Overnight four-state operation puts 78 truck drivers out of service
FMCSA joined state law enforcement in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida on Saturday, September 26, 2026 for an overnight enforcement effort called Operation Saturday Night Fever. The agency announced the results on September 30.
According to FMCSA, officers conducted 552 inspections along Interstate 95 and other major Southeast freight corridors. They placed 78 drivers and 25 vehicles out of service. Twelve of those drivers were placed out of service for English language proficiency violations.
Inspectors checked driver credentials, hours-of-service compliance, electronic logging devices, distracted driving, cargo securement and English language proficiency. The Department of Homeland Security took part alongside the South Carolina State Transport Police, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Georgia Department of Public Safety and Florida Highway Patrol.
FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs said the operation "reflects the strength of our law enforcement partnerships and our shared responsibility to keep America's roads safe." South Carolina's Col. Dwayne Wilson explained the timing: "Late evening and early morning hours are often when dangerous driving behaviors go unnoticed."
What this means for your operation
The lesson for a small fleet is that inspections are no longer a weekday, daylight event — this one was run on a Saturday night on purpose. Seventy-eight drivers out of service from 552 inspections means the checks were mostly on the driver side: license and medical card, hours and ELD records, and whether the driver can communicate in English with the officer. A driver placed out of service at 2 a.m. leaves you with a parked truck and a late load. Before a truck heads down I-95 or any other busy corridor, confirm the driver's file is current and the logs are clean. That driver-qualification and log review is the kind of safety and compliance work WeLink's back office handles for carriers.
Source: FMCSA
Staying compliant is a full-time job. Let us carry it.
WeLink keeps your safety, compliance, and back office audit-ready so rule changes like this one never catch you off guard.
Get Started