Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, June 24, 2025:
Texas fleet owner charged for alleged chameleon carrier operations, fraud
The Texas-based owner of multiple trucking companies was charged recently for the alleged operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.
The Department of Justice reported that Shaquan Jelks, 48, of Houston, managed and controlled multiple commercial trucking companies after being ordered not to do so by a federal court and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The charges against Jelks allege that he repeatedly lied to and obstructed the FMCSA, including after a driver for his companies was killed in a single-vehicle crash in February 2022. The indictment also alleges that Jelks relied on fraud to finance his illegal trucking companies, including by diverting money to his trucking companies that was fraudulently obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program.
According to court documents, Jelks was involved in managing and controlling the operations of multiple motor carriers nominally owned by his friends and family members, including, but not limited to, Adversity Transport Inc., 4 Life Transport Corporation, Vashti Freight Lines LLC, Highway Empire Transportation, and King C Transportation LLC. At various times, Jelks also allegedly shifted his operations to other motor carriers, including, but not limited to, TNT Top Hauling Inc., Oil Man Transport LLC, RDAA Transportation LLC, and C.E. Transport.
Jelks allegedly worked with friends and family to operate the companies without disclosing to FMCSA his affiliation with them; provided untruthful and misleading statements to FMCSA during safety investigations; provided counterfeit documents to FMCSA during safety investigations; and instead of addressing safety deficiencies, Jelks and others “shifted their operations to other motor carriers managed and controlled by Jelks.”
The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Maverick names Trainer of the Year
Maverick truck driver Kurt Shunkey was named the company's 2025 Trainer of the Year.Maverick
Maverick Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 70) is has named truck driver Kurt Shunkey its 2025 Trainer of the Year. Shunkey has been with Maverick for nearly nine years and drives in its regional flatbed division.
Since 2019, Maverick’s Trainer of the Year program has recognized outstanding driver trainers who continually go above and beyond to mentor and develop the next generation of professional Maverick drivers. These finalists and winners are chosen based on their exceptional performance, strict compliance to safety standards, professionalism, and a continuous commitment to The Maverick Way, the company said.
“Kurt has excelled as both a road trainer and driver, with over four years as a road trainer and seven years as a driver,” said Vice President of Operations John Coppens. “He was named Trainer of the Year for 2025, Driver of the Month in 2022, earned a 5-year safe driving ring, and achieved ACE status three times since 2022. Drivers trained by Kurt consistently praise his commitment and professionalism. Congratulations, Kurt!”
Shunkey said he was surprised to receiving the award, adding that “it makes me feel very honored that Maverick thinks I am worthy enough to be named Trainer of the Year.”
Vanguard pup trailers recalled
Vanguard National Trailer Corporation is recalling 2,192 pup trailers for an issue in which the pintle hook box assembly could crack or break, reducing the trailer’s stability while being towed, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The recall affects all model year 2021-’23 Vanguard VXP 28-foot pup trailers. The recall documents state that it was contacted by Estes Express Lines regarding cracks found in the Pintle Hook Box structure on units purchased from Yellow Freight at auction following Yellow’s bankruptcy. Yellow originally purchased all 2,192 of the recalled trailers, and 2,060 of them have been accounted for in Estes’ possession, but Vanguard is attempting to contact Yellow to determine the whereabouts of the remaining 132 units.
Vanguard will inspect and repair the pintle hook box assembly as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners of the recalled trailers can contact Vanguard customer service at 1-888-253-3008. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-385.
Arizona issued 660 violations in recent hazmat blitz
The Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Troopers recently completed a week-long enforcement detail with a focus on hazardous materials and hazardous violations along I-10, I-17 and I-40.
Troopers conducted 240 inspections, discovered over 660 violations, and placed 22 drivers and 41 vehicles out-of-service due to violations being so severe that they caused an immediate hazard to the public. AZDPS also issued 20 citations and fixed three leaking hazmat loads on the roadside.
Some of the other violations encountered included speeding, failing to move over for broken-down motorists, flat or worn-out tires, unsecured loads, and leaking fuel tanks, the department said.
