Investigations

USAO, Southern District of Mississippi - Press Release

On April 11, Andre Cooper, a third-party commercial driver’s license (CDL) examiner pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Jackson, Mississippi, to making false statements. He had accepted cash payments from multiple CDL skills test applicants in lieu of administering the federally mandated test. Instead, Cooper provided the CDL applicants with commercial driver skills test score sheets, falsely certifying that the drivers had successfully completed the test. In fact, they were never tested. Cooper was charged via information on March 30, 2018.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides funding to help its State counterparts administer CDL programs, which include developing proper testing procedures and overseeing trucking schools and individuals obtaining CDLs. Trucking school students and individual applicants are required to pass an extensive written test and a multipart road skills test, including an in-depth driving test, to obtain CDL and specialized endorsements.

The investigation revealed that for 3 years Cooper provided approximately 75 individuals with paperwork that falsely stated they had passed the CDL road skills tests. In exchange, the individuals paid Cooper between $200 and $300 per test. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MS DPS) revoked the CDLs from individuals known to have purchased test results from Cooper.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with MS DPS, Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, and the FMCSA Mississippi Division.