Two former DOT employees are facing multiple felony counts each after it was discovered that they had allegedly been accepting cash in exchange for passing grades on the skills portion of the CDL exam.
City of Detroit Department of Transportation employees Calvin Foulks and Michelle Reed were both CDL examiners for the DDOT, responsible for conducting testing on behalf of the state. They allegedly forged documents stating that CDL applicants had taken and passed their CDL skills tests.
According to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, Foulks and Reed together fraudulently passed at least 85 CDL applicants between 2012 and 2013. Reed retired from the DDOT in 2009, but had still been conducting tests on behalf of the state.
Both stand charged with multiple counts of felony forgery. Foulks is charged with eight counts while Reed has been charged with five. Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison. While unlikely, that means that Foulks could theoretically receive a sentence of 112 years in prison.
All 85 CDL applicants who received their licenses as a result of the alleged fraud have had their CDLs invalidated.
By the end, Foulks and Reed had allegedly received a total of $4,000 from the fraud.
Source: gobytrucknews, freep, truckinginfo
Dominic says
Yeah so because of this BS that happens across the industry, I lose my job, because I refuse to continue training a driver who admitted he could not do the skills. I asked him how he got his CDL, and he said they just gave it to him. I am suppose to be in the bunk getting my sleep time, knowing this guy is up front driving? Not on your life. By the way the Company was CR England. So I was fired for not going on a 3rd load with this guy, and later took it to OSHA on safety grounds, which management wanted me to break my Driver Hours behind the wheel rules. The only thing I got was a waiver that I did not need to pay back the highly inflated Tuition expense of $7,000 usd for a one month driver refresher course at their driver school. The Frucking Industry is nothing but a bunch of scammers and crooks.
So after that I went to work for SWIFT on a dedicated account. And the rules were I always had to make sure the Load was weighed and at the correct Kingpin Setting for the Tandems in the back. And one night I got a load that was not scaled, and I wonder how did they get it to the yard without a scale? So I had to do it, and was sure the tandems were set right. I delivered the load and the next day, my dispatcher accused me of not weighing the load. That his Nevada Driver had to pay $1000 to rework the load, that he had to pay him. They were blaming this on me. I said I weighed the load and showed them proof from my scale ticket, and it was legal on all axles. Well he still accused me claiming the Tandems were not at the right length. I told him what am I to do take a picture of it, and then you wouldn’t believe that? And then I said I think you are ripping off the company and blaming a newbie me, to get me fired. First of all Lumpers only charge around $150 to unload a complete load, so where do you get $1,000 from? The Dispatch Manager grab me by the neck of my collar, and started threatening me, and security came and later escorted me to the Bus Station. My 2nd job, hijacked from me, by corrupt Managers inside the Company.
Too much corruption in the US Trucking Industry.
Dj says
Find a good lawyer and make them hurt!
edward says
Anyone with experience 6 to 1 year experience, should never stay with Swift, J.B Hunt, and any of those training Schools, you have to charge that 1000 dollars to the game. You sound like a veteran in the O/T/R game. Lesson learned. It can get worst, leave Swift, A.S.A.P.
Jd vandy says
U know you don’t have to train…no worries then other than crappy driver s on the road but u can’t save the world
Steve P says
You need to get yourself away from bottom of the barrel companies. Believe it or not they did you a favor by firing you. If you drive for those outfits you have no one to blame but yourself.
Jeff says
Yeah, they are the lowest of the low in trucking, and that’s lower than a snake’s belly. They’re scum. Didn’t England get another Class Action Suit against them, after just settling one? I guess they’ve figured out it’s better financially to rip the drivers off, then settle the case, and keep the difference.
Robert Bennett says
Wow, Dominic, it must suck to get fired for doing the right thing. Thanks for reporting about CR England. You should see an attorney about the mgr. who put his hands on you.
Mike says
No if you’re fired from 2 companies its you not the companies,
Trucking knowledge says
That’s BS if your fired from 2 low class big companies for doing the right thing it’s the industry and companies too big they don’t care. I’ve been in the game 16 years and can tell you that’s fact. So get your experience before telling someone it’s their fault for doing right. That comment proves you yourself are inexperienced
mousekiller says
Attitude is a reason for getting fired or hired. I can imagine the conversation went something like this. Driver > I Fkn did scale the fkn load. Dispatcher- what the FK you mean. ?It was over load and you stupid fkin well did not scale it. Then the clinched fists came up and threats were made.. ad nausuem.
As far a JB hunt. I worked for them on the flat bed division out of Hueytown AL. I was treated with more respect and my abilities utilized more than any carrier I have been with in 50 years of trucking.. Then they closed the flat bed division and went customer flatbed dedicated later but I had moved on by then.
Trucking is what you make of it. If you put little in you get little out. Bad attitude? You pay not the customer or the other guy.
Think you always getting screwed. Take a long hard look at your self. How do you dress, can you be polite? Do you know how to talk with out profanity to a customer or civilian? Aggressive driving. ? It is you that creates the issues or better yet how do you handle them?
Ever wonder what happened to some of the good customers you used to get to load out of? Could be that one driver with a bad attitude blew the deal out of the water with a bad attitude. It doesn’t take much to lose a million dollar customer. Really tough to keep them.
Rob F says
I agree with you about JB. Driver’s are always first and I had tons of miles with the intermodal group out of Chicago. I then was a Lease-Purchase driver and it worked great. I got out only because I realized I was only working to pay for the, ah, “Affordable Health Care” premiums which put my self-employed self out of business.
I now run for DART Express and home every day with good pay and great benefits. The only drag is our trucks are governed at 64 mph. SO, if you see one of us in front of you, get over and pass me or at least clean my back teeth when you climb up my a**!
Rob says
Amen MouseKiller!
Spyder says
Well said. That pretty much sums it up but there are times…….
Driver says
They need to round up all the power happy dot type, the ones that will write you up for bogus violations, scream at you, call you a liar, put you out of service just because they can, in a parking lot with no food/showers/toilet/nothing for 10 to 30 hours, and they know you cant do a thing about it, merely because they are trying to impress their boss or get over the fact they are having a bad day..charge these overbearing idiots…put them in jail a while..
Brandon says
If u get pit out of servicd you can drop trailer and log it as personal use. As long as you are not forwarding progress of commercial goods you are free to bob tail all you want, even drive with your trailer in tow if u want but would be difficult to prove personal use
Calvin says
Yes. I long for the 80’s – 90’s. Was a trainer at a school, located in Delaware. We have 6 week courses. This was the days of simple “spring loaded” trailer brakes. Drop a trailer, be sure the trailer wheels had been chocked. If not, once the air left the trailer air lines, & the trailer had been dropped on an incline, it surely would “run away” (roll down the incline!!!!
Hooking up to a trailer you had to (should) 1st, back tractor just under trailer. Connect air lines, build the air up in the trailer’s line. Then, the trailer air brakes would engage.
We had the 6 weeks course, which included: operating trucks with/without power steering. Dash fans, for air. Trailers loaded down with, railroad ties for weight.
Trainees learned with flat bed trailers, tanker trailers, along with dry box. They had to, plan & institute a delivery, as far away as Virginia. Scale load, travel across that crazy Virginia DOT scale. Deliver, return to yard. Trucks required, learning to shift using tachometer/ground speed (up/down shifting). Splitting gears, etc.
Some students, took classes only on weekends which, has the course last close to 6 months.
Before finalizing acceptance into the school, our reps insisted on sitting down with the students husband/wife/family/girlfriend, etc to, be sure their other half understood that, the career required extensive time, away from home & not one where he/she can be called, with a non-emergent problem & just rush home!!!!lEtc, etc.
We put out a large percentage of, GOOD trainees-drivers. Our trainees barely EVER had a problem, passing their state’s skills test. Many States at that time, had “BLIND SIDE”parallel parking, as part of their skills test, etc etc.
These schools/companies now, are a joke. Ripe for taking off these “newbies”. I would not drive for any of these MEGA companies. Many are not making any more than they would be if, they had a job where they sleep in their own beds (home) at night!!!! TRUCKING!!!!! It’s a turbed into a: JOKE!!!! KEEP SMILING!!!!
mousekiller says
Calvin. I too am from the good ol days of truckin. but my time started in the mid 60’s. Far too many of todays drivers couldn’t hack yester years trucking if it was brought back today. Missing today in trucking dominated by the newbies are two items needed to succeed. Work ethic and respect. It only takes a 2 minute conversation with a driver to know he is lacking.
Bad Penny says
Yea i agree with you and Calvin. I started in the 90’s and before our instrustor would pass us to be able to get our cdl’s we had ti back BACK completely around a circle track without pulling up or getting off the road. We used to help each other out here but now no one does anymore. I can go to any broker i have used in my 24 years and ask for a load and would have one with the pay i want at any time because i have a great attitude and a great working professional relationship with them and they always would get a great report from their customers whenever i went to a shipper or receiver. If you can joke with em and get em to laughing they (anyone) will most likely let you go. You ilder drivers know what i mean
Pamela Eady says
I’m a firm believer DOT officers do what they want because they have no other control but on the job!
No control at home…
So they take out their frustrations on drivers.
When they come off rude immediately, you know they’re having a bad day.
Regardless of what you say or do you’re gonna fail that inspection.
There’s a lot of unfairness with these bogus charges that may allow us to fail.
We choose be able to challenge these charges.
I’ve lost all respect for DOT officers.
No I don’t have any failed inspections that I didn’t deserve, but I have seen them treat other drivers like pieces of crap especially older black drivers…I was parked next to an older black gentleman getting a level I ….this DOT Officer was really nasty to this older driver.
When the Officer would say something all the driver would say is “yas sur” not in a disrespectful manner either!
But the Officer was constantly demeaning with his “BOY” slurs!
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!!
But any who, I agree they need to be stopped with all of the bogus & fake charges.
Old man says
I’m finding that state cops are the same. I don’t have much respect for them either
Dj says
I’ve never ever had a hard time with a cop or dot officer. Even if they start off as a prick, I give back kindness and courtesy, and it always works. You can trap more flies with honey than vinegar…..
Old man says
You made Driver’s point when you said they started out as pricks. There is no need for that.
Wendall says
At least there are 85 people off the road who have no right being there. That’s 85 potentially UNSAFE drivers OFF THE ROAD!
Kenny Gates says
And the drivers knowingly getting licenses that were illegal should also be fined…
mousekiller says
Agreed on that
Big Don says
OK, so these drivers are (supposedly,) off the road. My question is, are the powers that be, going after them for a criminal act? And if not, why not?
There is no way that they “didn’t know” what was happening here. I do hope that the two that have been charged, get the book thrown at them! How many innocent lives have been risked, (if not lost,) because of their fraud!
mousekiller says
Those DOT inspectors put those unsafe driver on the road. For that alone they should go to jail.
David Hostetler says
If it’s discovered that the 85 drivers are the safest ones on the road, then what.
Steve Bell says
A couple of things about this story hit me that you might have missed…
1. The bribes seemed awfully small…A 4,000 bucks total and 163 people doesn’t that work out to only 25 bucks a head for something that you can go to Prison for and to risk your pension?…the last time that this happened I think that the bribe was maybe 200 bucks?…
2. Passing the skills portion of the CDL is cake compared to actually driving a big truck in the real world…Can you imagine attempting to drive a big rig into Chicago and to customers in the city and learning on the way???
Steve Bell says
Correction on my math 85 bribes about 50 bucks a head…
Jim says
Bottom line to all of you rookies…Dont act like you all know everything about Trucking , the average driver has only 4 yrs. experience and are quick to jump in a trucking company that just uses you because ya don’t know anybetter,like hauling freight for pennies on the dollar .the mandating of electronic logs and then using your damn cell phones while driving,it’s the mentality of the biggest majority of you steering wheel holders….Bottom line is look in the mirror and you will see the problem.Quit whining , pull you’re head out of your butt and learn by asking questions and realize you don’t know everything about trucking….Im still learn daily and have only been driving 39 yrs..
Brown mat says
I train for one of this companies and it’s very easy to spot fake cdl license holders. Yes I call it fake because the student never earned that cdl. If I see any student with suspicious cdl they won’t be in my truck much less drive my truck. I can’t afford to lose my life or my fellow drivers.
Roadghost says
I bet if these guys are convicted they don’t get more than 6 months between them. Business wants cheap transport and the government’s going to give it to them even if it kills people.
Trucking knowledge says
Unfortunatly this happens a lot and the drivers should be charged also for illegally obtaining a cdl and illegally operating a motor vehicle.
crapola says
There must be more than 2 dots and 85 drivers, Michigan has the worst drivers in the nation.
Concerned Driver says
It’s BS. Here in Illinois they busted Testers doing the same thing. Since then, they really cleaned up. Pisses me off that I worked REAL hard going to CDL School, studied and practiced every day, studied at night. Then training thru a trucking company. Yet, these clowns have a good job working for the State as examiners, and take brides under the table. Just making things harder and harder for the rest of us.
SMH says
I still have the article from Chicago Magazine about the whistle-blower from that CDL scandal in IL. It started when there was that terrible crash here in Milwaukee that wiped out half of a family from Chicago on I-94…semi had something hanging loose, driver never responded to multiple people trying to reach him on the CB, the loose part flew off into the family’s van. They were from the far south side of Chicago (Beverly Hills or Greenwood if memory serves). Turned out the driver had one of these paid for CDL’s.
ILDOT was going to investigate the one DMV location that the whistle-blower worked at. And did ILDOT blow their investigation!! ILDOT put in an undercover agent at that DMV that was supposed to be a rookie. Well…it didn’t go very well. For one thing, the agents all noticed that she really knew her way around the computer systems-she whipped thru even the complicated things like an old pro (which she was) not like a rookie that can barely do a regular plate renewal. Then, this whiz kid left all her ILDOT advanced level manuals, binders, books, etc. in plain view on the back seat of her car–lots of the agents saw them as they went to/from their cars. Needless to say, the agents all got hinky and kind of kept to themselves about what was going on. Eventually ILDOT did a proper investigation and shut the whole thing down.
I used to work with a 3rd party CDL tester here in WI–he had a client who sent him people for the CDL road tests. The client was from IN (I remember the first time I took a message for the tester and got a call back # with an IN area code–couldn’t figure that one out at the time), but claimed the drivers were going to work here in WI. OK, fine. Then one day after doing the test, he thought “hmmm…I’ve seen this address before” He dug thru his papers and lo and behold, almost all of these guys claimed to have the same address (out of town, so the tester wouldn’t know if it was a bogus address or not). He dumped the client after that.
Now it’s travelled over to MI. And all of us..4 wheelers, 18 wheelers and everything inbetween has to deal with these fake CDL drivers.