U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20590
www.dot.gov/briefing-room.html

FMCSA 13-12
Friday, May 25, 2012
Contact: Shashunga Clayton
Tel.: (202) 366-9999

U.S. Department of Transportation Orders Demco Express to Shut Down

FMCSA finds Texas-based trucking company to be imminent safety hazard

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ordered Texas-based Denny Mekenye, doing business as Demco Express and/or Demco Trans, Inc. to immediately cease all transportation services based on serious safety violations that posed an imminent hazard to public safety.

FMCSA shut down Demco following an extensive review of the company's operations that uncovered multiple federal safety violations in the areas of drivers' hours-of-service compliance, driver qualifications, and drug testing requirements.

"We will not let trucking companies that put motorists at risk operate on our nation's roadways. Safety must come first," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

FMCSA immediately put Demco and its vehicles out of service after safety investigators found a range of safety infractions that substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury to the traveling public. For example, investigators discovered that the company falsified drivers' records of duty status, allowed its drivers to operate with commercial driver's licenses that had been suspended, revoked, or disqualified and did not conduct proper controlled substances testing of its drivers. In addition, within the last 12 months, 10 of Demco's drivers have been placed out of service for not being licensed to drive.

"FMCSA is raising the bar to stay in the trucking and bus industry," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "Safety cannot be compromised. Adhere to the safety regulations, or you will be shut down."

A copy of the imminent hazard out-of-service order can be viewed at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/about/news/2012/demco-ih.pdf.

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