Ohio Charges Three With Selling CDLs

Ohio state police arrested two testing examiners and a third suspect in Columbus for selling commercial driver licenses.

Cathy Farmer was charged with bribery and Teresa Taylor with tampering with public records. Farmer, a 12-year employee, and Taylor, a nine-year worker, were both examiners at a testing facility in Whitehall.

Kenneth Hairston was charged with two counts of bribery. Police said Hairston, who once worked at a third-party CDL testing facility in Columbus, acted as a middleman for truckers.

State troopers began an investigation of the three after receiving information that applicants could pay Hairston $800 in exchange for a CDL. Farmer and Taylor allegedly doctored test records in exchange for a portion of the proceeds.

The arrests were made June 2 after an undercover officer paid Hairston for the paperwork and passing grades needed to obtain a license.

Officials are still investigating whether other employees were involved in the scandal and how many applicants might have obtained their licenses illegally.

For the full story, see the June 14 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.