CDL examiner gets probation for falsifying tests

Mississippi man took cash in lieu of administering exams.    A Mississippi man has been sentenced to three years of probation for falsely certifying some 75 individuals had passed the commercial driver’s license exam.
   Andre Cooper, a third-party commercial driver’s license examiner, was sentenced June 21 in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Miss. In addition to probation, Cooper was issued a $1,500 fine and $100 special assessment fee for making false statements. 
   Cooper pleaded guilty in April to accepting cash payments in lieu of administering the federally mandated CDL test. He provided the CDL applicants with score sheets, falsely certifying that they had successfully completed the skills test. In fact, they were never tested. 
   Over a three-year period, Cooper provided approximately 75 individuals with paperwork that falsely stated they had passed the tests, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG). In exchange, the individuals paid Cooper between $200 and $300 per test. 
   The Mississippi Department of Public Safety revoked the CDLs from individuals known to have purchased test results from Cooper, DOT-OIG said
   The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 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 schools 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 a CDL and specialized endorsements. 
   Third-party testers such as Cooper are placed in positions of trust and are expected to adhere to FMCSA and state testing requirements and procedures to ensure public safety, DOT-OIG said.