After fatal accident, feds shut down TX trucking company
REDCO showed “blatant disregard” for safety rules
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.