Truck driver in Amtrak crash has history of violations - Salon

A truck passes over the train tracks near a sign listing an emergency number for railroad problems on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, in Halifax, N. C. A train collided with a truck, Monday injuring 55 people. The truck with a state trooper escort become stuck in the crossing but no calls were made to Amtrak about the problem, even though the sign should have been visible to the truck driver. (AP Photo /Jonathan Drew) The driver of an oversized rig that derailed an Amtrak passenger train after it got stuck on the tracks earlier this week is a convicted felon with a long history of traffic citations, The Associated Press determined... There is nothing in the federal regulations that prevents drivers with criminal records from getting a commercial license, as long as they didn’t commit the crimes while driving a truck. “If that crime was committed during the operation of a commercial motor vehicle, then yes, they could be disqualified,” said V. Paul Herbert, a commercial vehicle safety expert who has testified in 175 trials. Court records show John Devin Black, the driver involved in Monday’s train crash, has been cited for at least a dozen traffic violations, including speeding and driving with a revoked license multiple times. Source: www.salon.com