Lancaster Trucking Company Indicted Under Federal Safety Laws

D.A. Landis truck drivers allegedly worked beyond legal limits without taking mandated off-duty breaks.

A Lancaster County trucking company that hauls milk for 700 dairy farms and the trucking company's owner has been indicted on federal charges alleging company records were falsified to allow drivers to work beyond legal limits in violation of federal highway safety laws.

D.A. Landis Trucking Inc. and its owner and president, Dean A. Landis, allegedly prepared and aided in the preparation of false maintenance and drivers' daily logs to attempt to conceal the fact drivers "routinely exceeded the maximum number of driving hours" without receiving the required off-duty hours in violation of federal Department of Transportation regulations, according the indictment filed Tuesday.

The violations allegedly occurred between 2007 and November 2009

The trucking company allegedly kept two sets of drivers' logs and filed the documents with the actual hours worked in a separate cabinet with notations such as "Not 4 DOT," "No log," and "No DOT," according to the charges.

Court documents detail 10 specific incidents in which drivers logs or daily trip sheets were falsified, and thus 10 counts of the indictment are for making false statements. One count of conspiracy also was filed.

D.A. Landis Trucking, located in East Lampeter Township, hauls milk for about 700 dairy farms in Southeastern Pennsylvania with about 70 trucks and produces about $6 million in annual revenues, according to court documents in the case.

According to the company's website, the company transports bulk food grade fluids and milk and has dry vans and refrigerated trailers. In addition to transportation services, D.A. Landis also provides towing and equipment repair services for the trucking industry.

If convicted, the trucking company faces a maximum sentence of five years probation, a $5.5 million fine and a $4,400 court assessment. Landis faces a possible maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years probation, a $250,000 fine and a $100 court assessment.

The federal Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General and Food and Drug Administration Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Pease is the assigned prosecutor.

By: Tracy Jordan, The Morning Call