WASHINGTON — A June investigation of Meeder Equipment Company/Ransome Manufacturing in Fresno, California, by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that nearly 200 tanker trailers used to haul propane had been tested and inspected by a person who didn’t meet the qualifications of a registered inspector.
According to a news release, the inspections and tests conducted on the 186 units included internal visual inspections and pressure tests dating back to July 2018, along with external visual inspections and leakage tests dating back to July 2022.
The affected units must be retested and reinspected by qualified registered inspectors to ensure they are compliant for hazardous materials transportation, according to the FMCSA.
Any person in possession of one of the units should contact Meeder Equipment Company Inc./Ransome Manufacturing to determine whether it is in compliance.
The FMCSA notes that there are “no imminent safety vulnerabilities” and they won’t take enforcement action against any person who transports a tanker trailer that’s been inspected by unauthorized personnel.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
