Can FMCSA-banned trucker return to Ontario roads?

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently banned an Ontario-based trucker from operating commercial vehicles in the US, after a series of incidents over four days in which FMCSA says he egregiously and repeatedly violated hours-of-service rules.

Not only did the driver repeatedly ignore out-of-service orders and HoS rules, he also was accused of removing his truck from a lot where it had been impounded, according to the FMCSA.

Truck News asked the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, through senior media liaison officer Bob Nichols, whether Inderjit Singh Gill will be permitted to resume his trucking career in Ontario.

Nichols said the MTO is aware of this incident and will be looking into it, though it cannot issue a ban on operating a commercial vehicle as was done by the FMCSA.

“This driver is not currently under an out-of-service order in Ontario,” Nichols said. “If the driver is found operating in excess of the hours-of-service limits, they would be subject to the applicable fines and out-of-service orders. It should be noted that while Ministry enforcement officers and police officers have the authority to issue an out-of-service order to a driver found driving in contravention of Ontario’s hours-of-service rules, we do not have the ability to issue a ban on a driver’s operation of commercial vehicles as was done in this case by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).”

Still, it looks like Gill will be facing some heightened scrutiny if and when he resumes driving commercial vehicles in Ontario.

Nichols said the MTO has been in contact with the US Department of Transportation’s New York Office “and is aware of the driver’s actions in the US.”

“Ministry enforcement officials have reviewed both the driver’s and carrier’s records in Ontario and while the carrier’s safety record is satisfactory, the Ministry will conduct an in-depth investigation of this particular driver’s record while driving for the company,” Nichols added. “An in-depth compliance review of the commercial vehicle operator’s records relating to this driver will be conducted.”

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James Menzies is editor of Today's Trucking. He has been covering the Canadian trucking industry for more than 20 years and holds a CDL. Reach him at james@newcom.ca or follow him on Twitter at @JamesMenzies.


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  • Switch over to wearing a ball cap backwards and be clean shaven and they won’t know who he is.

  • This guy should NOT be allowed to drive anything in Canada, let alone Ontario. He obviously thinks laws do not apply to him and he spits on them. I would like to see him deported.

  • I can’t understand how the insurance companies haven’t shut him down.
    I’ve seen drivers with lesser offences become uninsurable.

    He sure made us Canadian’s more likeable in the States, didn’t he.
    Hate to say it, but this industry is NEVER going to fix itself.

  • One would assume that this driver will be terminated by the carrier & that the reasons will be added to his record so that if he attempts to hire on with another company his abysmal history will come up when the driver check is pursued with due diligence. Hopefully another career choice such as landscaping will be presented for this fellow.

  • I don’t think this driver should be allowed to drive again for a period of time, not to say ever again but a suspension of some sort would be appropriate. If after that he continues to violate rule and regulations he should be banned and further actions should be placed!!! Another thing why does race and deportation have anything to do with it? Not all people are interested in nasty racial comments

  • Obviously the company as well should be investigated as they know what this driver is doing. MTO should demand the company switch to e-logs or close the doors. This guy gives all professional drivers a bad name.

  • Deported…Really?
    Ignorantly assuming he was born abroad because his name is Singh?
    Troubling indeed
    The reason why the MTO holds carriers responsible for their drivers actions is they quite possibly be the ones forcing his hand
    But hey I’m a very objective guy, that’s what kept me out of the better universities