Amazon trucking contractors have larger charges of security violations, CBS Information investigation finds

The loss of life of a 19-year-old school pupil on a Texas freeway is elevating questions in regards to the fleet of drivers Amazon makes use of to maneuver packages between its services. School freshman Iliana Velez’s life was lower quick in a crash with a contractor who was driving to choose up an Amazon load.

A College of Texas freshman, Velez was working nights sorting packages half time at an Amazon success middle.

Within the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2022, Velez was on a break when she was compelled off the highway by a field truck pushed by Jordan Sannicola, a contractor on his strategy to choose up an Amazon cargo. Velez’s automotive rolled a number of instances. She died on the scene. 

Her mom, Trula Velez, obtained the information from police that very same night.

“The officer knocked on my door and he mentioned that she was concerned in an accident, and he or she did not make it,” she mentioned. “I used to be such in a state of shock.”

When Sannicola was arrested 4 weeks later, investigators realized he had a historical past of site visitors violations, a suspended driver’s license and excellent felony warrants, together with one rely of evading arrest with a car. He informed police he was utilizing a hand-held cellular machine when he collided with Iliana Velez’s automotive.

“Somebody with a number of warrants shouldn’t have been employed,” Trula Velez mentioned.

A lawsuit filed by Trula Velez alleges Amazon had beforehand rejected Sannicola’s utility to ship packages for the corporate’s “flex” residence supply service after he failed a background test. Nonetheless, he was in a position to drive for an Amazon-contracted firm. Regardless of his felony historical past and driving file, Take Flight with B, a North Carolina motor service firm, employed Sannicola to maneuver Amazon freight.

Missed warning indicators?

The Velez household legal professional, Alex Hilliard, claims that due to the background test, Amazon was “absolutely conscious” of Sannicola’s poor driving file and felony background when he began driving for Take Flight, which transported items between Amazon services on a section of the supply community generally known as the “center mile.”

The lawsuit additionally alleges monitoring expertise offered by the Relay cellphone utility Amazon makes use of to watch driver location and efficiency had knowledgeable the corporate of Sannicola’s unsafe driving habits, however it did not act.

“Mr. Sannicola had 70 completely different rushing violations [while working for Take Flight] that Amazon had been notified of,” mentioned Hilliard. “They did nothing about that.”

A CBS Information evaluation of federal security knowledge revealed Amazon contractors primarily within the firm’s “middle-mile” supply community had month-to-month violation charges — resembling rushing and texting whereas driving — that had been normally double these of carriers who did not transport for Amazon. The evaluation examined six years of month-to-month Federal Motor Service Security Administration (FMCSA) unsafe driving charges and located the typical charges of carriers who shipped for Amazon had been not less than 89% larger in each month.

“I used to be shocked,” mentioned Jason Miller, a professor at Michigan State College who’s an skilled in provide chain administration. “I’ve revealed many articles utilizing these knowledge. You don’t see results like this usually, the place you may have a set of carriers that’s virtually twice as unsafe as a unique set of carriers.”

CBS Information used roadside inspection studies in federal knowledge to establish Amazon contractors. The studies, that are produced by regulation enforcement, point out who a service mentioned they had been delivery for on the time of inspection. The evaluation included carriers who shipped not less than as soon as for Amazon within the two years main as much as every month examined.

Miller mentioned the massive patchwork of contractors Amazon makes use of for “middle-mile” transport poses challenges to making sure a uniform tradition of security.

“The extra you’re primarily having your freight hauled by a whole lot, if not 1000’s of small younger companies, that makes it way more tough to make sure these companies are working safely versus a extra – what we name strategic procurement mannequin, the place you might have just a few very massive carriers that you just work with that deal with loads of freight,” mentioned Miller.

Up to now two years, not less than 57 individuals have died in additional than 4 dozen crashes involving federally regulated carriers delivery for Amazon, in keeping with FMCSA knowledge, although the info doesn’t point out who was at fault in these incidents. The FMCSA produces a crash involvement rating for carriers, however it’s not public.

Amazon’s response

“Any fatality is heartbreaking,” mentioned Tim Goodman, Amazon’s world authorized director for highway security. “Any households which have been affected by this all have our condolences and our hearts exit to them.”

Whereas Amazon mandates background checks for contracted drivers who ship on to prospects’ houses, Goodman mentioned the corporate appears to be like to the FMCSA to supervise “middle-mile” contractors who transfer freight between services in bigger autos.

A spokeswoman for FMCSA confirmed it requires contractors who dispatch business motor autos with a gross car weight ranking of greater than 10,000 kilos to conduct background checks into drivers’ security efficiency historical past as a situation of employment.

Amazon mentioned when the corporate learns a contracted service has violated FMCSA tips, the service can face penalties, together with everlasting suspension.

“We have now taken disciplinary motion towards round 19,000 motor carriers for failing to fulfill FMCSA security necessities,” Goodman mentioned.

Amongst these carriers is Take Flight with B, the contractor that employed Jordan Sannicola. Amazon confirmed it suspended Take Flight with B completely from its contracted fleet.  The motor service has since gone out of enterprise.

Goodman defended Amazon’s persevering with reliance on third-party trucking contractors to maneuver its freight and ship packages.

“In the USA, transportation with motor carriers is pushed by impartial companies, small companies,” mentioned Goodman. “It has been that manner since not less than the Carter administration.”

“We’re distinctive at Amazon when it comes to our scale,” Goodman mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s a enterprise mannequin that has labored, and labored effectively, and we’re dedicated to having it’s a catalyst to have the ability to enhance security for the roads for all of us.”

Amazon disputes CBS Information’ knowledge findings. In an announcement despatched after the interview, a spokesperson mentioned: “We have labored intently with CBS all through this story, and are disillusioned that they proceed to make use of knowledge primarily based on a flawed methodology. We take security extremely significantly and the reality is that general crash charges throughout third get together carriers that we work with have improved. Our requirements are stricter than FMCSA necessities, and we’ll proceed working to make sure our companions are the most secure carriers on the highway.”

Amongst different complaints, the corporate took subject with how CBS Information recognized Amazon contractors—it mentioned inspection studies generally checklist the unsuitable shipper—and the way CBS Information measured a service’s security.

Amazon measures security utilizing the FMCSA’s “unsafe driving rating,” which is a quantity that applies completely different requirements relying on the scale of the service. This rating shouldn’t be made public by the federal government, however the underlying knowledge is. Reasonably than rating the carriers by measurement, CBS Information appeared instantly on the underlying charges of unsafe driving violations like texting and rushing.

CBS Information consulted with a number of main provide chain researchers, who all use FMCSA measures in peer-reviewed research. Alex Scott, a College of Tennessee professor and skilled in provide chain administration, mentioned he doesn’t use the FMCSA’s scores partially as a result of they make smaller carriers seem safer than they’re.

“I do not suppose that makes any sense,” Scott mentioned. “In the event that they’re much less secure, then they’re much less secure.”

What the courtroom system says

On Oct. 11, a decide sentenced Jordan Sannicola to a 40-year jail time period for the cost of “failing to cease and render support — accident involving loss of life” within the crash that killed Iliana Velez.

“One mistake value somebody’s life, and that was my daughter’s, and her life was simply getting began,” Trula Valez mentioned.

A courtroom date for her lawsuit towards Amazon is about for early 2025.