Category Archives: News

Chicago man charged with stealing $9.5 million worth of interstate shipments

A Chicago man is facing multiple federal charges related to stealing $9.5 million worth of items, including liquor and commercial-grade copper, from interstate shipments.

Aivaras Zigmantas, 39, was arrested on June 5 and has been charged with six counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, and two counts of theft of interstate shipments, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. He is described as a Lithuanian national living in the Elk Grove Village, Illinois, area.

The cargo theft scheme allegedly orchestrated by Zigmantas took place between March 2020 and September 2023. Some of the goods stolen as part of the scheme include copper rod, copper cathode, and liquor.

According to the 22 page indictment document, Zigmantas created several false identities and represented himself as an employee of both real and fictitious motor carriers and brokers in order to induce shippers to release loads to him or his associates.

Some of the fake carriers created as part of the scheme include Best Global Express, Mato Trans, Martin Global, JRO Global, VD Transco, SMD Transco, and DMFL Express. Zigmantas obtained USDOT and MC numbers for these fictitious carriers, authorities allege.

Zigmantas is also accused of falsely identifying himself as a representative of several real trucking companies and submitting bids to transport loads on their behalf.

Officials say that Zigmantas also created several fictitious brokers, including Best Global Express, Total Freight Broker, Mat Broker, A B Broker, and others, and obtained USDOT and MC numbers for these companies.

By offering contracts and submitting bids to transport loads, Zigmantas reportedly
fraudulently induced other individuals and entities to release shipments of goods to him and his associates. The shipments would then be diverted from their intended destinations, loaded onto a different truck, and then transported to a warehouse or other location.

Officials also accuse Zigmantas of engaging in a check fraud scheme under false names including “Egidijus Stankus” and “Arturas Liaskevicius.”

According to the indictment, Zigmantas and his associates had planned to steal at least $13.5 million worth of shipments through the cargo theft scheme, but only managed to steal about $9.5 million worth of goods.

Zigmantas has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Agencies investigating the case include Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Body cam shows Texas trucker arrested for smuggling 19 people in sleeper berth

A Texas trucker was arrested this week after 19 people were discovered in the sleeper berth of his Peterbilt during a traffic stop, police say.

The traffic stop occurred on June 4, 2024, on IH-35 in Webb County, Texas.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers stopped a Peterbilt truck and a Dodge Ram pickup that was “escorting the Peterbilt.”

The truck driver consented to a vehicle search.

During the search, “19 illegal immigrants from Mexico were discovered concealed inside the cab area, including one suffering from heat exhaustion.”

Police arrested the Peterbilt and pickup drivers on charges of smuggling of persons. They were later identified as Jackson Earl West of Tomball, Texas, and Dennis Alan Davis of Jarrell, Texas.

The 19 people found inside the sleeper berth area were handed over U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

You can see body cam video of the traffic stop below.

#VIDEO: 𝐓𝐗 𝐃𝐏𝐒 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝟏𝟗 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝟏𝟖-𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫

6/4: @TxDPS Troopers and Special Agents stopped a Peterbilt truck and a Dodge Ram pickup on IH-35 in Webb County.

The driver of the Peterbilt, from… pic.twitter.com/xXI8E29QLG

— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) June 6, 2024

Video shows migrants moving into parked dry van trailer in NYC

A video filmed in a New York City neighborhood shows a family of migrants taking up residence in a parked dry van trailer.

In the clip, the man filming says that the trailer belongs to his uncle, and that they have tried to call officials to report the family with small children, from CPS to NYPD, but no one has showed up to do anything.

“We can’t physically go into that trailer with children in it,” the man says. “We cannot physically lock the trailer because children are in there. We obviously can’t drive away with the trailer, because children are in there.”

The man filming goes on to explain what he discovered after visiting a migrant shelter.

The trailer was reportedly moved by the time reporters got there to share news on the situation.

Watch the stunning video, below.

Truck driver cited for death of man who walked into the side of his rig

A truck driver was cited after a pedestrian walked into the side of his truck and fell over in Tennessee earlier this week.

The accident happened on Tuesday, June 4th at about 9:45 p.m. in the 400 block of Murfreesboro Pike near Fesslers Lane in South Nashville, Tennessee.

According to WKRN, 63-year-old Douglas White was walking on a sidewalk with a friend when a semi truck pulled into a business driveway. White then walked right into the side of the semi truck, knocking him to the ground. White died as a result of the fall.

The 56-year-old truck driver then drove away from the scene, but was later located by Metro Nashville Police Department officers. Once located, the driver told officers that “he did not realize that he hit someone.”

Officers issued the truck driver citations for leaving the scene of a crash involving a death, and failure to render aid. The truck driver was not impaired at the time of the crash.

Toxicology testing will be performed on White to determine if impairment was a factor in his death.

Cambridge, Ont., downtown truck ban cuts number of trucks by half

The truck ban implemented last year in downtown Cambridge, Ont., is working, with hundreds of heavy vehicles diverted from the area daily, a report revealed.

“The introduction of the truck ban reduced the number of trucks by approximately 50-60%,” Kornel Mucsi, manager of transportation planning, transportation services, Region of Waterloo, told TruckNews.com.

Truck volumes were monitored between September 2023 and March 2024 at key locations and gradually a significant reduction was observed, according to a report presented to the regional council recently.

Picture of a street in downtown Cambridge, Ont. — (Photo: iStock)

The ban was introduced in October 2023 and prohibits trucks on Water Street from Ainslie Street South to Coronation Boulevard/Dundas Street; Ainslie Street South from Concession Street to Water Street; Myers Road from Water Street to Franklin Boulevard; and Concession Street from Ainslie Street South to Dundas Street. Exceptions are made for local deliveries.

Water Street south of the Delta saw a 56% reduction – from 1,210 to 530 trucks per day, according to the report. Water Street and Ainslie Street north of Concession saw the number down by 60% – from 1,090 to 440 daily. On Concession Street east of Ainslie Street numbers dropped 64% – from 630 to 230 a day.

“It has been reasonably successful with 60% compliance to date,” said Doug Craig, Region of Waterloo councillor. “It is hoped and preferred that compliance will increase by using better signage and education regarding these new routes as opposed to simply relying on police enforcement.”

Education and enforcement

Mucsi noted that the opening of McQueen Shaver Boulevard attracted about 20-25% of trucks away from downtown streets. The reduction has been gradual since the start of the ban and has been leveling off.

He added that many of the trucks that are on downtown streets are delivering or picking up goods, but there are also truck drivers who are not aware of the diversion. Those could be further reduced by continued education and enforcement.

The report stated that while the existing signage and ongoing police enforcement resulted in a significant reduction of trucks on downtown streets, the current physical design of streets continues to provide shortcut opportunities for some truck drivers.

Truck drivers warned, ticketed

By mid-March 2024, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) conducted 67 traffic stops regarding commercial motor vehicles in the downtown core, 54 drivers were issued a warning or provided education, 13 drivers were charged with the applicable Highway Traffic Act offence of disobeying a sign.

Officers noted some challenges at the initial stage of the enforcement regarding signage, specifically the lack of upstream directions given to truck drivers as they approached the restricted areas, the report noted.

The region’s staff received complaints from trucking companies on the additional length of the diversion routes due to the inclusion of Concession Street on the streets banned for trucks.

Redesigning streets

Region of Waterloo’s Mucsi said there are two approaches to influence driver behaviour – enforcement by police services and road design. “WRPS has been an excellent partner in education and enforcement. Enforcement by design could be an effective long-term approach. This includes redesigning the streets through future projects so that they become less attractive for cut through traffic and large vehicles,” he said.

Regional staff is monitoring the number of trucks at key locations. Future reconstruction projects, including the reconstruction of Ainslie Street and Water Street will consider elements of enforcement by design, according to Musci.

Aside from continuous police enforcement, the most effective way to discourage trucks from using downtown streets is to envision, plan and implement the redesign of downtown streets that focus more on movement by walking and cycling and less on movement by vehicles, the report suggested.

The region’s staff anticipates that ongoing enforcement may be required until physical design changes are made to Ainslie Street, Water Street, and Concession Street through upcoming reconstruction projects.

Watch as deputy wrangles alligator hanging out behind Louisiana Love’s Truck Stop

A DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Deputy had to capture a small alligator hanging out behind a truck stop in Louisiana earlier this week.

The wrangling occurred at the Love’s at Chesapeake in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana.

According to the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, the alligator likely made its way to the truck stop after an excessive amount of rain and flooding in the area.

“With all the flooding water and storms, even the gators are throwing in the towel and heading into town for a bite,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a post. “Shout out to Dy. Perot for capturing and safely rehoming this little prowler today. Located at Chesapeake nearby/behind the Love’s Truck Stop!”

Watch the truck stop wrangling, below.

FMCSA hosting listening sessions for input on carrier safety rating revamp

Trucking news and briefs for Friday, June 7, 2024:

FMCSA hosting listening session on carrier rating system revamp

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will host a listening session pertaining to the development of an updated methodology to determine when a motor carrier is not fit to operate in interstate commerce later this month at the Texas Trucking Show.

Specifically, FMCSA said it would like to hear from members of the public on concerns relating to the following topics:

The current Safety Fitness Determination (SFD), including, for example, the three-tiered rating system (Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, Conditional) versus changing to a proposed single rating only when a carrier is found to be Unfit
Utilizing inspection data and FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS)
Incorporating driver behavior into SFD ratings
Revising the list of safety violations used to calculate the rating, and adjusting the weights allocated to particular violations, including increasing the weight for unsafe driving violations

FMCSA last year began the early stages of a potential revamp of its carrier safety rating system. An advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) was published in August, which sought public feedback on the need for a rulemaking to revise the safety rating regulations, feedback on current safety rating regulations, and more. Only 176 comments were filed on that ANPRM.

The public session will be held in-person at the Texas Trucking Show at the NRG Center in Houston on Saturday, June 29, from 1-2:30 p.m. Central.

Registration with the Texas Trucking Show is required to attend FMCSA’s listening session. Registration is free and may be completed online here.

The agency is also planning two virtual-only listening sessions on the same topics to be held in June and July. Specifics of those meetings will be announced in a separate notice yet to be published. Stay tuned to Overdrive for details on those meetings when they are announced.

IMC Logistics, Fenix Marine launch new clean-energy port operation

An IMC Logistics hydrogen fuel cell truck is shown being loaded by a FMS hydrogen top lift with a container from the SmartStack.IMC Logistics

IMC Logistics (CCJ Top 250, No. 53) and Fenix Marine Services (FMS) have joined forces to operate what they companies say is the supply chain industry’s first fully clean energy SmartStack, which launched June 4.

FMS segregated and stacked the containers designated for the IMC SmartStack at their terminal using their hydrogen fuel cell top-pick handler. IMC drivers then picked up and delivered containers using their fleet of zero-emission vehicles. This collaboration highlights the industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions while ensuring efficient and sustainable logistics operations, the companies said.

The SmartStack process itself is a clean one. Drivers self-assign the most available container vs. a specific one. This means fewer unproductive lifts for terminal operators and less time waiting for the driver. In addition to achieving environmental objectives, customers also benefit from shorter wait times.

“IMC SmartStacks improve the process for shippers, drivers and the industry,” said Mason George, President of National Accounts at IMC. “With this solution, we’re able to offer our customers a sustainable way to evacuate containers from the terminal, while quickly delivering their containers in just two days or less.”

Trucking company settles discrimination lawsuit for $65k after firing driver for religious beliefs

A trucking company agreed to settle a religious and racial discrimination lawsuit for $65,000 this week.

The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Charles Lynch III, and former truck driver for Wheeler Trucking in Sheffield, Ohio. The settlement agreement was filed on Thursday, June 6th.

According to Cleveland News, Wheeler Trucking agreed to pay Lynch $40,000 in backpay and $25,000 in damages for emotional distress after he endured racial harassment for nearly five years and was ultimately fired for his religious beliefs.

Lynch is a Middle Eastern man who Torah Observant Christian, a religion descending from Israelites and Hebrews. Lynch drove commercial vehicles for the company from 2016 to January 2021 and says he was mocked for his religious beliefs and called racial slurs throughout that time.

Supervisors made changes to his driving schedule in 2021, changing his shift to Saturdays. When Lynch informed his employer that he could not work Saturdays because he must observe the Saturday Sabbath as part of his religion, a supervisor reportedly responded “F–ck your religion,” and demanded he either work Saturdays or quit, leading to him being fired.

The settlement includes 18-months of court-monitored oversight of Wheeler Trucking, which includes prohibiting the company from discriminating against employees and retaliating against them. The company will also be required to keep records on employee discrimination complaints and forward those to the EEOC for review.

Unexplained death discovered on trucking company property raises hazmat concerns

A man found dead on a Utah trucking company’s property has raised hazmat concerns as the man’s death continues to go unexplained.

The man was found dead on June 5th at TDC Trucking in Lake Point, Utah at the intersection of State Route 201 and Interstate 80.

According to KSL TV5, someone at the trucking company initially called 911 to report the discovery of a family member dead on the ground when they arrived at the property to pick them up from work. The caller started CPR while on the phone, and emergency responders took over lifesaving measures when they arrived, but were unable to revive the person. Officials called it an “all hands on deck moment.”

“The nature of the fatality is still under investigation. It is potentially a hazmat situation just because of all the chemicals surrounding the site where the incident occurred,” said North Tooele Fire public information officer Jon Smith. First responders are still “treating it as a worst possible scenario,” because the trucking company takes chemicals off of trains and converts the chemicals.

“Anytime you’re dealing with a volatile chemical, you don’t know whether it’s solid, gas, liquid. You don’t know if it’s combustible, not combustible,” Smith said. “And we’re dealing with a lot of dry vegetation, on a very hot day. There could also be a potential for wildfire, if not handled appropriately.

Officials believe that there is no danger to the public, but the cause of the man’s death is still unknown. The 911 call originally reported the death as a cardiac arrest. No further information has been released.

Be Aware: Holiday Weekends Bring Cargo Theft

Cargo theft is one of the largest problems facing drivers and their companies to date, costing $57.9 million in 2021 alone in the U.S. and Canada. Cargo theft has been rising in the past few years. Many believe it is because of the amount of freight that is left idling and the lack of safe parking areas for drivers. These thefts are more often to occur at night, and especially on holiday weekends, when less people are traveling and there is more opportunity for thieves to strike without being noticed.

Cargo Theft Awareness

As a driver, being aware that cargo theft is a problem that will face many drivers on the road is important. You likely know someone, or have mutual friends with someone, who has been a victim of cargo theft and know that it is not a victimless crime. There is loss of money and sometimes credibility for the driver because they were unable to deliver their goods.

Cargo thieves often target trucks that appear to be easy to break into. The ease of access to trucks can also be assessed by their location. Ideally you will be using the best security equipment you can and following safety guidelines, like parking in well-lit areas at night. Preventing cargo theft is often possible, and taking the initiative to guard your freight will help you to make your journeys safely and successfully.

Why Holiday Weekends?

Holiday weekends see a rise in cargo theft for a few reasons. The first of these being that during holiday weekends there is less traffic, which means fewer witnesses for the cargo thieves. Additionally, regular security guards and delivery offloading help may be limited giving thieves a chance to steal cargo. Finally, long holiday weekends mean more people who may be prone to cargo thievery are off work and able to participate in theft.

How To Prevent Cargo Theft

Cargo theft is often a preventable crime. Being aware of your truck, surroundings, and time can help you to stay safe. Maintaining your truck and ensuring the locks are up to date and secure is a great first step to take to protect your freight. Many thieves still get away with their crimes because of old, worn-out locks. Checking your surroundings before pulling off to rest and ensuring your way will be well-lit at nighttime will help keep your trailer safe. Then, noting the time, including the time of day, and how long you’ve been driving (it’s best not to stop within 250 miles of first taking off), can scare off potential thieves.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let holiday weekends and all their festivities get ruined by cargo theft. By following these tips and doing your research on safe places to pull off along your route, you can help keep your cargo safe until it reaches its destination. This is not a full list of things you can do to prevent cargo theft but doing some research on everything from security tech to cargo theft data along your route can act as preventative measures. Stay safe out there!