VCVioCodes
Carrier Vetting Report
Generated Oct 13, 2026
viocodes.yuriance.net
VALU AUTO LLC
USDOT 3401524 · MC1094963 · EIN 83-2525182 · AUTHORIZED FOR Property
113 SOUTHSIDE DR, OWEGO, NY, 13827
(607) 687-0056 · MATT KARPEL
30
High risk
Risk factors
2 fatal crashes in the last 24 monthsPossible reincarnation pattern — tied to an older inactive carrier
Snapshot
Operating authority
Active
Liability insurance
$1M on file
Safety rating
Not rated
Power units / drivers
78 / 68
Inspections / CSA pts (24mo)
185 / 1370
Crashes (24 mo)
2 · 2 fatal
Authority & insurance
Common
Active
Contract
None
Broker
None
Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company — $1M BIPD · policy V0703589 · eff 06/25/2026
Federal BMC-91X filing; actual commercial limits (per COI) may be higher.
Roadside inspection performance
Vehicle OOS rate26.7% · nat 22%
Driver OOS rate4.2% · nat 6.7%
CSA breakdown — violations by BASIC
Vehicle Maintenance1197 pts
Unsafe Driving158 pts
Other44 pts
Driver Fitness38 pts
Hours-of-Service Compliance24 pts
Hazardous Materials Compliance24 pts
Not in SMS2 pts
Top cited violations (by CSA points)
| Code | BASIC | Count | OOS | CSA pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32 | Vehicle Maintenance | 6 | 112 | |
| 393.9A-LSLIWR | Vehicle Maintenance | 5 | 5 | 72 |
| 393.9A-LTSI | Vehicle Maintenance | 6 | 6 | 56 |
| 393.55E-B | Vehicle Maintenance | 4 | 48 | |
| 393.9A-LSLI | Vehicle Maintenance | 4 | 48 | |
| 393.17B2-LTSDM | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 3 | 48 |
| 393.17A1-LSLDMWR | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 3 | 48 |
| 396.17C-PI | Vehicle Maintenance | 4 | 44 | |
| 393.48A-BI-SA | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 3 | 42 |
| 392.2-SLLS4 | Unsafe Driving | 2 | 40 |
Most inspected states
NY138
PA19
MD14
NJ5
MA2
VT2
CT2
US1
Next monthly SMS run — projection
| BASIC | Official (Oct 2026) | Projected | Est. %ile | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe Driving | 1.48 | 1.38 | ≈47–54% | ▼ better |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 0.08 | 0.09 | ≈17–24% | steady |
| Driver Fitness | 0.13 | 0.14 | ≈49–53% | ▲ worse |
| Controlled Substances/Alcohol | 0.00 | 0.00 | ≈0–0% | steady |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 5.52 | 5.80 | ≈80–84% (over 75) | ▲ worse |
| Hazardous Materials Compliance | 0.12 | 0.13 | — | ▲ worse |
Latest inspection 2026-10-07. “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
Lighting / lamps violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance · high impact
Lighting / lamps 47% (23 OOS) · Brakes 20% (9 OOS) · Tires 12% (3 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 41 pts in ~12 months if worked down.
Vehicle 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 NY · medium impact
• Review the inspections from NY to spot recurring issues
• Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Seat belt violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving · low impact
Seat belt 31% · Speeding 30% · Following / lane / reckless 29%
• Zero-tolerance belt policy; verify with in-cab camera or spot checks
Projected: could improve up to 16 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 92% (1 OOS) · Log / ELD device 8%
• 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
Projected: could improve up to 9 pts in ~12 months if worked down.
Driver qualification / CDL / medical violations are the leading contributor to Driver Fitness · low impact
Driver qualification / CDL / medical 100% (6 OOS)
• 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
Projected: could improve up to 27 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: 11 inspections, 23 violations, 7 OOS, 4 clean · trending worse.
1. Vehicle Maintenance18 viol · 6 OOS · 78%
393.48A-BI-SA ×2, 393.55E-B ×2, 393.9A-LLPL ×2
✓ 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
≈ 23 clean inspections would cut this BASIC ~25% (to 4.14).
2. Other5 viol · 1 OOS · 22%
393.47E ×2, 396.3A1-BOS, 392.2-SLLIFTA
✓ 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
Repeat offenders: 393.48A-BI-SA ×2, 393.55E-B ×2, 393.9A-LLPL ×2, 393.47E ×2
🎓 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 — 2 in 24 months · 2 fatal
| Date | Location | Fatal | Inj | Tow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/13/2025 | MOUNT AIRY, MD | 2 | ✓ | |
| 09/08/2025 | NICHOLS, NY | 2 | ✓ |
Equipment — 46 vehicles seen in inspections
35 incomplete vehicle7 trailer4 truck
Company profile
Officer
MATT KARPEL
Recordable crash rate
0 / MM mi
Annual mileage
2.5M mi (2024)
CDL drivers
68
Registered since
2020-02-27
Operation
Interstate
Connections — 19 carriers
Shares identifiers with 19 carriers (15 via shared VINs).
| Carrier | USDOT | Link | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALU AUTO OF PA LLC | 3997755 | 3 VINs | strong |
| SHEAR'S TOWING LLC | 4176520 | strong | |
| JOSEPH KARPEL | 1265686 | mailing, address | medium |
⚠ Possible reincarnation: JOSEPH KARPEL (USDOT 1265686, 2004).
Activity history (recent)
06/25/2026 — Insurance filed — Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy V0703589
09/09/2025 — MCS-150 update filed
2.5M mi reported (2024)
05/17/2022 — Insurance cancelled — NATIONAL LIABILITY & FIRE INS CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy 73TRB004075
04/20/2022 — COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (05/23/2022)
05/17/2021 — Insurance replaced — PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy CA2926456
04/05/2021 — MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER — GRANTED
02/27/2020 — Registered with FMCSA
PRIVATE PROPERTY;AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
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/3401524.