C.R. England

Sentencings in Louisiana staged truck/bus accidents: probation for 2, jail for another

Three more defendants in the Louisiana staged accident scheme received significantly different sentences in the latest adjudication of earlier guilty pleas in announcements made Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

One defendant, Chandrika Brown, received a 3-year probation for her role in the New Orleans-area staged accident in 2015 that struck a school bus — the only one of the documented fake incidents involving something other than a truck. 

Another defendant, Keishira Robinson, received...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/sentencings-in-louisiana-staged-truck-bus-accidents-probation-for-2-jail-for-another

Truck Tech: Autonomous dashboard edition

This week, an autonomous truck dashboard from KeyBanc; Embark Trucks’ co-founder gives his 2022 salary to future robot builders; Aurora’s case for symbiosis of car and truck autonomy; ZF’s really big brake job; and Great Dane’s sales boss says trailer repair shops are filling up as new equipment remains hard to get.

Autonomous dashboard

KeyBanc Capital Markets out of Cleveland published its first Autonomous Truck Technology Dashboard this week. It tracks public filings on the number of trucks,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truck-tech-autonomous-dashboard-edition

Two divisions of Covenant settle in big case by drivers alleging ‘no-hire’ conspiracy

Four companies now have settled a class-action lawsuit brought by a group of drivers who alleged uncompetitive behavior by eight companies in their recruiting activities.

The lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has been referred to as an “anti-poaching” suit. But it actually targets what the four original plaintiffs say are industry practices that ultimately limit the movement of drivers among employers. What the drivers deem a conspiracy was specifically...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/two-divisions-of-covenant-settle-in-big-case-by-drivers-alleging-no-hire-conspiracy

2 defendants in Louisiana staged accident case each get 4 years in prison

A husband and wife who were involved in the Louisiana staged accident scheme have been sentenced to prison, and for a lot more time than previous sentencings. 

Earlier this week, Anthony Robinson and Audrey Harris, who pleaded in December guilty to charges connected to the scheme, both received four years in prison.

That is considerably more than the 21 months dished out in January to Mario Solomon. But Solomon was a “spotter” in the scheme, a relatively low-level role in the hierarchy of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/2-defendants-in-louisiana-staged-accident-case-each-get-4-years-in-prison

Independent contractor definition battles may further complicate lawsuits over lease purchases

With the definition of independent contractors (ICs) pinballing around the three-legged stool of the states, Washington and the federal courts, there’s a particular group of truck drivers with an additional level of uncertainty: those operating on lease purchases.

Whether a driver on a lease purchase program is truly independent is a central feature of a number of lawsuits making their way through the courts — including several filed by California attorney Robert Boulter, whose specialty in...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/independent-contractor-definition-battles-may-further-complicate-lawsuits-over-lease-purchases

Feds grant Wilson Logistics team-driver flexibility

A new federal exemption will allow Wilson Logistics more flexibility for its drivers holding commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) to participate in revenue-generating loads.

The Springfield, Missouri-based carrier sought the exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to allow CLP holders who have passed the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test — but have not yet obtained the CDL document from the state where they live — to drive a truck without having a CDL...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-grant-wilson-logistics-team-driver-flexibility

C.R. England slaps attorneys for staged-accident participants in Louisiana with RICO suit

Truckload carrier C.R. England, the company that court records suggest paid out the greatest amount of money in the Louisiana staged-accident scandal, is fighting back with a lawsuit in federal court. 

In the suit filed earlier this week, C.R. England takes aim at the King Law Firm of Baton Rouge, suing one of its attorneys under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act and citing two others as involved in the scheme. 

This is the second RICO lawsuit filed in connection with...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/c-r-england-slaps-attorneys-for-staged-accident-participants-in-louisiana-with-rico-suit

Schneider National to raise drivers’ per-mile pay by 4 cents

Several carriers have raised driver pay

Schneider National (NYSE: SNDR) announced late Wednesday that it will raise driver pay next year. The press release said many of the company’s drivers will earn up to an additional 4 cents per mile starting Jan. 24. The pay increase applies to driver associates in both the company’s solo and team fleets.

The Green Bay, Wisconsin-based transportation and logistics provider said the increase follows several initiatives totaling nearly $15 million made on behalf of its drivers in 2020. Those...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/schneider-national-to-raise-drivers-per-mile-pay-by-4-cents

C.R. England suit dating back to 2016 overcomes objections; final settlement OK’d

A suit against C.R. England over unpaid wages and other compensation has settled … again.

After a deal was reached in May, one of the plaintiffs in the class action filed an objection to the roughly $18.6 million settlement. 

But in a decision handed down late last week, federal district court Judge David Nuffer put his final approval on the settlement, dismissing the objections of Marty Cook. The original lawsuit dates back to 2016.

The issues in the C.R. England suit are the fairly standard...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/c-r-england-suit-dating-back-to-2016-overcomes-objections-final-settlement-okd

4 more indictments in Louisiana staged-accident case; C.R. England targeted in collision

The latest round of indictments in the Louisiana accident staging case brings the total number of persons charged to 32, with C.R. England now identified as one of the targets of the scheme. 

The indictment handed down late last week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana charges four individuals with mail fraud, the same charges that have been levied against most of the other 28 people who have been indicted. 

What it does not include are indictments against any of the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/4-more-indictments-in-louisiana-staged-accident-case-c-r-england-targeted-in-collision

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