GOLDEN KEY EXPRESS LLC
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 202664 inspections · 39 violations (5 OOS) · 17% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1396.17C-PIVehicle Maintenance
Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection
12
3× · sev 4
- 2393.45B2-B-AIRVehicle Maintenance
Air Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured
8
2× · sev 4
- 3383.51A-SOUTDriver Fitness1 OOS
Driving a CMV while CDL is suspended for safety-related or unknown reason and outside the state of driver's license issuance
5
1× · sev 5
- 4393.53BMANVehicle Maintenance
Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 is not equipped with automatic air brake adjusters
4
1× · sev 4
- 5392.2-SLLTL
State/Local Laws - Misc. traffic law violation
3
3×
- 6393.47E
Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
1
1×
- 7392.2-SLLEWA1
State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 1-2500 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
1
1×
- 8395.24C2II-ELDTNHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (ELD) - Driver failing to manually input or verify CMV trailer number.
1
1× · sev 1
- 9395.22G-ELDMFVHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (ELD) - A portable ELD is not mounted in a fixed position and visible to the driver when seated in the normal driving position.
1
1× · sev 1
- 10395.22H4-ELDBRODSHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (ELD) - In-Vehicle Information - Failing to have a supply of blank driver's records of duty status graph-grids sufficient to record the driver's duty status a
1
1× · sev 1
Most inspected in · top 8 states
- PA9
- TN6
- TX5
- LA2
- AR2
- MD2
- NJ1
- CT1
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 86% 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. Explain15× · 52%
- 395.8E1PCHOS - False record of duty status driver improper use of Personal Conveyance - Not OOS3× · 15%
- 395.8E-HOSPDOOSHOS (Property) - Driver produces a false record of duty status that concealed an HOS limitation violation after the last rest period. Explain:1× · 10%
- 395.24C2II-ELDTNHOS (ELD) - Driver failing to manually input or verify CMV trailer number.3× · 2%
- 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.2× · 1%
- 395.30B2-ELDDFC24HOS (ELD) - Driver failing to certify the record immediately after the final required entry has been made or corrected for the 24 hour period.1× · 1%
- 395.32BDriver failed to assume or decline unassigned driving time1× · 4%
- 395.8K2-HOSPHOS (Property) - Failing to have in possession RODS for the previous seven consecutive days and available for inspection while on duty1× · 2%
- 395.3A2-PROPDriving beyond 14 hour duty period (Property carrying vehicle)1× · 2%
- 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 9.4% 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
A high share of violations are occurring in Knox County, TN
Medium impact9 of 41 violations in the last 12 months (22%) came from inspections in Knox County, TN. 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 Knox County, TN 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 50% is under the 65% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.2-SLLS4State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit2× · 27%
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit3× · 14%
- 392.2-SLLS3State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 6%
- 392.2-SLLILCState/Local Laws - Improper lane change1× · 9%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation2× · 8%
- 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other1× · 4%
- 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
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
Brakes violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
Low impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 34% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured2× · 17%
- 393.55E-BAir Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1, 19981× · 8%
- 393.53BMANAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 is not equipped with automatic air brake adjusters1× · 6%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection3× · 25%
- 393.75A3-TFLTires - Front, leaking or inflation 50% or less than of the maximum inflation pressure1× · 14%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTISTires - All others, leaking in tread area and inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped with ATIS1× · 7%
- 393.11TLTruck-Tractor lower rear mud flaps retroreflective sheeting / reflex reflective material requirements for vehicles manufactured after July 19971× · 4%
- 393.11No or defective lighting devices or reflective material as required1× · 4%
- 393.9A-LFTSILighting - Front - Turn signal - inoperative1× · 4%
- 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
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.
- 395.8E-HOSPDOOSHOS (Property) - Driver produces a false record of duty status that concealed an HOS limitation violation after the last rest period. Explain: · OOS
- 395.30B2-ELDDFC24HOS (ELD) - Driver failing to certify the record immediately after the final required entry has been made or corrected for the 24 hour period.
- Log in and annotate the ELD correctly every day; fix edits promptly
- Plan trips around available hours — never falsify a log
- 393.55E-BAir Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1, 1998
- 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
- 392.2-SLLTLState/Local Laws - Misc. traffic law violation
- Review these violations with drivers and add the fix to your pre-trip and PM routine
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 NHTSA65 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 35 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
5
Tow-away
4
Injury
2
Fatal
0
Company profile
FMCSA censusPRIVATE PROPERTY;AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi33 drivers
- Interstate · <100 mi1 drivers
- Company officer
- AVTAR BAIDWAN
- Operation
- Interstate
- D-U-N-S
- 80524070
- Registered since
- 2016-07-08
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2025-10-18
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 34 trucks · 33 owned tractors · 49 owned trailers · 1 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 or addresses with 11 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
19 events- 10/18/2025MCS-150 update filed
3.4M mi reported (2025)
- 07/20/2024Insurance filed — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy CT1218346911
- 07/20/2024Insurance filed — Canal Insurance Company
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy CT1218346911
- 07/20/2024Insurance ended — Canal Insurance Company
policy CT1218346911
- 07/20/2024Insurance cancelled — PROTECTIVE INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy AI-100244-00
- 06/24/2024COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (07/18/2024)
- 07/20/2023Insurance replaced — PROTECTIVE INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy AI-100244-00
- 07/20/2023Insurance replaced — SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy A0133150001
- 07/20/2020Insurance replaced — UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0922609
- 03/31/2020Insurance cancelled — UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0922609
- 03/04/2020COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/11/2020)
- 07/20/2019Insurance cancelled — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy 343231001
- 07/20/2019Insurance replaced — UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0922609
- 06/24/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (07/22/2019)
- 07/20/2018Insurance replaced — UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 4026987
- 07/20/2017Insurance replaced — UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 3853235
- 08/17/2016PROPERTY BROKER — DISMISSED
- 07/29/2016MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER — GRANTED
- 07/08/2016Registered with FMCSA
PRIVATE PROPERTY;AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.
Operations
Classification
- PRIVATE PROPERTY;AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Area served
- Interstate
FMCSA safety rating
- Rating
- Not rated
- Type
- —
- Rated
- —
- Last review
- —
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2025-10-18
- Reported mileage
- 3,363,586 mi (2025)
Got a violation you want to contest?
Use the free AI-powered DataQs Drafter to generate a polished challenge letter — quotes the relevant 49 CFR, predicts your grant chance.