VCVioCodes
Carrier Vetting Report
Generated Oct 15, 2026
viocodes.yuriance.net
ASCENDENT LLC
USDOT 1897792 · EIN 91-2137255
219 12TH ST SE, PUYALLUP, WA, 98372
(253) 939-4375 · RICHARD ESTES
38
High risk
Risk factors
Possible reincarnation pattern — tied to an older inactive carrierVehicle OOS 50% — well above the 22% national averageDriver OOS 9.5% — above the 6.7% national average1 crash in the last 24 months
Snapshot
Operating authority
—
Liability insurance
No active filing
Safety rating
Not rated
Power units / drivers
15 / 15
Inspections / CSA pts (24mo)
20 / 215
Crashes (24 mo)
1
Roadside inspection performance
Vehicle OOS rate50% · nat 22%
Driver OOS rate9.5% · nat 6.7%
CSA breakdown — violations by BASIC
Vehicle Maintenance112 pts
Unsafe Driving62 pts
Hours-of-Service Compliance21 pts
Driver Fitness20 pts
Other12 pts
Top cited violations (by CSA points)
| Code | BASIC | Count | OOS | CSA pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 393.100B-C | Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 2 | 27 |
| 395.8A1-HOSP | Hours-of-Service Compliance | 1 | 1 | 21 |
| 391.15A-LNCDLNSRW | Driver Fitness | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| 392.2-SLLCP | Unsafe Driving | 1 | 20 | |
| 393.9A-LRLI | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 18 | |
| 393.9A-HLLH | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 18 | |
| 392.2-SLLFC | Unsafe Driving | 1 | 15 | |
| 393.55E-B | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 12 | |
| 396.17C-PI | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 12 | |
| 392.2-SLLS2 | Unsafe Driving | 1 | 12 |
Most inspected states
WA20
Next monthly SMS run — projection
| BASIC | Official (Sep 2026) | Projected | Est. %ile | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe Driving | 2.63 | 2.63 | ≈52–59% | steady |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 0.00 | 0.00 | ≈0–0% | steady |
| Driver Fitness | 0.85 | 0.63 | — | ▼ better |
| Controlled Substances/Alcohol | 0.00 | 0.00 | ≈0–0% | steady |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 4.33 | 4.03 | ≈44–48% | ▼ better |
Latest inspection 2026-09-11. “Projected” recomputes the SMS formula on today’s record — an estimate, not an official FMCSA figure. “Est. %ile” is a VioCodes estimate of how the carrier ranks against its peers (FMCSA marks the percentile itself “Not Public”), shown as a likely range.
Recommendations — what's driving each score
Vehicle and driver out-of-service rate exceeds the national average · high impact
• 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
A high share of violations are occurring in Pierce County, WA · medium impact
• Review the inspections from Pierce County, WA to spot recurring issues
• Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Following / lane / reckless violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving · low impact
Following / lane / reckless 37% · Phone / texting 32% · Speeding 31%
• Defensive-driving refresher on following distance and lane discipline
Projected: could improve up to 18 pts in ~12 months if worked down.
False log / RODS violations are the leading contributor to Hours-of-Service Compliance · low impact
False log / RODS 100% (1 OOS)
• Audit ELD edits and duty-status annotations weekly; a false log is a high-severity, high-visibility violation
• Retrain on correct logging and never letting a load pressure a driver into a false entry
Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention · low impact
• 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 impact
Lighting / lamps 32% · Load securement 24% (2 OOS) · Tires 13% (2 OOS)
• 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
Projected: could improve up to 19 pts in ~12 months if worked down.
Generated from the public inspection record. Percentiles/projections are VioCodes estimates, not official FMCSA figures.
90-day safety improvement plan
Last 90 days: 2 inspections, 8 violations, 1 OOS, 0 clean · trending worse.
1. Vehicle Maintenance6 viol · 75%
393.9A-LRLI, 393.9A-HLLH, 393.55E-B
✓ Walk the lights every pre-trip and carry spare bulbs/fuses
✓ Clean lenses and check the trailer plug for corrosion
≈ 3 clean inspections would cut this BASIC ~25% (to 3.248).
2. Hours-of-Service Compliance1 viol · 1 OOS · 13%
395.8A1-HOSP
✓ Log in and annotate the ELD correctly every day; fix edits promptly
✓ Plan trips around available hours — never falsify a log
≈ 4 clean inspections would cut this BASIC ~25% (to 0).
3. Other1 viol · 13%
392.2-SLLSR
✓ Review these violations with drivers and add the fix to your pre-trip and PM routine
🎓 Coach the driver & document it
FleetTrained — my companion project — turns these exact violations into branded, multilingual training videos your driver watches, with a completion certificate for the DQ file. fleettrained.com
Crash record — 1 in 24 months
| Date | Location | Fatal | Inj | Tow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/26/2026 | LAKEWOOD, WA | ✓ |
Equipment — 30 vehicles seen in inspections
12 trailer12 incomplete vehicle5 truck1 other
Company profile
Officer
RICHARD ESTES
Recordable crash rate
5.47 / MM mi
Annual mileage
0.5M mi (2024)
CDL drivers
8
Registered since
2009-06-03
Operation
Interstate
Connections — 3 carriers
Shares identifiers with 3 carriers.
| Carrier | USDOT | Link | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD ESTES | 1733156 | officer | strong |
| VELVET HAMMER ENTERPRISES LLC | 1238796 | officer | strong |
| DW BRIGGS CO | 1908860 | address | medium |
⚠ Possible reincarnation: RICHARD ESTES (USDOT 1733156, 2008).
Activity history (recent)
02/05/2025 — MCS-150 update filed
0.5M mi reported (2024)
06/06/2014 — Out-of-service order rescinded
03/13/2014 — Federal out-of-service order
Intrastate Out of Service
06/03/2009 — Registered with FMCSA
PRIVATE PROPERTY
Generated by VioCodes from current public FMCSA data (Census, Licensing & Insurance, SMS/MCMIS, QCMobile). VioCodes is not affiliated with FMCSA. Informational only — verify current coverage and status directly before making a vetting decision. Full interactive profile at viocodes.yuriance.net/carrier/1897792.