SOUTHERN CARGO INC
Risk factors
Moderate 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 202633 inspections · 36 violations (7 OOS) · 13% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1395.3A2-HOSPDHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Property) - Driving beyond the 14 hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Tim
7
1× · sev 7
- 2395.8E-HOSPCDOOSHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Property) - Co-driver produces a false record of duty status with an apparent attempt to conceal hours. Explain
7
1× · sev 7
- 3395.8E-HOSPDHours-of-Service Compliance1 OOS
HOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain
7
1× · sev 7
- 4393.9HVehicle Maintenance
Inoperable head lamps
6
1× · sev 6
- 5393.9TVehicle Maintenance
Inoperable tail lamp
6
1× · sev 6
- 6393.209D-STBSPVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Steering - Ball and socket joint has movement greater than 1/8 inch measured with hand pressure
6
1× · sev 6
- 7392.2-SLLS2Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit
4
1× · sev 4
- 8392.2-SLL
State/Local Laws -
2
2×
- 9392.2-SLLEWA1
State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 1-2500 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
2
2×
- 10393.9Vehicle Maintenance
Inoperable Required Lamp
2
1× · sev 2
Most inspected in · top 8 states
- AL6
- IA4
- FL3
- MS3
- GA2
- AR2
- LA2
- TN2
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.
False log / RODS violations are the leading contributor to Hours-of-Service Compliance
High impactEstimated Hours-of-Service Compliance percentile of 80% is at/over the 65% intervention line. Carriers with a BASIC in alert are prioritized for enforcement (warning letters, audits) and inspected more often — which tends to generate still more violations.
- 395.8E-HOSPDHOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain4× · 67%
- 395.8E-HOSPCDOOSHOS (Property) - Co-driver produces a false record of duty status with an apparent attempt to conceal hours. Explain1× · 10%
- 395.3A2-HOSPDHOS (Property) - Driving beyond the 14 hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Tim1× · 10%
- 395.30B1Driver failed to certify the accuracy of the information gathered by the ELD5× · 7%
- 395.24HOS (ELD) - ELD Form and Manner1× · 1%
- 395.22H2-ELDNISDTHOS (ELD) Driver failing to have instruction sheet describing the data transfer mechanisms supported by the ELD and step-by-step instructions for the driver to pr1× · 1%
- 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
- Prioritize the out-of-service items — they carry the heaviest weight
Driver out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactDriver OOS rate is 9.1% vs the 6.7% 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
Speeding violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 40% is under the 65% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.2-SLLSWZState/Local Laws - Speeding work/construction zone1× · 44%
- 392.2-SLLS3State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 31%
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit2× · 12%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation1× · 13%
- Coach the drivers with speeding violations directly — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
- Set and enforce a governed road speed; review telematics/dashcam speed events weekly
Driver Fitness needs attention
Low impactEstimated Driver Fitness percentile of 0% is under the 80% 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
Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention
Low impactEstimated Controlled Substances/Alcohol percentile of 0% is under the 80% 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
Steering violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
Low impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 52% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 393.209D-STBSPSteering - Ball and socket joint has movement greater than 1/8 inch measured with hand pressure1× · 32%
- 393.45B2-BHTDAir Brake - Hose/tubing damage into the outer reinforcement ply.1× · 24%
- 396.3A1-LCBrake - Leak from air chamber1× · 5%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection4× · 21%
- Report looseness or wander immediately — don’t defer steering faults; keep them on the PM list
- 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.
- 392.2-SLLSWZState/Local Laws - Speeding work/construction zone
- Coach speed and following distance — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
- Hands off the phone; always belt up
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 NHTSA31 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 1 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
2
Tow-away
1
Injury
1
Fatal
0
Company profile
FMCSA censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi15 drivers
- Company officer
- RUDY ALVAREZ
- Operation
- Interstate
- Registered since
- 2015-03-16
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2026-02-12
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 15 trucks · 12 owned tractors · 12 owned trailers · 3 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 or officers with 9 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
18 events- 08/26/2026Insurance filed — Lancer Insurance Company
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy CM0079406
- 02/12/2026MCS-150 update filed
1.2M mi reported (2025)
- 06/03/2024Insurance replaced — LANCER INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CM0079406
- 04/06/2024Insurance cancelled — CONCERT SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CS BSR 00000873-00
- 03/11/2024COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (04/04/2024)
- 04/06/2023Insurance cancelled — ACCREDITED SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 2BWHFL19S0101308-00
- 03/10/2023COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (04/05/2023)
- 04/06/2022Insurance replaced — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy 479915001
- 05/10/2021Insurance cancelled — GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy MCP48634A
- 04/06/2021Insurance replaced — GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy MCP48634A
- 04/06/2019Insurance cancelled — GUIDEONE SPECIALTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO
BIPD/Primary · policy CRC541000207 00
- 03/11/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (04/05/2019)
- 04/06/2018Insurance replaced — PROGRESSIVE EXPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA2961431
- 04/08/2016Insurance cancelled — WESCO INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy WPP1250207
- 04/08/2016Insurance replaced — PROGRESSIVE EXPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA02961431
- 03/14/2016COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (04/06/2016)
- 04/16/2015MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER — GRANTED
- 03/16/2015Registered 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
- —
- Rated
- —
- Last review
- —
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2026-02-12
- Reported mileage
- 1,206,270 mi (2025)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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