Senator Banks launches trucking tipline following fatal Jay County crash

WASHINGTON (WANE) - Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) announced the launch of an online form that will serve to report trucking carriers suspected of breaking federal law. The Tuesday announcement comes a week after a Kyrgyzstani immigrant was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his role in a Jay County crash that killed four people. According to a press release, the TruckSafe Tipline was launched for truckers to share concerns about carriers employing drivers who are not in the United States legally. Reports submitted to the tip line will be shared with the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure a safe and fair trucking industry. “Indiana is the Crossroads of America, and Hoosiers are getting killed because drivers who shouldn’t be here in the first place are behind the wheel. If you’re driving a truck on our roads, you need to be legal, you need to be able to read traffic signs, and you need to follow the law. The TruckSafe Tipline gives people on the ground a way to speak up when they see carriers cutting corners and putting lives at risk,” said Senator Banks. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said AJ Partners, the carrier that employed the semi driver involved in the Jay County crash, and several other companies are under investigation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Duffy stated, “These interconnected carriers have all the markings of fraud and are accused of being Chameleon Carriers. This is when companies swap names and DOT numbers to avoid enforcement.” The form is available to access through Senator Banks' website, here.