A Boston man pleaded guilty March 21 to his role in an extortion conspiracy involving former Massachusetts State Police troopers who allegedly conspired to give false passing scores to certain commercial driver’s license applicants who had failed or had taken only partial CDL skills test, in exchange for bribes.
Eric Mathison, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 13. In January 2024, Mathison was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the alleged conspiracy and related schemes.
Mathison, who worked for a water company that employed drivers who needed CDLs to drive their delivery vehicles, admitted to his role in an alleged conspiracy with others including former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist, then in charge of MSP’s CDL Unit, to give false passing scores to certain CDL applicants affiliated with the water company. It is alleged that Cederquist gave passing scores to multiple applicants who actually failed the CDL skills test, as well as others who took only a partial test, in exchange for bribes of free inventory from the water company, such as cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea and coffee and tea products, all of which Mathison delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton.
Mathison admitted to his alleged communications with Cederquist about particular CDL applicants, their performance on the skills test, and inventory from the water company that Cederquist allegedly requested and that Mathison delivered.
For example, Mathison admitted that he received texts, allegedly from Cederquist, describing one water company applicant as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” It is alleged that Cederquist then gave this applicant a passing score. On another occasion, Mathison admitted that he asked Cederquist, “Hows the trailer holding,” to which Cederquist allegedly responded, “In desperate need of restocking,” along with a specific request for, among other things, premium bottled water, tea, energy drinks and a “truckload of large water.”
The charge of conspiracy to commit extortion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Hotel chain adds perks for truckers
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has launched Recharge with Wyndham, a new initiative designed to help truckers make the most of their time away from the wheel.
Through the initiative, truckers can earn double Wyndham Rewards points on every qualified stay — enough for up to two free nights annually —along with Wyndham Rewards Gold level membership, which unlocks perks like a preferred room, late checkout and more.
"Truckers are an essential part of the workforce and we know their time is valuable, both on the road and off," said Angie Gadwood, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "With the launch of Recharge with Wyndham, we're helping drivers put their safety and rest first while making it easier than ever to build up points toward their next free stay — whether that's a weekend away with the family or an overnight pitstop as they ready for the journey ahead."
Complementing the launch of its newest initiative, Wyndham has also teamed up with Hotels4Truckers, a travel site for truckers in the U.S. and Canada, to help drivers save on their next stay. For a limited time, drivers who book through the Hotels4Truckers website or mobile app can save 15% off the best available rate on their next qualified stay.
In addition to savings, Hotels4Truckers makes it easy to search and book over 2,000 Hotels by Wyndham that are confirmed to have trucker-friendly parking, accommodating tractor-trailers up to 75 feet long. Best of all, drivers can take advantage of their Recharge by Wyndham benefits when making bookings through the platform.
To take advantage of Recharge with Wyndham, drivers or their companies must first have a negotiated rate with Wyndham. Those without an account can apply for one by visiting WyndhamBusiness.com. Once complete, drivers can then register for Recharge with Wyndham and its benefits by visiting WyndhamRewards.com/Truckers.
XPO's innovation honored by Forbes
XPO was named to Fortune’s list of America’s Most Innovative Companies for 2025.
Mario Harik, chief executive officer of XPO, said, “We’re proud to be recognized by Fortune as one of America’s most innovative companies. This distinction highlights our team's commitment to best-in-class customer service, the landmark expansion of our network and cutting-edge technology. I’m grateful to our employees whose exceptional work continues to position XPO as a leader in innovation.”
Fortune’s “Most Innovative Companies” list is based on independent scores in three key categories, all of which are central to the service XPO provides its customers:
- Innovation culture: XPO’s culture of innovation drives continuous service advancements for customers. The company achieved record service quality levels in 2024, including the lowest damage claims ratio in company history and it marked its 11th consecutive quarter of on-time service improvements.
- Process innovation: XPO transports 18 billion pounds of freight in North America each year, utilizing artificial intelligence and other proprietary technology to move shipments efficiently and cost effectively.
- Product innovation: XPO continually enhances its freight services to meet the fast-changing needs of today’s shippers. Over the last year, the company has opened 25 new service centers in key markets across the United States, providing greater access to customers and more capacity to handle their freight.
To develop its “Most Innovative” list, Fortune partnered with market research firm Statista to assess over 10,000 companies headquartered in the United States. Statista sourced input from a survey of more than 40,000 people as well as a panel of 2,500 experts across industries. The 300 companies with the highest overall scores were recognized on this year’s list.
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