The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ordered Oxford, Miss.-based Carbo Limo of Oxford LLC to immediately cease its interstate passenger service. This follows a finding by a team of specially-trained investigators found the company’s two motorcoaches used for its interstate operations were unsafe and drivers were not properly screened or monitored by the company to ensure compliance with federal safety regulations.

Carbo Limo is a for-hire passenger carrier consisting of 10 passenger vans/minibuses and one stretch limousine used for its intrastate operations, principally shuttle service in and around Oxford. The company also operates two large motorcoaches to provide interstate passenger service.

The action announced by FMCSA revokes Carbo Limo’s federal operating authority to conduct for-hire, interstate transportation of passengers, and represents the ninth out-of-service order issued by FMCSA since the April 1, 2013 deployment of more than 50 specially trained “Operation Quick Strike” safety investigators targeting high-risk passenger carriers.

In the past six weeks, FMCSA investigators have issued out-of-service orders to bus companies in the District of Columbia, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, New York and Utah. Since the beginning of 2013, FMCSA has issued out-of-service orders to a total of 16 bus companies and eight trucking companies. The agency has also declared six commercial driver’s license holders as imminent hazards, blocking them from operating in interstate commerce.

"Our ‘Operation Quick Strike’ teams are continuing their safety investigations from coast to coast,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “We will not allow safety to be compromised. We will move quickly and decisively to stop unsafe carriers from putting the traveling public at risk.”

During their recent investigation, FMCSA investigators found that Carbo Limo failed to ensure that its vehicles were properly and regularly inspected, repaired and maintained. The company kept no records of tests conducted on emergency doors and windows on its two interstate motorcoaches and an inspection sticker was found to be falsified.

Carbo Limo also employed drivers before receiving pre-employment drug and alcohol tests as required by federal regulations. The company was found to be in violation of regulations requiring random drug and alcohol testing of its drivers. In addition, the company failed to monitor and ensure that its drivers complied with federal hours-of-service regulations. On occasion, the company dispatched a driver who did not possess a commercial driver’s license.

To view a copy of the imminent hazard out-of-service order, click here.