WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has shuttered four Kansas trucking companies.

Royal Transport, Nationwide, Freight, and Midwest A must cease all interstate transportation service because the FMCSA believes “they are reincarnated ‘chameleons’ for an unsafe truck company that was already closed by the agency.

“Safety is our top priority,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Trucking companies that attempt to dodge safety regulations or hide a history of violations by hiding behind a new name have no place on our nation’s roadways.”

FMCSA investigators believe that the four companies were functioning under common operation and control in order to avoid a negative compliance history. The agency also determined that Freight, Inc., and Midwest A, Inc., were created to avoid the out-of-service order issued against Nationwide, Inc., on July 16, 2008, for failure to pay civil penalties.

“Today’s action is another step toward raising the bar for commercial vehicle and roadway safety,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro.

“It sends a strong and important message that companies that attempt to evade safety regulations by reincarnating will be found and removed from the road.”