Press Releases
National Carriers, Inc. (NCI) is pleased to announce Drivers of the Month for March and April of 2020.
Anthony Olvera of Houston, Texas, earned the award for March, having demonstrated impeccable safety and service for three years in NCI’s Southwest Regional Fleet. His skill is no surprise given his 28 years behind the wheel and training that began even earlier.
“My father was a driver. When I was eleven or twelve, I would ride with him. It was the seventies, diesel was sixty cents a gallon, the speed limit was fifty-five miles an hour, and I learned how to drive while with him. Dad emphasized backing and as I grew older he taught me how to back into any dock situation,” Olvera shared.
Owner operator, Charles Ware, of Sylacauga, Alabama, won Driver of the Month for April. As someone who’s hauled a variety of freight over the years—from cotton in his hometown to food across the nation—he’s a big fan of the loads NCI offers.
“The loads are the best,” he said. “The freight has good miles and adequate time to get to the delivery point.”
National Carriers spokesman, Ed Kentner, commented, “Both Anthony and Charles are fine representatives of the professional drivers at NCI. They are safety oriented, customer friendly, and quick to help anyone in need. Each earned a bonus for their recognition and are now finalists for Driver of the Year and its $10,000 prize.”
About National Carriers
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
Maurice Fayne, a former reality television personality and owner of Flame Trucking, has been indicted for allegedly using money from the Paycheck Protection Program for personal use, including diamond jewelry and a Rolls-Royce.
On Tuesday, May 12, the U.S. government filed a criminal complaint against Maurice Fayne in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Fayne, also known as Arkansas Mo in the reality show called “Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta,” is accused of fraudulently using funds he acquired from the Paycheck Protection Program for a company he owns called Flame Trucking.
According to the complaint, Fayne submitted a PPP loan application to United Community Bank on April 15. Filed under the name of his company Flame Trucking, Fayne told the bank the company has 107 employees. He also stated that the average monthly payroll was nearly $1.5 million. The loan application states that money will be used to “retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule.”
Fayne was initially granted a PPP loan for about $3.7 million on April 22.
Upon finding out the amount exceeded the maximum allowed, the bank recovered a portion of the amount, reducing the total loan to just over $2 million.
Court documents reveal that on April 23, Fayne used Flame Trucking’s PPP loan funds for three wire transfers: $30,000 to D.J., $50,000 to M.S., and $350,000 to C.W. The two lower amounts were payments on other loans.
It was later discovered that Fayne was the “godbrother” of C.W., who was not a Flame Trucking employee. She told investigators that the $350,000 was disbursed according to Fayne’s directions. Investigators found C.W.’s bank records show an $84,000 wire transfer to a jewelry store in Duluth, Ga., for “investment.” Another wire transfer for $40,000 was sent to a woman in Alexander, Ark., for “child support completion.”
Information from the jewelry store obtained by investigators show that Fayne paid more than $85,000 (including the $84,000 wire transfer) for three pieces of jewelry: one custom-made 18-karat Rolex Presidential watch with diamonds ($52,000); one 10-karat custom-made Cuban bracelet with 34.75 carats of diamonds ($24,500); one 14-karat custom-made ring with 5.73 carats of diamonds ($3,750).
Supporting his claim of a nearly $1.5 million monthly payroll, Fayne emailed United Community Bank statements from October through December for Flame Trucking’s account at Arvest Bank. However, Arvest Bank told investigators that Flame Trucking’s account was closed in September 2019. Arvest Bank identified the documents as “not genuine,” according to the complaint.
Court records show that when confronted about the bank statements from Arvest Bank, Fayne denied they were his bank statements. However, he did admit they were sent from his email account to United Community Bank. Fayne said his employees have access to his email account. Furthermore, Fayne said Heartland Payroll Systems, which is identified in those statements, is not the payroll processor for Flame Trucking. When asked who is, Fayne allegedly told investigators he could not remember the name.
In addition to the wire transfers, Fayne withdrew $65,000 from the account that held the PPP loan funds.
On May 6, Fayne told federal agents that he used the PPP funds for payroll and other business expenses. He denied using the money for personal debts and expenses. However, when agents seized the jewelry while executing a search-and-seizure warrant, Fayne admitted to buying the jewelry with PPP loan funds. Court documents claim Fayne told agents he had the right to use the funds for “other business purposes” and for “working capital.” According to the complaint, he said he believes “the jewelry would increase in value because he would be wearing it, which would make it more valuable.”
During the search, agents also found a bag containing $70,000. Fayne claimed the cash was his “personal money,” according to court documents. Additionally, agents discovered more than $9,000 in cash in the pockets of the clothes Fayne was wearing at the time.
Lastly, agents found a 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith in Fayne’s garage. The car, valued at nearly $400,000, still had a temporary dealer tag. When asked if he used PPP funds to purchase the vehicle, Fayne said “Kinda, sorta, not really.”
Both the Department of Justice news release issued on May 13 and the May 12 criminal complaint identify Flame Trucking in Georgia as the business owned by Fayne to obtain the PPP loan. However, there appears to be little record of Flame Trucking’s existence.
According to court documents, Flame Trucking’s principal office is in Dacula, Ga. The registered address is the same as Fayne’s residence.
However, a search for “Flame Trucking” on FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records system shows three results: one in North Little Rock, Ark.; one in Wylie, Texas; and another in Swainsboro, Ga. None match the address identified in court documents, nor do they include any reference to Fayne.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, Flame Trucking was formed on April 4, 2019, with the residential address listed as the principal office address. Its business status is labeled as active/compliance. However, a look at the filing history reveals a different address.
According to the original certificate of incorporation, Flame Trucking was established under an address in Lawrenceville, Ga. Quick Transport Solutions has a Flame Trucking listed under that address with DOT number 3304501. However, that DOT number is associated with an inactive Flame Trucking in Wylie, Texas. According to the website, Flame Trucking has been in business since June 26, 2019, with its MCS-150 date listed as Aug. 8, 2019.
The Indiana State Police have announced that they will be giving away free masks this Friday starting at 9 a.m. The masks will be handed out at the rest area on I-94 westbound at the 43 mile-marker in LaPorte County.
According to Indiana State Police, the masks are being handed out "to help ensure those who are driving over the roads are as safe as possible while delivering the goods and services our country needs to sustain itself during these difficult times."
Please note that truck parking is on the north side of the rest area. To get a mask, please park on the far west side of the lot.
If National Carriers Inc. (NCI) were NASCAR, Stephen Dixon would be Kyle Busch. He may not have won the 2019 Cup, but Dixon accomplished something just as rare: winning NCI’s Driver of the Year Award. In this annual truck driving “race”, high speed on a track gets you nowhere. Rather, it takes exceptional endurance and excellence over the long haul.
“Choosing our Driver of the Year is always a difficult process—almost a photo-finish decision,” said NCI President, Jim Franck. “We select between 12 Drivers of the Month who are all exceptional, but Steve Dixon is truly a deserving winner. He’s consistently excellent across the board—in safety, customer service, productivity, and willingness to help get a troubled load delivered.”
“It’s a great honor to be selected from among so many in our Elite Fleet,” said Dixon. “Considering NCI’s high standards, the achievement means a lot, but I also consider the job itself very rewarding. I’ve gotten to see so much of the country during my 12 years with NCI. I’ve run from California to the Bronx in New York City and everywhere in between!”
NCI spokesman, Ed Kentner, commented further on Dixon’s vital service. “Steve has made himself invaluable in delivering loads from our beef processing customers in Southwest Kansas to the boroughs of New York City. We have consistent miles and freight to the Northeast that meet Steve’s goals. By learning the area, he now helps other drivers heading to Hunts Point meat market and other delivery points.”
As Steve put it, “My philosophy has always been that once you learn a lesson, you pass it on to other drivers. Then they’ll pass it on, too.”
At the end of the day, it’s this attitude of service that really pushes Dixon to the front. He didn’t become number one by looking out for number one, but rather, by serving the interests of his customers and fellow drivers.
National Carriers offers refrigerated services throughout the lower 48 states and provides regional livestock operations within Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Founded in 1968, the company has been a longtime leader in customer service and driver satisfaction.
An alert Lebanon, TN waitress saved a truck driver from burning to death in the cab of his big rig before dawn last Tuesday morning.
Phyllis Banfield, who’s been waitressing at Uncle Pete’s Truck Stop for nearly 23 years, had just pulled into the truck stop on Sparta Pike for the breakfast shift when she spied something out of the ordinary across the road in the parking lot of Four Winds Restaurant at I-40 Exit 139.
“At 4:52 a.m., I saw a little fire over there and thought it was somebody burning garbage,” Banfield said. “And it seemed to be progressing. Then I saw it was hay on back of the truck. I got on the phone with 911.
“There were seven or eight people standing around watching. I went across the road and beat on the door, and the guy looked out and I told him, ‘The truck is on fire. Get out! Get out!’
“I still had the phone in my hand and was talking to 911. I told them, ‘You better come over here!’ The guy got out in his underwear, and then he jumped back inside to get his pants on and got back out in a couple of minutes. He lost everything in the truck but his pants, shirt and shoes. The cab and load of hay were totaled.”
Trucker Matt Ramsey of Rutledge in East Tennessee briefly shared his close call with death, saying, “I pulled over here about 1 o’clock (in the morning) with a load of straw. I went to sleep. A little before 5, she (Banfield) saw the load was on fire. She woke me up. I’d say she saved my life. I might have woke up. You never know.”
Recalled Banfield, “I’d say after he got out, seven minutes later everything was burnt to a crisp. He came over here just a little while ago and said, ‘Thank you for saving my life this morning.’ ”
You won't believe the setup in the back of this 2020 Peterbilt 579 so the driver can play games while hauling cargo.
ZanaZamora said they are using truck simulator games to help train his girlfriend who is planning on getting a Commercial Drivers License so they can team drive. While building a PC inside a semi truck might appear more cumbersome than building something like a Destiny 2 weapon-themed PC case, ZanaZamora said the whole rig "tucks away nicely at the foot of the bed."
ZanaZamora19 has said that most of the other trucker gamers he knows solve this problem by using laptops, but ZanaZamora19 isn’t a laptop guy. Since his new 579 doesn’t have a table, he’s now using a Couchmaster Cycon gaming desk. It’s designed for using a mouse and keyboard setup on the living room couch, but ZanaZamora has found it works great in a truck, too.
That’s because his monitor is mounted on a swivel attached to the storage bulkhead between the sleeper bed area and the main cab of the truck. When he’s done driving, he can head to the back of his rig, swing the monitor into place, and set the gaming desk over his lap – there’s room enough for a Corsair K55 RGB keyboard and Dark Core wireless mouse (and Polaris RGB mousepad), plus space on the armrests for his Logitech Saitek X-56 throttle and stick combo – crucial peripherals for the flight sims he enjoys.
The current setup looks nice and plush, and with the red lights of the sleeper bathing everything in a warm glow, it’s hard not to be a little envious, even – at least until you remember the luxury of a wired internet connection.
After at least a dozen truckers, hauling critical items, complained they are being targeted by “predatory” towing companies in the Queen City, a half dozen state lawmakers now pledge to take action following a series of FOX 46 investigations.
“I am appalled,” said Rep. Rachel Hunt (D-Mecklenburg), after viewing reports from Charlotte-based FOX 46..
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is investigating 11 towing-related complaints in Charlotte. Truckers say overly aggressive towing companies are unfairly targeting them to make money. Instead of asking them to move, drivers accuse tow companies of booting them instead – while they are still inside the truck - then demanding around $3000 to remove or fork over $5000 or more if they can’t and the truck is towed.
“It was like extortion, you know, I mean it was like highway robbery,” said Cynthia Baker, who had to pay $5000 after her driver’s truck was towed. “A scam in the middle of the night.”
On Tuesday, Rep. Wesley Harris (D-Mecklenburg) called the reports “a travesty” and said he would look into what can be done. Now, at least a half dozen other state lawmakers say they want to take this up as well when the General Assembly returns next week.
“I’m pretty disappointed in these towing companies that are using this as an opportunity to boost their bottom line,” said Rep. Christy Clark (D-Mecklenburg).
Clark wants to hear guidance from Stein’s office after his investigation is complete. For Rep. Chaz Beasley (D-Mecklenburg), it’s personal.
“I come from a family of truck drivers,” said Beasley. “My grandfather was a truck driver for decades.”
Beasley calls what’s happening to truckers “unacceptable” and says FOX 46 investigative reporter Matt Grant’s reports could get results in Raleigh.
“It’s really, really frustrating to hear these stories,” said Beasley. “This virus is starting to show the things that we need to look at more deeply and the things that we need to fix in our laws. And this seems like one of them.”
Among the ideas lawmakers are proposing:
Legislation preventing towing companies from using a state of emergency to bolster their bottom line.
- More protections for essential workers, like truck drivers.
- Mandating clearer and more prominent warning signs.
- Capping towing fees.
- Creating more public parking spaces.
In 2014, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled municipalities can’t cap how much tow companies can charge on private lots. Lawmakers are looking at the current towing laws to see what, if anything, can be done.
“I’m going to ask someone today to start looking into this,” said Rep. Craig Horn (R-Union), “to see if legislation is necessary and appropriate and what we can do to help these folks.”
Horn says is he concerned about potential unintended consequences of any proposed legislation but has instructed staff to look into the issue before lawmakers return to Raleigh next week.
Towing companies often blame truckers for not obeying posted warning signs. Now, lawmakers are sending a warning of their own.
“Now that you’ve alerted several of us, we will all work together with our friends on the other side of the aisle,” said Hunt. “And we will definitely make this not happen anymore.”
There have been more than a dozen complaints from truckers who feel like they’ve been unfairly targeted by towing companies across the Queen City.
The complaints keep rolling in.
“That’s straight highway robbery,” said Timothy Williams, who owns and operates his own truck and hauls for ELE Logistics out of Charlotte. “I don’t think that should be allowed by no one.”
Williams says he didn’t see the warning sign when he pulled his tractor into 7-Eleven on Statesville Road in Charlotte to eat dinner. He says he was there for two hours.
“He snuck up on me,” he said of Carolina’s Towing.
He says he was inside the truck on April 9 when the tower put a chain around his tire and demanded $1,500 to take it off.
“Plus they charged me a $72 fee for even using my charge card,” he said.
Another trucker, who didn’t want to go on camera, says he was told he would have to pay $10,000 if his tractor-trailer was towed from the same lot unless he paid $5,000 to remove the boot. He says Carolina’s Towing offered him a “deal” to settle for $3,000.
“These guys were taking advantage of an opportunity to rob me for $1,500,” he said. “That’s a bill I don’t know when I’m going to finish paying for.”
Charlotte TV station FOX 46 has been working to get results and asking the towing companies if they would consider issuing refunds since many truckers are transporting critical supplies.
We gave the company Williams’ complaint along with three others last week. Carolina’s Towing agreed to look into each one.
The company won’t say if it actually did look into the complaints. Instead, Carolina’s Towing insists it, like the truckers, are an “essential” service at this time. A company spokesperson tells FOX 46 they will not issue any refunds.
“If we come across a truck that contains essential goods we will take the necessary steps not to impede once provided proof,” the company said in an emailed statement. “This, however, does not allow any truck or vehicle to be parked where notice posted states otherwise [sic].”
Williams says it’s hard enough to find places to park in Charlotte without the added worry of having to pay thousands of dollars.
“I’m out here trying my best to make an honest living,” Williams said. “No one at 7-Eleven couldn’t come out and say, ‘Sir, you can’t park here?’ That’s all they had to tell me. I had no idea.”
He’s hoping his story will continue to serve as a warning to other truckers to watch out.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Cynthia Baker couldn’t believe her driver was booted while inside the cab of his truck. Then she was told how much it would cost to remove the chains.
“It was like extortion, it was like highway robbery, a scam in the middle of the night,” said Baker, who owns Ohio Valley Transport out of Tennessee. “And it shouldn’t be that in America over a parking spot.”
Baker says Carolina’s Towing demanded $3,000 to remove the boot. When she couldn’t pay on the spot, the truck was towed, she said, and the price jumped to $5,000.
“They said, ‘We could do up to $10,000, what are you going to do about it?’” she says she was told, “It’s ridiculous.”
She admits her driver was in the wrong and didn’t see posted warning signs at a lot at the Citgo gas station on Beatties Ford Road. But she questions why the amount was so high, especially during this time, and wants to know why the tow truck company didn’t just ask her driver to move.
“In 30 years I’ve never seen people so disrespectful to others and been able to do something like this,” she said. “I’ve never had that happen before, ever.”
Baker eventually paid the $5,000 but included a message of protest on the paperwork writing: “Boot on Truck (Dumb!!)”
She says the whole ordeal makes her “very angry” because of how hard her drivers are working and feels the amount charged is excessive.
For weeks, FOX 46 has heard complaints of overly aggressive towing companies appearing to target truckers. Many are in the Queen City for relief work. The State Attorney General’s Office is investigating seven complaints of predatory towing in Charlotte.
“It seems like the reason for this is you don’t have a lot of traffic out there for these guys to make their normal money with,” said Rick Lyles, who owns National Freight in Charlotte. “So, I guess they’re resorting to picking on the trucking industry thinking we have deep pockets. We really don’t.”
The problem goes back to 2014 when the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled cities can’t cap how much trucking companies can charge to tow on private lots. Lyles says that has resulted in escalating, and outrageous, fees.
Last week, his driver was booted and towed after stopping to get food and take a nap at a shopping center on South Tryon.
“To us, it was no reason, it wasn’t valid,” said Lyles. “It was just predatory.”
Like Baker, he too had to pay $5,000 to get his truck back.
"$5,000 is a lot of money,” he said. “Gosh, that’s payroll for a whole week.”
FOX 46 is working to get results. We reached out to the owner of Carolina’s Towing, who promised to look into these complaints and others that we brought to their attention.
For now, these truckers want to warn others to watch where they park.
“I hope that somebody can hear this,” said Baker, “and make sure that they don’t park in the wrong spot.”
According to the Twiggs County Sheriff's Office, Keith Edward Tedder was arrested early Tuesday and is charged with multiple counts of felony theft by taking.
Investigators got a complaint from Texas Freight Services, Inc. about three boxes of Academy Sports Warehouse merchandise discovered on its property in Jeffersonville.
Surveillance video from the trucking company showed Tedder, a Texas Freight yard truck driver, leaving boxes of the merchandise at the terminal and then later putting them in his personal vehicle.
Tedder did this over a period of 22 days, according to the sheriff's office. On Tuesday, investigators took out a search warrant at his home in Jeffersonville, where they found the merchandise.
Tedder is currently being held at the Twiggs County Jail and additional charges are possible pending the investigation.