Some applicants who never passed the appropriate testing for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Massachusetts were still awarded one in a bribery conspiracy scheme, federal prosecutors allege, putting themselves and others on the road in potential danger.
Several Massachusetts state troopers and a driving school instructor are among those accused in the scheme to give guaranteed passing scores to certain applicants for a CDL.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts, some applicants didn’t take the test in part or in full, or should have failed, yet were still passed and awarded a license.
“These trucks are like 80,000-pound battering rams going up the highway," Jonathan Best, a commercial truck driver, explained.
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At the testing site in Stoughton, where many of these tests took place, drivers said they weren’t shocked by the allegations laid out in the case, but they were concerned.
“I think the test is hard you know they’re qualifying drivers to drive big vehicles, school buses," said Brendan McNiff of Boston CDL Driving School.
A CDL test requires several weeks of training at a driving school. The test itself includes three parts – the written test, an oral test, and an actual driving test. The knowledge test includes topics like general knowledge, air brakes, hazmat information, school bus safety, and others, depending on the type of vehicle you’re looking to drive. There are also medical standards a driver must meet.
“There are certain components that you need to hit just like your regular Mass. drivers test, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can safely operate the vehicle, so it’s a check box of the things that you’re required to pass fail," McNiff added.
On average the testing takes about an hour and is proctored by a state trooper who would either pass or fail the drivers.
“If [state troopers] are being bribed to pass guys, I totally understand,” Best said.
Drivers who spoke with NBC10 Boston Tuesday said they’d like to see more oversight for the troopers doing the testing to prevent allegations like this in the future.
