The Federal Motor Carrier Association declared Darlington, S.C.-based trucking company Carnell Pompey to be an imminent hazard to public safety and ordered it to immediately shut down. Carnell Pompey does business as Mortise Trucking Company.

FMCSA investigated Mortise Trucking in late March and found several serious violations. According to Department of Transportation records, Mortise is a single-truck operation with one truck and one trailer.

The cited violations include:

• Failing to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain its commercial vehicles.  On six separate occasions in the past 12 months, a tractor-trailer operated by Mortise Trucking was placed out-of-service following roadside safety inspections for mechanical defects including inadequate brakes, brake system pressure loss, oil-contaminated brake and steering components, and worn tires.

• Failing to conduct required controlled substances and alcohol use testing regulations.

• Failing to comply with driver qualification requirements and drivers’ hours-of-service regulations designed to prevent fatigue.

As a result of FMCSA’s imminent hazard order, Mortise Trucking must cease all commercial vehicle operations immediately, including all interstate and intrastate transportation, from all dispatching locations and terminals.  The carrier’s federal operating authority was revoked and its USDOT number suspended.

Violation of the imminent hazard out-of-service order and operating without operating authority or a USDOT number can result in civil penalties of up to $60,000 as well as a criminal penalty with a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment not to exceed one year.

A copy of the imminent hazard, out-of-service order is available here.