CSA
Authorized · PropertyUSDOT 1212424· MC497964· CARRIER· EIN 20-0189686
⬇ PDF report

PETROLEUM SERVICES

Legal: MIKE PALMER PETROLEUM SERVICES INC

2502 4TH AVE WEST, WILLISTON, ND, 58801(701) 572-2487ben@petroleumservicesandtools.comBEN NELSON
Vetting snapshot
Authority
Active
operating authority
Insurance
$750K BIPD
TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY OF AMERICA
Vehicle OOS
43.5%
above 22% national avg
Driver OOS
0%
below 6.7% national avg
Crashes 24mo
1
none fatal
Red flags
None
nothing flagged
73
/ 100

Risk factors

Moderate riskVioCodes score
Vehicle OOS 43.5% — well above the 22% national average1 crash in the last 24 months

A 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.

Authority & insurance

MC497964

Operating authority and insurance on file — from FMCSA Licensing & Insurance (L&I).

Common
None
Contract
Active
Broker
None
Authorized for: Property
Liability (BIPD)
$750K on file
$750K required
Cargo
Not on file
not required
Bond / surety
Not on file
not required
Insurance filings
ON FILELiability (BIPD) — BMC-91X$750K coverageeff 10/03/2021
TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY OF AMERICA· policy 1R024363
Authority history (6) ▾
10/10/2017CONTRACTINVOLUNTARY REVOCATIONDISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/18/2017)
09/08/2014CONTRACTINVOLUNTARY REVOCATIONDISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/03/2014)
09/06/2012CONTRACTINVOLUNTARY REVOCATIONDISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/04/2012)
10/25/2005CONTRACTINVOLUNTARY REVOCATIONDISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/28/2005)
05/24/2005CONTRACTINVOLUNTARY REVOCATIONDISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/13/2005)
09/17/2004MOTOR PROPERTY CONTRACT CARRIERGRANTED
Insurance history6 insurers on record
Filing timeline (12)
  1. THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY CO. OF CONNECTICUT$750KReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/202010/03/2021
  2. ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.$750KReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/201710/03/2020
  3. STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC.$1MCancelled
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/201411/03/2017
  4. STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC.$1MReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/201410/03/2017
  5. NAVIGATORS INSURANCE COMPANY$1MCancelled
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/201210/03/2014
  6. ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.$1MCancelled
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/200910/03/2012
  7. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/200810/03/2009
  8. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/200510/03/2008
  9. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MCancelled
    BIPD/Primary · eff 06/10/200511/21/2005
  10. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 06/10/200510/03/2005
  11. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MCancelled
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/200306/20/2005
  12. MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.$1MReplaced
    BIPD/Primary · eff 10/03/200306/10/2005

Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance (L&I), public data. This shows the carrier’s federal insurance filings (BMC-91X liability, BMC-34 cargo) — the federally-required minimums on file for operating authority — not the carrier’s full commercial policy (its actual auto combined-single-limit, general liability, cargo, or workers’ comp, which appear on the carrier’s ACORD certificate of insurance). Always confirm current coverage with a COI from the carrier’s agent before making a vetting decision.

Roadside inspection performance

Out-of-service rate vs national average. Lower is better.

Vehicle23 inspections · 43.5% OOS · National 22%
Driver31 inspections · 0% OOS · National 6.7%

CSA performance breakdown

FMCSA · Sep 2026

31 inspections · 46 violations (16 OOS) · 30% of inspections had an OOS finding.

31
Inspections
46
Violations
16
OOS violations
10
Distinct codes

Violations by BASIC

click to filter codes

13
total

Most inspected in · top 3 states

  • ND27
  • SD2
  • MT1

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.

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 impact

Vehicle OOS rate is 41.7% vs the 22% national average. Carriers above the national OOS average draw more enforcement attention (audits, roadside stops) and can see higher insurance premiums.

What to do
  • 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 McKenzie County, ND

Medium impact

12 of 23 violations in the last 12 months (52%) came from inspections in McKenzie County, ND. That can mean tougher enforcement there or simply more of your miles run through it — either way it's worth a look.

What to do
  • Review the inspections from McKenzie County, ND to spot recurring issues
  • Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical

Driver Fitness needs attention

Low impact

Estimated Driver Fitness percentile of 0% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What to do
  • Review recent inspections with violations in this BASIC and take remedial action with drivers/equipment

Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention

Low impact

Estimated Controlled Substances/Alcohol percentile of 0% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What to do
  • Review recent inspections with violations in this BASIC and take remedial action with drivers/equipment

Brakes violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance

Low impact

Estimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 73% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What’s contributing36 violations · 16 OOS (24 mo)
Brakes4 OOS16 viol43%
  • 393.48A-BIHEHydraulic/Electric Brake - Inoperative other than a steering axle.6× · 12%
  • 393.43D-BBrake - Missing or inoperable breakaway braking system on a trailer(s) or converter dolly2× · 7%
  • 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection1× · 4%
Tires8 OOS8 viol40%
  • 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS8× · 40%
Load securement3 OOS6 viol8%
  • 393.87A-FPLRFlag - Required rear flag - no flag on the rear of a projecting load - when load is longer than 4 feet.1× · 3%
  • 393.110B2I-CCargo - Insufficient tiedowns (w/o headerboard/blocking) for article(s) of cargo 5 feet or less and more than 1,100 lbs1× · 2%
  • 393.110B3-CCargo - Insufficient tiedowns (w/o headerboard/blocking) for article(s) of cargo longer than 10 feet1× · 2%
Lighting / lamps5 viol6%
  • 393.9A-HLLHLighting - Headlamp(s) fail to operate on low and high beam1× · 2%
  • 393.9A-LILLighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative3× · 2%
  • 393.9A-LFTSILighting - Front - Turn signal - inoperative1× · 2%
What to do
  • Check brake adjustment and listen for air leaks every pre-trip; put brakes on the PM schedule
  • Fix air-loss and warning-light faults before dispatch — don’t “drive it in”
  • Prioritize the out-of-service items — they carry the heaviest weight
Projected estimatecould improve up to 48 pts in ~12 mo
nowin 12 months
Current trend 50% followed 100% followed 80% line

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.

Trending worse
3
Inspections
12
Violations
5
Out-of-service
0
Clean
Where the violations are
Vehicle Maintenance 83%Other 17%
Focus here first
1Vehicle Maintenance
10 violations · 4 OOS · 83% of recent
  • 393.75A3-TAOL×2Tires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS · OOS
  • 393.48A-BIHE×2Hydraulic/Electric Brake - Inoperative other than a steering axle.
  • 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection
Do this
  • Gauge/thump every tire on the walk-around, including inner duals
  • Replace before tread hits the limit and correct low pressure immediately
2Other
2 violations · 1 OOS · 17% of recent
  • 393.47EBrake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
  • 396.3A1-BOSBrake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination · OOS
Do this
  • Check brake adjustment and listen for air leaks every pre-trip
  • Fix air-loss and warning-light faults before dispatch; put brakes on the PM schedule
Repeat offenders (same code, multiple times)
🎓
Turn these into driver coaching — and prove it
FleetTrained (my companion project) makes branded, multilingual training videos for these exact violations — your driver watches and gets a completion certificate for the file.

Based on roadside inspections in the last 90 days, ranked by what recurs most. Informational, not legal advice.

Inspection & crash map

live · FMCSA MCMIS

Every inspection and crash on record — hover a point for the summary, click for full detail (codes, severity, CSA points).

44
Inspections
75
Violations
22
Out-of-service
333
CSA points
16
Crashes
4
States
cleanviolOOS

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 NHTSA

45 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.

28 trailer 10 truck 7 incomplete vehicle
2023 FORD F-550seen 6×
1FD0W5HT8PED70325· 30691P ND
2019 FORD F-350seen 5×
1FT8W3DT9KEF40489· 30690P ND
2015 PJ PJseen 5×
4P5FD4031F1218196· T72611 ND
2015 KENWORTH T8 Seriesseen 4×
1XKDP4EX6FJ421786· 30711P ND
2023 FORD F-550seen 4×
1FD0W5HT8PEC11692· 30689P ND
2021 FORD F-350seen 4×
1FD8W3HTXMED98985· 38049P ND
2013 PJ PJseen 3×
4P5FD4035D1189914· T72742 ND
2023 FORD F-550seen 3×
1FD0W5HT7PEC36390· 30694P ND
2023 FORD F-550seen 3×
1FD0W5HT1PEC11694· 30688P ND
2013 DIRECT TRAILER Direct Trailerseen 3×
5UJDS53V2DE001846· T72631 ND
2015 KENWORTH T8 Seriesseen 3×
1XKDP4EX0FJ411268· 30707P ND
2025 PJ PJseen 3×
4P53F4931S1413533· T537254 ND
2014 TRANSCRAFT/WABASH Steel Flatbedseen 2×
1TTE533S9E3765286· T479988 ND
2014 PJ PJseen 2×
4P5FD4039E1202715· T72639 ND
2023 FORD F-550seen 2×
1FD0W5HTXPEC11693· 30692P ND
2013 PJ PJseen 2×
4P5FD4033D1189913· T72630 ND
2015 KENWORTH T8 Seriesseen 2×
1XKDP4EXXFJ421788· 30715P ND
2021 FORD F-350seen 2×
1FD8W3HT8MED98984· 38048P ND
2014 TRANSCRAFT/WABASH Steel Flatbedseen 2×
1TTE533S4E3830366· T72638 ND
2020 BIG TEX Big Texseen 2×
16VGX4039L4014959· T437616 ND
2019 FORD F-350
1FT8W3DT7KEE54114· 30693P ND
2023 PJ PJ
4P53F4931P1396045· T513056 ND
2012 PJ PJ
4P5FD4026C1173999· T479581 ND
2013 KENWORTH T8 Series
1XKDP4EX0DJ345186· 30701P ND
2008 PJ PJ
4P5FD362381110111· T72692 ND
2015 KENWORTH T8 Series
1XKDP4EX8FJ421787· 30708P ND
2012 PETERBILT 367
1XPTP4EX9CD137813· 30696P ND
2015 DAKOTA MANUFACTURING CO. / TRAIL-EZE Folding Gooseneck
1DAFFC037FM021644· T72616 ND
2014 TRANSCRAFT/WABASH Steel Flatbed
1TTE533S1E3818336· T72642 ND
2023 PJ PJ
4P53F493XP1396044· T513025 ND

+ 15 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

1

Tow-away

1

Injury

0

Fatal

0

Company profile

FMCSA census

AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE

Power units
25
on file (MCS-150)
Drivers
9
9 hold a CDL
Annual mileage
0.5M mi
reported 2025
Recordable crash rate
0.00
per million miles
How far they run · drivers by operating lane
  • Interstate · 100+ mi9 drivers
Company officer
BEN NELSON
Operation
Interstate
Registered since
2004-02-18
Last MCS-150 update
2026-05-06
Census status
Active

Fleet: 25 trucks · 17 owned tractors · 46 owned trailers.

Source: FMCSA Company Census File (data.transportation.gov). Fleet and driver counts are self-reported on the carrier’s most recent MCS-150 filing.

Connections

carrier graph

This carrier shares VINs or officers with 8 other carriers — review the connections below as part of your vetting.

8
Connected carriers
1
Fleet-transfer links
1
Most shared VINs
7
Strong links
Strong· 7
1
AG EQUIPMENT SOUTHWEST CORP
USDOT 2272360Active· FRUITLAND, ID
Strong
Officer
2
BEN NELSON TRUCKING LLC
USDOT 1744933Active· LINDSAY, NE
Strong
Officer
3
BENJAMIN K NELSON
USDOT 2485057Active· THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN
Strong
Officer
4
DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY
USDOT 2198118Inactive· GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Strong
Officer
5
MLA SERVICES LLC
USDOT 2027050Inactive· MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Strong
Officer
6
NELSON HAULING INC
USDOT 848453Active· WARREN, PA
Strong
Officer
7
NELSON YARDWORKS LLC
USDOT 3281923Active· CAMBRIDGE, MN
Strong
Officer

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

21 events
  1. 05/06/2026MCS-150 update filed

    0.5M mi reported (2025)

  2. 10/03/2021Insurance filed — TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY OF AMERICA

    Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy 1R024363

  3. 10/03/2021Insurance replaced — THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY CO. OF CONNECTICUT

    BIPD/Primary · policy 1R024363

  4. 10/03/2020Insurance replaced — ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 21N9911A

  5. 11/03/2017Insurance cancelled — STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC.

    BIPD/Primary · policy NFE 0862064

  6. 10/10/2017CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION

    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/18/2017)

  7. 10/03/2017Insurance replaced — STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC.

    BIPD/Primary · policy NFE 0862064

  8. 10/03/2014Insurance cancelled — NAVIGATORS INSURANCE COMPANY

    BIPD/Primary · policy CH12BAP018992

  9. 09/08/2014CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION

    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/03/2014)

  10. 10/03/2012Insurance cancelled — ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy VK08303848

  11. 09/06/2012CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION

    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/04/2012)

  12. 10/03/2009Insurance replaced — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2764587

  13. 10/03/2008Insurance replaced — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2736893

  14. 11/21/2005Insurance cancelled — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2728661

  15. 10/25/2005CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION

    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/28/2005)

  16. 10/03/2005Insurance replaced — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2728661

  17. 06/20/2005Insurance cancelled — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2720625

  18. 06/10/2005Insurance replaced — MID-CONTINENT CASUALTY CO.

    BIPD/Primary · policy 04 CA 2720625

  19. 05/24/2005CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION

    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/13/2005)

  20. 09/17/2004MOTOR PROPERTY CONTRACT CARRIER — GRANTED
  21. 02/18/2004Registered with FMCSA

    AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE

Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.

🚛

Operations

Classification

  • AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE

Area served

  • Interstate

FMCSA safety rating

Rating
Not rated
Type
Non-ratable review
Rated
Last review
2022-04-20
📄

MCS-150 registration

Form date
2026-05-06
Reported mileage
525,839 mi (2025)
📜

Changes on file

FMCSA census history
  1. January, 2021

    First on-record entry — MIKE PALMER PETROLEUM SERVICES INC, WILLISTON, ND

Got a violation you want to contest?

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Data sourced from public FMCSA records via safer.fmcsa.dot.gov · Latest FMCSA update: Sep 2026 · Page refreshed: Sep 20, 2026, 5:56 PM. VioCodes is not affiliated with FMCSA. To dispute incorrect data, file a DataQs Request for Data Review.