A Pennsylvania diesel mechanic and the trucking company he worked for have been sentenced for tampering with truck emission systems, a move that violated the Clean Air Act.
The details: Leon Martin, from Lititz, was given two years of probation and fined $500,000. Frock Brothers Trucking, based in New Oxford, received a probation sentence and an $80,000 fine.
- Between 2018 and 2023, Martin tampered with the engine control modules (ECMs) of at least eight trucks, making modifications to dodge emissions control requirements.
- The tinkering was aimed at reducing costs associated with exhaust fluids and repair expenses, thereby boosting fuel economy.
What they did: Trucks had their ECMs removed, rewired, and sent back for reinstallation, allowing Frock Brothers to continue operations without adhering to emission standards as reported by the Department of Justice.
Both Martin and the company pled guilty, marking a tough lesson in the costly consequences of sidestepping environmental regulations.