Federal officials have said that an Alabama trucking company whose tractor-trailer rig hit a van in Kentucky, killing 11 people, has a poor safety track record.

The Courier-Journal reported on Wednesday that in February, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had given Hester Inc. a "deficient" rating of 88.4 on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the worst possible.

That rating prompted Rob Abbott, vice president of safety policy for the American Trucking Association, to say Hester's trucks "should not have been on the road."

Hester's inspection record indicates it has "egregiously" failed to make sure its drivers comply with regulations aimed at keeping overly tired drivers off the road, Dave Dorrity, an adjunct professor of safety education at Clemson University, said.

Company owner Scott Hester had no comment, citing the crash investigation, the newspaper further reported.

Hester Inc. driver Kenneth Laymon crossed the center line on Interstate 65 at Munfordville, Ky., last Friday, hitting a van. Laymon and 10 people in the van died.

The tractor-trailer rig produced no skid marks and the investigation by the Kentucky State Police and the National Transportation Safety Board will try to determine why Laymon left his lane.

It was further reported by the Courier-Journal that records reveal 39 of the company's 166 driver violations in the past two years were for driving too many hours or not resting long enough. Another 21 were log violations, which can include falsifying entries or failing to maintain a log.

Federal records also show Hester's drivers were ordered to stop driving for violations at nearly twice the average rate nationally, the newspaper added. (With Inputs from Agencies)