Two Charged with Impersonating Transportation Agencies

Two individuals have been charged for allegedly tricking small trucking companies into paying them for federal and state motor carrier registrations by impersonating government transportation agencies.

A federal judge granted the Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction against James P. Lamb and Uliana Bogash for violating the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers Confidence ACT. The two operated under the company names DOTAuthority.com Inc., and DOTFIlings.com Inc., Excelsior Enterprises Internationl, and JPL Enterprises International.

According to the FTC complaint, the defendants took more than $19 million from thousands of small businesses by sending misleading robocalls, emails and text messages that created the false impression that they were affiliated with the Department of Transportation, the Unified Carrier Registration system, or another government agency.

Lamb and Bogash allegedly used official sounding names, websites to send the companies fake warnings of $1,000 civil penalties or fines for non-compliance or threats of imminent law enforcement to coerce the companies into using their registration services instead of official government website services.

The complaint also states the defendants obscured the total amount charged by not telling customers that the cost included service fees that ranged from $25 to $500 or more. Additionally, many consumers who paid the defendants' UCR fees were automatically enrolled in an annual renewal program without knowledge or consent.

Related: N.J. Trucking Company Defrauded of Over $900K

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FMCSA issues Samsung Galaxy Note 7 advisory

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a safety advisory this week regarding the recently-recalled Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smart phone and its lithium batteries; a battery type that may be present in other electronic devices as well.

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Peterbilt Pride & Class Parade

Nearly 50 Peterbilt customers recently showcased their trucks in Denton, TX – the home of Peterbilt Motors Co. – as part of the very first “Peterbilt Pride & Class Parade.” The event also raised nearly $1,000 in donations for the United Way of Denton County. (Photos by Thomas Judd Photography and Peterbilt Motors Co.)

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Lukewarm Class 8 Orders See Trivial Increase

Net Class 8 truck orders in September increased modestly from the previous month, possibly signaling that a historically weak season for orders was ending, according to ACT Research.

Final order numbers topped out at 16,100 units, beating the 14,200 units ordered in August. August represented a 3-month high in orders and another increase in Sept. indicates that the usually strong fall order season will return as usual. The summer months are usually the worst time of year for order numbers.

“October kicks off the traditional high-volume fourth quarter, when fleets and OEMs nail down commitments for the upcoming model year,” said Jim Meil, ACT Research principal and industry analyst.

Mexico was a standout heavy-duty segment, boosted by a weak peso, according to ACT.

“A proposed emissions mandate at the start of 2018 contributes to market strength; we believe truckers are taking the long view and positioning strategically,” said Meil. “For other segments the status is the same-- U.S. tractors, Canada ,and export markets across-the-board are lackluster.”

Related: Medium-Duty Orders Rise 19% in September

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Revised CARB Plan Includes $150 Million For Heavy Duty Vehicles

The California Air Resources Board recently approved a revised $363 million funding plan that includes $150 million for heavy-duty vehicles and off-road equipment, aimed at putting more clean vehicles in disadvantaged communities.

The revised plan for fiscal year 2016-2017 keeps much of the original funding intact while addressing the smaller budget appropriation of $363 million under AB 1613 and additional direction from the California legislature.

“The investment of $360 million from our cap-and-trade program for these low-carbon transportation projects will continue to drive the market for new technologies, and put more ultra-clean and zero-emission trucks, buses and cars into the communities throughout California that need them the most,” said Mary D. Nichols, CARB chair.

The $150 million for a range of heavy-duty vehicle and off-road equipment includes funding for advanced technology demonstration projects and zero-emission buses for transit agencies and rural school districts.

Also included is a voucher incentive project to encourage commercial deployment of hybrid, low-NOx and zero-emission trucks, buses and engines, and large-scale pilot projects to commercialize zero-emission trucks and buses.

CARB also voted to increase the maximum incentive amount for the Low NOx Engine Incentives with renewable fuel to $25,000 per truck. In total, these heavy-duty investments are aimed at bringing the cleanest trucks and buses to California's most impacted communities, transportation corridors, and freight hubs.

Low-income residents often live in areas of California that are most affected by air pollution, which is why the investments are aimed at disadvantaged communities. The revised version of the plan doubles the funding for scrap-and-replace pilot projects that could allow residents of low-income communities to afford cleaner vehicles. The increase will ensure that existing programs in the San Joaquin Valley and South Coast air districts will have funding beyond the fiscal year and provides for the expansion of similar programs to other interested air districts.

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