The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently shut down Atlanta-based trucking company Southern Transportation Inc. using new authorities given to FMCSA under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

Earlier this week, Southern Transportation stopped cooperating with FMCSA safety investigators and failed to provide copies of company safety records.  Under provisions contained in MAP-21, signed into law by President Obama in July 2012, FMCSA may place a motor carrier out of service if it fails to comply with a letter demanding release of company safety records.

In the imminent hazard operations out-of-service order issused by the FMCSA, it states that the company must cease operations immediately.

The order went on to state that Southern Transportation failed to:

 • Monitor and ensure that its drivers comply with drivers' qualification requirements, drivers' hours-of-service requirements, and driver's controlled substances and alcohol use testing requirements.

• Ensure its commerical motor vehicles are properly and regularly inspected, repaired and maintained.

"Souther Transportation has engaged in and continues to engage in a...dangerous business practice of dispatching commerical motor vehicles to receive loads grossly exceeding the manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating limit and of actually operating those vehicles on public roads and highways."

Last week, FMCSA declared General Transportation Inc., a trucking company operating out of the same location and with the same business model as Southern Transportation, to be an imminent hazard to safety, shutting down the company.