Investigations
NHTSA Suspends Indiana Company and Assesses Civil Penalty
On November 17, 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a consent order to Diversified Vehicle Services, Inc. (DVS), an Indiana-based company. Under the terms of the consent order, DVS agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty, a suspension of 125 days for its registered importer (RI) registration, and a possible revocation of its RI registration. DVS admitted to violating certain provisions of the Safety Act and regulatory requirements applicable to registered importers. These violations include, but are not limited to, importing nonconforming and noncertified vehicles from Mexico under customs declarations and associating with a person convicted of a crime related to the importation, purchase, or sale of motor vehicles. A portion of the civil penalty—$300,000—will be held in abeyance for the consent order’s term, provided that DVS does not commit additional violations. If DVS commits additional violations, its RI registration will be revoked. DVS also agreed to appoint an independent monitor at its expense.