A second federal judge has ruled that the Department of Transportation鈥檚 Inspector General overstepped its bounds for investigating trucking companies for violations of federal motor carrier safety laws, but denied a request by five carriers for an injunction prohibiting the inquiries.
In his March 1 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas F. Hogan also warned that Inspector General Kenneth M. Mead is jeopardizing his office鈥檚 independence and objectivity by using its criminal investigative capabilities to support DOT鈥檚 goal of improving safety.
鈥淭he inspector general鈥檚 authority does not extend to investigations conducted pursuant to regulatory statutes,鈥 Hogan wrote in issuing his decision from Washington, D.C.
In 1999, five trucking companies whose records were seized by investigators sued the inspector general鈥檚 office to retrieve their records. The plaintiffs are Northland Trucking of Phoenix; Florilli Corp. of West Liberty, Iowa; Dave Kistler and Grandson Trucking of Kempton, Pa.; K and C Trucking Co. and Lone Wolf Transportation Inc, both of Rustberg, Va.
For the full story, see the Mar. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. .
