PREFERRED MATERIALS INC
Risk factors
High riskVioCodes scoreA weighted read of the public FMCSA signals below — authority, insurance, out-of-service, crashes, roadside OOS rates, and carrier connections. A starting point for vetting, not a guarantee.
Roadside inspection performance
Out-of-service rate vs national average. Lower is better.
CSA performance breakdown
FMCSA · Sep 202637 inspections · 34 violations (9 OOS) · 23% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1393.9TSVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Inoperative turn signal
12
2× · sev 6
- 2393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Vehicle Maintenance
Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth
8
1× · sev 8
- 3396.3A1-TCVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Tire in contact with another part of the vehicle
8
1× · sev 8
- 4392.2-SLLLRUnsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation
6
2× · sev 3
- 5393.45B2-B-AIRVehicle Maintenance
Air Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured
4
1× · sev 4
- 6393.207A1 OOS
Axle positioning parts defective/missing
1
1×
- 7393.78Vehicle Maintenance
Wipers - Inoperative / missing / damaged wipers
1
1× · sev 1
- 8392.2RGNot in SMS
State vehicle registration or License Plate violation
1
1×
- 9392.2-SLL
State/Local Laws -
1
1×
- 10383.23A21 OOS
Operating a CMV without a CDL
1
1×
Most inspected in · top 8 states
- TX11
- LA5
- KY3
- AR2
- SC2
- MO2
- MS1
- TN1
Latest FMCSA SMS snapshot. Codes link to the lookup — severity weighting, contest angles, and the DataQs Drafter for each. Click a BASIC to filter the codes.
Safety trends & next-run projection
Where each BASIC sits today, how it ranks against peers, and where it’s heading at the next monthly SMS run.
FMCSA keeps the Crash Indicator percentile private, and its measure needs a power-unit history public data doesn’t expose — so it can’t be estimated yet. VioCodes now records power units monthly, so a calibrated Crash estimate should light up over time. These are the public crash facts (all state-reportable crashes count, regardless of fault).
“Projected” estimates the next monthly SMS run from inspections on record now. FMCSA marks the BASIC percentile itself “Not Public,” so the percentile shown is a VioCodes estimate of how the carrier ranks against its peers, presented as a likely range (shaded on the gauge) and calibrated against real carriers. Crash Indicator has no public estimate — FMCSA keeps its measures fully private. Estimates, not official FMCSA figures. Not affiliated with FMCSA.
Recommendations
What’s driving each score, what to do about it, and where it could go.
Vehicle out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactVehicle OOS rate is 35% vs the 22% national average. Carriers above the national OOS average draw more enforcement attention (audits, roadside stops) and can see higher insurance premiums.
- Review recent inspections with out-of-service violations and fix the root causes with equipment and drivers
- Run a preventative-maintenance program; periodically inspect tires, brakes and lights
- Reinforce thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections; retrain where needed
A high share of violations are occurring in TX
Medium impact9 of 14 violations in the last 12 months (64%) came from inspections in TX. That can mean tougher enforcement there or simply more of your miles run through it — either way it's worth a look.
- Review the inspections from TX to spot recurring issues
- Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Phone / texting violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 7% is under the 60% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.2-SLLCPState/Local Laws - Operate a CMV while using a cellular phone1× · 38%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation3× · 28%
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 8%
- Hands-off-the-phone policy with real consequences; provide a mount and a do-not-disturb setup
Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention
Low impactEstimated Controlled Substances/Alcohol percentile of 0% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- Review recent inspections with violations in this BASIC and take remedial action with drivers/equipment
Lighting / lamps violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
Low impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 33% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 396.3A1-TCTire in contact with another part of the vehicle1× · 20%
- 393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth1× · 8%
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured1× · 4%
- 393.45B2UVBrake Hose or Tubing Chafing and/or Kinking Under Vehicle1× · 4%
- 396.3A1BOSBRAKES OUT OF SERVICE: The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20 percent of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination1× · 2%
- Walk the lights every pre-trip and carry spare bulbs/fuses; clean lenses and check the trailer plug
- Prioritize the out-of-service items — they carry the heaviest weight
Recommendations are generated from the carrier’s public FMCSA roadside-inspection record. Percentiles and projections are VioCodes estimates, not official FMCSA figures. Informational, not legal advice.
90-day safety improvement plan
What this carrier has struggled with most in the last 90 days — where to focus now.
- 395.22G-ELDMFVHOS (ELD) - A portable ELD is not mounted in a fixed position and visible to the driver when seated in the normal driving position.
- Log in and annotate the ELD correctly every day; fix edits promptly
- Plan trips around available hours — never falsify a log
Based on roadside inspections in the last 90 days, ranked by what recurs most. Informational, not legal advice.
Inspection & crash map
live · FMCSA MCMISEvery inspection and crash on record — hover a point for the summary, click for full detail (codes, severity, CSA points).
CSA points = violation severity weight × FMCSA time weight (3× in the last 6 months, 2× at 6–12, 1× at 12–24). Points are spread within each state — FMCSA records the inspection state, not an exact location. Source: FMCSA MCMIS.
Equipment
VINs via NHTSA62 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 32 more.
Equipment is inferred from VINs recorded on roadside inspections (FMCSA MCMIS), decoded via the NHTSA vPIC API — it reflects vehicles inspected, not a current fleet roster.
Crash record (US, last 24 months)
Total
4
Tow-away
4
Injury
3
Fatal
1
Company profile
FMCSA censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi50 drivers
- Company officer
- DAVID T RUPLE
- Operation
- Interstate
- D-U-N-S
- 157263406
- Registered since
- 2002-11-15
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2026-01-30
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 74 trucks · 70 owned tractors · 170 owned trailers · 4 leased/term tractors.
Source: FMCSA Company Census File (data.transportation.gov). Fleet and driver counts are self-reported on the carrier’s most recent MCS-150 filing.
Data change history
Every FMCSA record change we’ve detected — address, fleet size, contacts, MCS-150 — newest first.
Connections
carrier graphThis carrier shares VINs, phone numbers or emails with 7 other carriers — review the connections below as part of your vetting.
Shared VINs come from FMCSA roadside-inspection records — a vehicle inspected under more than one carrier, often a fleet transfer or trailer interchange. Other links come from the FMCSA census. Shared identifiers are common and often legitimate — treat these as leads to investigate, not proof of wrongdoing.
Activity history
17 events- 01/30/2026MCS-150 update filed
40.2M mi reported (2025)
- 05/10/2016Insurance filed — NATIONAL INTERSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy WPP 8200045-00
- 05/10/2016Insurance replaced — NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. CO. OF PITSBGH. PA
BIPD/Primary · policy 100-64-23
- 05/10/2015Insurance replaced — NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. CO. OF PITSBGH. PA
BIPD/Primary · policy 5258318
- 05/10/2013Insurance replaced — TORUS SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 43984A111C
- 11/06/2011Insurance replaced — TORUS SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 43984A100C
- 11/06/2010Insurance replaced — SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CT773991-3605-081
- 11/06/2008Insurance cancelled — SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CT773991-8005-051
- 10/10/2008CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/07/2008)
- 11/06/2005Insurance cancelled — CANAL INDEMNITY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy L039155
- 10/11/2005CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/07/2005)
- 11/06/2004Insurance cancelled — CANAL INDEMNITY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy L036634
- 10/12/2004CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/15/2004)
- 11/06/2003Insurance cancelled — CANAL INDEMNITY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy L018512
- 12/31/2002PROPERTY BROKER — DISMISSED
- 11/15/2002Registered with FMCSA
AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- 11/14/2002MOTOR PROPERTY CONTRACT CARRIER — GRANTED
Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.
Operations
Classification
- AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Area served
- Interstate
FMCSA safety rating
- Rating
- Satisfactory
- Type
- Compliance review
- Rated
- 2005-08-09
- Last review
- 2005-08-02
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2026-01-30
- Reported mileage
- 40,192,880 mi (2025)
Changes on file
FMCSA census historyDecember, 2023
- Drivers shrank to 70
January, 2021
First on-record entry — PREFERRED MATERIALS INC, SIBLEY, LA
Got a violation you want to contest?
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