Understanding a carrier record
How we check carriers
FleetGen brings public carrier records and findings together so you can see what needs review. Here is how to read the verdict, the sources behind it and the limits of the information shown.
What the verdict means
FleetGen’s verdict is our assessment of the available record. It is separate from the FMCSA safety rating shown in the safety section.
- Red · Disqualifying findings
- The assessment reports at least one disqualifying finding. Review the finding and its supporting record before deciding whether to use the carrier.
- Amber · Elevated risk factors
- The assessment reports elevated findings to review, with no disqualifying finding. The public page shows their count and categories; the detailed findings are available to signed-in users.
- Green · No risk flags
- The assessment found no disqualifying or elevated findings in the records checked. Advisory notes may still be present. Green is not a guarantee of safety, identity or future performance.
- Not yet evaluated
- An assessment is not available for this record. This is not a green verdict. Missing information and a reported zero are different things.
What we check
Findings are grouped into these areas. Use the findings on the carrier’s own record to see which areas need attention.
Authority
We present operating-authority status, pending revocation proceedings and out-of-service information. A registration date is separate from an authority grant date. A proceeding that was discontinued is different from a completed revocation; read the action and its disposition together.
Insurance
We show the presence of liability, cargo and surety filings and the record’s stated filing requirements. The insurance section distinguishes an absent required filing from a filing that does not apply to that entity. Unknown requirements are not treated as proof of a gap. Filing presence alone does not establish the terms of a policy.
Safety
We show the federal safety rating, roadside inspections, out-of-service results and reported crashes for the period stated on the record. Read totals together with their time window. A crash count alone does not establish fault, and a low count alone does not establish safety. Recent-activity lists state how many records are shown and how many are on file.
Identity and related companies
We show links between registrations that share details such as a phone number, email, address or officers. A shared detail can be normal within a business or corporate group. A related-company count is a reason to understand the relationship, not proof of fraud or proof that two registrations are the same operator.
Record completeness
We distinguish the information available in the record from information that is absent or withheld. The findings section shows how many checks returned a result. Advisory notes provide context; they do not set an amber or red verdict. The large findings count includes disqualifying and elevated findings, not advisories.
Where the records come from
Registration, fleet and cargo information comes from FMCSA census records. Authority and insurance sections use federal licensing and filing records. Safety sections use federal safety ratings, inspection records and reported crashes.
FleetGen findings and relationship summaries are our analysis of those records. Reviews are separate from federal records; a review count is not an FMCSA finding. A section’s source note identifies its source, or states when that source is not provided.
How to read the dates
- Snapshot captured
- When the saved carrier snapshot was captured. This does not mean every source record was updated on that date.
- Filing, rating or event date
- When that particular filing, rating, inspection, crash or authority event is recorded. An MCS-150 filing date is not a refresh date for the whole page.
- Observation window
- The period covered by the section’s counts. Compare figures from the same period and with the same basis.
- Date unavailable
- The record does not provide a usable date. We do not replace it with today’s date.
What a public record can tell you
A public profile is a starting point for review. Some finding details, linked identities and analysis are available only to signed-in users. A locked section means details are withheld; it does not mean that no records exist.
Records can be incomplete or change after a snapshot is captured. A public profile does not verify the person contacting you, guarantee future performance or replace checking the current underlying record before booking.
For questions about information displayed by FleetGen, contact us with the USDOT number and the field you are asking about.