On Aug. 12, 2013, a truck operated by Laredo, Texas-based REDCO Transport, Ltd. crashed into a van stopped on the shoulder of Interstate 20 in Louisiana. Three people, including the truck driver, were killed.

Within hours of the accident, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched an investigation into REDCO and found the company had routinely failed to ensure that its drivers complied with federal hours-of-service regulations designed to prevent fatigue, including limitations on daily driving and maximum on-duty hours. The investigation further found that REDCO failed to ensure its drivers complied with controlled substances and alcohol use and testing regulations, and failed to ensure its drivers were properly qualified. In some instances, drivers were dispatched before federally required pre-employment drug test results were received.

The FMCSA has declared the company to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered it to immediately cease its trucking operations. REDCO has a fleet of 112 trucks and transports general freight.

“Blatant disregard of federal rules compromises the safety of every traveler on our roadways,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.

Since the beginning of 2013, FMCSA has issued out-of-service orders to a total of 10 trucking companies and 25 bus companies. The agency has also declared seven commercial driver's license holders as imminent hazards, blocking them from operating in interstate commerce.