses to exchange our safety for personal benefit, they will be prosecuted and held accountable.,” is the biggest load of crap I’ve heard yet.
Our politicians have sacrificed our safety for their personal benefit for over 50 years, but you don’t see any of them being prosecuted.
If someone that high up the ladder is going to make a statement like that he needs to back it up with some serious action.
Maybe hes just all talk and it only applies to the small crimes.
Alvin Lindsay says
agree
Robert says
10-4
Gassed Up my Hotrods and Waiting says
This is a garbage story, that’s why no ending or following thru. This is something that happens thought-out the US even for restricted drivers licenses, it’s just a scare tactic for the ignorant to jump on. Look at your next taxi drivers license look at your Uber/Lyft drivers license check out your college daughters party Id look at Hispanics/Asian/Indian’s and may others that cross illegally but still get regular jobs for fast food chains/industrial/and lesser jobs. This prosecution is just to help push the computer driven vehicles into your future, and more like this will continue to make headlines. They cannot make the switch to autonomous vehicles without eliminating the smaller trucker and his trucking companies first, look at the major trucking lines they’ve already been getting autonomous lines over the past decade. If big trucks are all on automation, one big line of trucks driving in an exact sequence and easily diverted to allow local traffic to alternate lanes.. then the car manufacturers can show how swiftly their product can move society freely and safely with theirs. You cannot fight this trucking jobs will be gone within the next two decades and cash for clunkers will eliminate the local drivers of everything from Pizza to building supplies.. But you’ll still have Uberidiots to get your McDonald’s as even they are close to self driving and will help you to buy one as long as work hard enough for them. This is our ever developing world either get on the bus without a driver, wait or it’s maybe your kid controlling it from some office in Albuquerque like a video game.. ever scene the game called Job Simulator.. rambling on now.. Have a PC day and don’t forget to like something and get sad about everything else..
Ed trohoski says
I agree 100%, our politicians need to be held accountable, and sentence to jail time when they break the law. Instead of giving I didn’t realize that happened statement
Mary Evans says
So we’re the driver’s license of these drivers revoked? Where the rest of the story?
Doc says
Most likely not the whole system is corrupted
Scott Dortenzio says
not sure but that is the best question ,they should all have there licence revoked until they go thru the proper channels
Mary Evans says
So were the drivers license of these drivers revoked? Where the rest of the story?
Jones says
What happens to those who got a fraudulent CDL?
Are they revoked and forced to at the very least take a REAL test to hold a CDL?
Sam says
Good question..,
Henry says
I fully agree with the coments above……..those drivers who slipped under the door should absolutely be retested.
jerry says
If this is factual, the 1st guy makes about 90 G’s & “Is ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee”? Poor guy, hope he can make the pymts. on his Benz & Ski boat!
Mark B. says
Hopefully they charged the students. And also hopefully the instructors get charged and loose they teaching license and there CDL.
Ed trohoski says
I spent over 20 years driving over the road as a long-hauler and oversize load hauler. And since the government got the nose involved and truck driving equality of the truck driver has gone downhill. And it is getting worse due to those electronic logs. because of those electronic logs it is no longer safe because of driver cannot pull over when he’s tired. I know you say what the government says they can but I’m truth they cannot because, the company that they drive for will not allow them due to the electronic logs continuously running. Safety for the motoring public has gone down the drain due to money and greed of our politicians. maybe the government should talk to the drivers truck drivers who have been doing it for over 20 years
Kevin Weller says
Yeah… ya can surely see what drivers out here today didn’t pass a skills test but was issued a cdl anyway
JOSEPH L BEGGS says
I agree with a statement from above ..what about when politicians choose to put our troops and country at risk for their benefit??
So , this whole thing is hypocritical and why are the politicians not held accountable?
Trkvet says
Hypocrisy at its best not condoning just comparing
Matthew says
Two years is chump time.
DEBBEE says
Do not think it has any more of an impact as putting 18 yr. olds in trucks. Yes you have 4 weeks of training, you pass your test, but no way you are prepared for the actual job.
Hagarcobra says
I think I you’ve all missed something. These “drivers” paid for a CDL. Why aren’t they being prosecuted.Im sure that comes with a pretty stiff penalty,not just revoked license.