The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared Rapid City-based Hall Trucking to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered the company to immediately cease all operations.
An agency investigation found Hall Trucking to be “egregiously noncompliant” with multiple federal safety regulations including testing for controlled substances and alcohol, Commercial Driver’s License standards, driver qualifications, and driving commercial motor vehicles outside the state.
The federal order, which was served nearly 3 weeks ago on Nov 19th, also prohibits company owner and driver Clayton Hall for operating any commercial motor vehicle involved in interstate commerce.
According to the FMCSA filing, Hall tested positive for amphetamines in June 2020 and was prohibited from operating a commercial rig until he successfully completed the required return-to-duty process overseen by a substance abuse professional.
Despite that, Hall drove at least 20 more times, including at least 3 interstate trips just 2 months ago.
FMCSA investigators also discovered another Hall driver didn’t have a required current medical examiner’s certificate or a CDL allowing him to drive commercial vehicles outside South Dakota, but was dispatched on at least 3 interstate trips this year
Hall Trucking could be fined over $28,000 for each violation of the federal imminent hazard order with a minimum of more than $11,000 in civil penalties for operating outside the state without authority registration.
The company could also be penalized nearly $16,000 for operating a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce without a U-S Department of Transportation registration number.