WALTER E NELSON CO
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 202695 inspections · 23 violations (4 OOS) · 13% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1383.23A2-LCDLNDriver Fitness1 OOS
License (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL
8
1× · sev 8
- 2392.2-SLLS3Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit
7
1× · sev 7
- 3396.17C-PIVehicle Maintenance
Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection
4
1× · sev 4
- 4393.45B2-B-AIRVehicle Maintenance
Air Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured
4
1× · sev 4
- 5392.2-SLLS2Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit
4
1× · sev 4
- 6392.2-SLLLRUnsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation
3
1× · sev 3
- 7393.11A1-LLPLVehicle Maintenance
Lighting - License plate lamp missing
2
1× · sev 2
- 8393.9A-LILVehicle Maintenance
Lighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative
2
1× · sev 2
- 9392.2WGNot in SMS
State/Local Laws - Excessive Weight Violations
1
1×
- 10392.2-SLLSR
State/Local Laws - State registration/tag violation
1
1×
Most inspected in · top 3 states
- WA25
- CA3
- OR2
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.
A high share of violations are occurring in Skagit County, WA
Medium impact12 of 33 violations in the last 12 months (36%) came from inspections in Skagit County, WA. 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 Skagit County, WA to spot recurring issues
- Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Speeding violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 42% is under the 60% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.2-SLLS3State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit2× · 29%
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 17%
- 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other2× · 21%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation2× · 17%
- 392.2-SLLMLState/Local Laws - Failure to maintain lane1× · 7%
- 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 qualification / CDL / medical violations are the leading contributor to Driver Fitness
Low impactEstimated Driver Fitness percentile of 67% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 383.23A2-LCDLNLicense (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL2× · 91%
- 391.41APCMedical (Certificate) - Operating a property-carrying vehicle without a valid medical certificate in possession or on file with the state drivers licensing agency1× · 7%
- 391.41A-MCPCMedical (Certificate) - Operating a commercial motor vehicle without showing proof of a valid medical certification upon request, but presents proof prior to com1× · 2%
- Run a credential-expiration tracker; keep DQ files complete and the medical card on the driver
- Prioritize the out-of-service items — they carry the heaviest weight
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 30% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 393.9A-LILLighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative7× · 10%
- 393.9A-LSLILighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative.3× · 9%
- 393.9A-LHLILighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative1× · 4%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS1× · 11%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTISTires - All others, leaking in tread area and inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped with ATIS1× · 4%
- 393.75A1-TEPBMTires - All others - Exposed ply or belt material in tread or sidewall area1× · 3%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection8× · 16%
- 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection1× · 4%
- 393.41-BNPBBrake - Inoperative or missing parking brake on power unit1× · 4%
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured1× · 3%
- 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.
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS · OOS
- 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection
- 393.95A4-EEUSEmergency Equipment - Fire Extinguishers - unsecured
- Gauge/thump every tire on the walk-around, including inner duals
- Replace before tread hits the limit and correct low pressure immediately
- 392.2-LCDLRRestriction - (CDL) - Operate a CMV in violation of a restriction. · OOS
- 393.60CWindshield - Damaged or Discolored
- 392.2-SLLSIVState/Local Laws - State insurance violation
- Track CDL, medical card, and endorsement expirations ahead of time
- Keep the DQ file complete and the medical card on the driver
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation
- 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 NHTSA39 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 9 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
1
Fatal
0
Company profile
FMCSA censusPRIVATE PROPERTY
- Interstate · 100+ mi10 drivers
- Interstate · <100 mi41 drivers
- Intrastate · <100 mi39 drivers
- Company officer
- MICHAEL NELSON
- Operation
- Interstate
- D-U-N-S
- 27742691
- Registered since
- 1987-03-11
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2025-01-14
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 59 trucks · 5 owned tractors · 17 owned trailers · 9 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.
Connections
carrier graphThis carrier shares VINs, phone numbers or officers with 61 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
2 events- 01/14/2025MCS-150 update filed
0.9M mi reported (2024)
- 03/11/1987Registered with FMCSA
PRIVATE PROPERTY
Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.
Operations
Classification
- PRIVATE PROPERTY
Area served
- Interstate
FMCSA safety rating
- Rating
- Satisfactory
- Type
- Non-ratable review
- Rated
- 2023-03-10
- Last review
- 2025-09-29
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2025-01-14
- Reported mileage
- 860,000 mi (2024)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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