Authorized · PropertyUSDOT 3250735· MC1022969· CARRIER· EIN 83-3632098

J MERLOS EXPRESS LLC

4703 PICKETT CT, MORNINGSIDE, MD, 20746(240) 367-6492 jfmerlos20@yahoo.comJOSE F MERLOS

Vetting snapshot

Authority

Active

operating authority

Insurance

No active filing

$750K required — verify

Vehicle OOS

20%

below 22% national avg

Driver OOS

12.5%

above 6.7% national avg

Crashes 24mo

none fatal

Red flags

1 flag

see details below

/ 100

Risk factors

High riskVioCodes score

No active liability (BIPD) insurance filing on fileDriver OOS 12.5% — above the 6.7% national average2 crashes 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

MC1022969

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

No active liability (BIPD) insurance filing on file

Common

Active

Contract

None

Broker

None

Authorized for: Property

Liability (BIPD)

No active filing

$750K required

Cargo

Not on file

not required

Bond / surety

Not on file

not required

Authority history (6) ▾

05/09/2022COMMONINVOLUNTARY REVOCATION→ DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/02/2022)

02/11/2022COMMONINVOLUNTARY REVOCATION→ DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/07/2022)

01/11/2022COMMONINVOLUNTARY REVOCATION→ DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (01/13/2022)

08/11/2021COMMONINVOLUNTARY REVOCATION→ DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (08/16/2021)

01/30/2020COMMONINVOLUNTARY REVOCATION→ DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (02/25/2020)

03/18/2019MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIERGRANTED

Insurance history2 insurers on record

Filing timeline (28) ▾

AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 06/22/2023 → 08/24/2023
PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 07/01/2022 → 06/22/2023
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 05/31/2022 → 07/01/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 04/07/2022 → 06/03/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 04/07/2022 → 05/31/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 03/03/2022 → 05/09/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 03/03/2022 → 04/07/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 01/11/2022 → 03/10/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 01/11/2022 → 03/03/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 12/06/2021 → 02/07/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 12/06/2021 → 01/11/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 11/09/2021 → 01/07/2022
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MCancelled
BIPD/Primary · eff 10/05/2021 → 12/08/2021
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 11/09/2021 → 12/06/2021
AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC$1MReplaced
BIPD/Primary · eff 10/05/2021 → 11/09/2021

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.

Vehicle20 inspections · 20% OOS · National 22%

Driver24 inspections · 12.5% OOS · National 6.7%

CSA performance breakdown

FMCSA · Sep 2026

24 inspections · 61 violations (13 OOS) · 27% of inspections had an OOS finding.

Inspections

Violations

OOS violations

Distinct codes

Violations by BASIC

click to filter codes

total

Top cited codes

score = count × severity weight

Most inspected in · top 4 states

MD25
PA2
VA2
DC1

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.

Latest inspection 2026-09-09 Official measures from Sep 2026 runno new inspections since the run yet

BASIC scorecard all within limits

Unsafe

≈63%

line 65%

HOS

clean

line 65%

Driver Fit

—

too few

Ctrl Subst

clean

line 80%

Veh Maint

≈74%

line 80%

Crash

pending

Time machine— see this carrier as of any past monthSep 26Latest

Sep 2026 run

Sep 24 actual projectedSep 26

Unsafe Driving

Approaching the line

Now · official

5.24

Sep 2026 run

Next run · proj.

5.24

estimate

Est. percentile· Straightnear 65%

56–70%

best▲ 65% lineworst

Percentile trend · 24 mo

Measure trajectorySep 24 → Sep 26

Hours-of-Service Compliance

Clean — no violations

Now · official

0.00

Sep 2026 run

Next run · proj.

0.00

estimate

Est. percentileclean

best▲ 65% lineworst

Measure trajectorySep 24 → Sep 26

Driver Fitness

Not enough data to rank

Now · official

0.45

Sep 2026 run

Next run · proj.

0.45

estimate

Est. percentile

Fewer than 5 inspections with a violation in this BASIC

Measure trajectorySep 24 → Sep 26

Controlled Substances/Alcohol

Clean — no violations

Now · official

0.00

Sep 2026 run

Next run · proj.

0.00

estimate

Est. percentileclean

best▲ 80% lineworst

Measure trajectorySep 24 → Sep 26

Vehicle Maintenance

Within limits

Now · official

6.97

Sep 2026 run

Next run · proj.

6.97

estimate

Est. percentileunder 80%

64–78%

best▲ 80% lineworst

Percentile trend · 24 mo

Measure trajectorySep 24 → Sep 26

Crash Indicator

Percentile pending

Est. coming

Crashes 24mo

Fatalities

Injuries

Tow-aways

Per 100 PUs

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).

Out-of-service ratenat: veh 22% · drv 6.7%

26.3%vehicle

13%driver

Inspection volumerolling 24-mo

23inspections

“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.

Vehicle and driver out-of-service rate exceeds the national average

High impact

Vehicle OOS rate is 26.3% vs the 22% national average. Driver OOS rate is 13% 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.

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

Seat belt violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving

Medium impact

Estimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 63% is close to the 65% intervention line — worth getting ahead of before it crosses.

What’s contributing5 violations (24 mo)

Seat belt2 viol55%

392.16-DDriver - Failed to use seat belt while operating a CMV2× · 55%

Speeding1 viol20%

392.2-SLLS4State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 20%

Phone / texting1 viol20%

392.82DUMTDriver - Using a hand-held mobile telephone1× · 20%

Other1 viol6%

392.2SLTRSState/Local Laws - Truck routing restriction1× · 6%

What to do

Zero-tolerance belt policy; verify with in-cab camera or spot checks

Projected estimatecould improve up to 20 pts in ~12 mo

nowin 12 months

Current trend 50% followed 100% followed 65% line

A high share of violations are occurring in Howard County, MD

Medium impact

14 of 23 violations in the last 12 months (61%) came from inspections in Howard County, MD. 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 Howard County, MD to spot recurring issues
Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical

Hours-of-Service Compliance needs attention

Low impact

Estimated Hours-of-Service Compliance percentile of 0% is under the 65% 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

Lighting / lamps violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance

Low impact

Estimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 74% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What’s contributing25 violations · 3 OOS (24 mo)

Lighting / lamps2 OOS17 viol74%

393.9A-LTSILighting - Turn signal - Any inoperative on the rearmost vehicle.2× · 15%
393.9A-HLLHLighting - Headlamp(s) fail to operate on low and high beam3× · 13%
393.9A-LHLILighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative2× · 7%

Tires1 viol7%

393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth1× · 7%

Brakes3 viol7%

393.53B-BAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear2× · 6%
393.55D1-BAir Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on truck-tractor manufactured on or after March 1, 1997 and each single unit CMV on or after 1998.1× · 1%

Steering1 OOS1 viol7%

396.3A1-STLTSteering - Looseness in the threaded joint of a tie rod or drag link1× · 7%

What to do

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 estimatecould improve up to 46 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

Inspections

Violations

Out-of-service

Clean

Where the violations are

Vehicle Maintenance 50%Other 40%Unsafe Driving 10%

Focus here first

1Vehicle Maintenance

5 violations · 50% of recent

393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth
393.9A-LHWSLighting - Hazard warning signal(s) inoperative
393.9A-LFTSILighting - Front - Turn signal - inoperative

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

4 violations · 1 OOS · 40% of recent

393.47E×2Brake 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
392.16B-DPASSDriver - Failed to require passenger(s) (not a co-driver) to use seat belt while operating a property-carrying CMV.

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

3Unsafe Driving

1 violation · 10% of recent

392.16-DDriver - Failed to use seat belt while operating a CMV

Do this

Coach speed and following distance — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
Hands off the phone; always belt up

Repeat offenders (same code, multiple times)

393.47E×2

🎓

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.

Explore →

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).

Inspections

Violations

Out-of-service

392

CSA points

Crashes

States

cleanviolOOS

Inspections (31)

Crashes (6)

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

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

7 incomplete vehicle

2016 HINO Conventional Type Truckseen 12×

5PVNJ8JT2G4S56623· 8FP9956 MD

2007 INTERNATIONAL MA025seen 4×

1HTMMAAL07H403091· 7EY9141 MD

2007 INTERNATIONAL MA025seen 4×

1HTMMAAM17H434813· 2EZ6197 MD

2005 FORD F-750seen 4×

3FRNF75R25V152500· 1DX5465 MD

2012 HINO Conventional Type Truckseen 4×

5PVNJ8JT1C4S53349· 9EJ0885 MD

2006 INTERNATIONAL MA025seen 2×

1HTMMAAL86H303027· 3FJ6446 MD

2003 INTERNATIONAL MA025

1HTMMAAL93H588834· 8FF4177 MD

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

Tow-away

Injury

Fatal

Company profile

FMCSA census

AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE

Power units

on file (MCS-150)

Drivers

0 hold a CDL

Annual mileage

0.3M mi

reported 2025

Recordable crash rate

0.00

per million miles

How far they run · drivers by operating lane

Interstate · 100+ mi3 drivers
Interstate · <100 mi3 drivers
Intrastate · 100+ mi3 drivers
Intrastate · <100 mi3 drivers

Company officer: JOSE F MERLOS
Operation: Interstate
Registered since: 2019-02-26
Last MCS-150 update: 2025-08-14
Census status: Active

Fleet: 5 trucks.

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

Activity history

38 events

08/14/2025MCS-150 update filed
0.3M mi reported (2025)
08/24/2023Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0039909
06/22/2023Insurance replaced — PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA959421035
07/01/2022Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
06/03/2022Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
05/31/2022Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
05/09/2022COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/02/2022)
05/09/2022Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
04/07/2022Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
03/10/2022Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
03/03/2022Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
02/11/2022COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/07/2022)
02/07/2022Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
01/11/2022COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (01/13/2022)
01/11/2022Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
01/07/2022Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
12/08/2021Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
12/06/2021Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
11/09/2021Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
11/08/2021Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
10/08/2021Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
10/05/2021Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
09/07/2021Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
09/07/2021Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
08/11/2021COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (08/16/2021)
08/11/2021Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0027272
07/01/2021Insurance replaced — PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA2189410
07/02/2020Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0016632
05/04/2020Insurance cancelled — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0016632
03/31/2020Insurance replaced — AGENCY INSURANCE COMPANY OF MARYLAND, INC
BIPD/Primary · policy CA 0016632

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: 2025-08-14
Reported mileage: 301,001 mi (2025)

⚡

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Data sourced from public FMCSA records via safer.fmcsa.dot.gov · Latest FMCSA update: Sep 2026 · Page refreshed: Sep 21, 2026, 9:43 AM. VioCodes is not affiliated with FMCSA. To dispute incorrect data, file a DataQs Request for Data Review.