CSA
UnknownUSDOT 4164100· CARRIER· EIN 93-3823130
⬇ PDF report

MICHELS UNDERGROUND CABLE INC

817 MAIN ST, BROWNSVILLE, WI, 53006(920) 583-3132kbenike@michels.usKELLY BENIKE
Vetting snapshot
Authority
Unknown
per SAFER
Insurance
No active filing
not required
Vehicle OOS
22.2%
above 22% national avg
Driver OOS
0%
below 6.7% national avg
Crashes 24mo
5
none fatal
Red flags
None
nothing flagged
90
/ 100

Risk factors

Low riskVioCodes score
5 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.

Roadside inspection performance

Out-of-service rate vs national average. Lower is better.

Vehicle18 inspections · 22.2% OOS · National 22%
Driver24 inspections · 0% OOS · National 6.7%

CSA performance breakdown

FMCSA · Sep 2026

25 inspections · 28 violations (7 OOS) · 17% of inspections had an OOS finding.

25
Inspections
28
Violations
7
OOS violations
10
Distinct codes

Violations by BASIC

click to filter codes

12
total

Most inspected in · top 8 states

  • WI11
  • IA7
  • MN3
  • WY3
  • IL1
  • CO1
  • OK1
  • TX1

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.

Recommendations

What’s driving each score, what to do about it, and where it could go.

Following / lane / reckless violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving

Low impact

Estimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 2% is under the 60% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What’s contributing3 violations (24 mo)
Following / lane / reckless2 viol88%
  • 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× · 88%
Speeding1 viol12%
  • 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 12%
What to do
  • Defensive-driving refresher on following distance and lane discipline
Projected estimatecould improve up to 1 pts in ~12 mo
nowin 12 months
Current trend 50% followed 100% followed 60% line

Hours-of-Service Compliance needs attention

Low impact

Estimated Hours-of-Service Compliance percentile of 0% is under the 60% 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

Driver Fitness needs attention

Low impact

Estimated Driver Fitness percentile of 0% is under the 75% 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 75% 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 34% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.

What’s contributing7 violations · 3 OOS (24 mo)
Lighting / lamps1 OOS3 viol51%
  • 393.9A-LTSILighting - Turn signal - Any inoperative on the rearmost vehicle.1× · 28%
  • 393.9A-LSLILighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative.1× · 21%
  • 393.9A-LILLighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative1× · 2%
Tires1 OOS1 viol23%
  • 393.75A3-TAOLTISTires - All others, leaking in tread area and inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped with ATIS1× · 23%
Brakes1 viol14%
  • 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection1× · 14%
Load securement1 OOS2 viol12%
  • 393.130No/improper heavy vehicle/machine securement1× · 10%
  • 393.112-CCargo - Tiedown not adjustable1× · 1%
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 22 pts in ~12 mo
nowin 12 months
Current trend 50% followed 100% followed 75% 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.

Improving
6
Inspections
4
Violations
0
Out-of-service
2
Clean
Where the violations are
Other 50%Unsafe Driving 25%Vehicle Maintenance 25%
Focus here first
1Other
2 violations · 50% of recent
  • 393.95FEmergency Equipment - Stopped vehicle warning devices missing or improper
  • 392.2-SLLSRState/Local Laws - State registration/tag violation
Do this
  • Verify the extinguisher gauge is in the green and secured
  • Keep a full set of warning triangles in the truck
2Unsafe Driving
1 violation · 25% of recent
  • 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other
Do this
  • Walk the lights every pre-trip and carry spare bulbs/fuses
  • Clean lenses and check the trailer plug for corrosion
3Vehicle Maintenance
1 violation · 25% of recent
  • 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection
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
🎓
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.

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).

30
Inspections
28
Violations
7
Out-of-service
132
CSA points
5
Crashes
10
States
cleanviolOOS

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

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

24 incomplete vehicle 20 trailer 4 truck
2025 FORD F-550seen 3×
1FD0W5HT9SEC74616· 89247Z WI
2018 FORD F-250
1FT7X2B64JEC45783· 72669Z WI
2020 LARSON CABLE TRAILERS Larson Cable Trailers
1L9LPUT29LH280234· DR75761 WI
2024 RAM 2500
3C6UR5HL5RG127054· 3694561 IN
2004 TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES
1TKU016214M036447· ER15363 WI
2010 INTERNATIONAL MA025
1HTMMAAN7AH171422· 72733Z WI
1996 DAKOTA MANUFACTURING CO. / TRAIL-EZE Dakota Manufacturing Co.
1DA13RJD6TP012246· HR3332 WI
2024 FORD F-550
1FD0W5HTXREC10806· 75867Z WI
2019 FORD F-550
1FDUF5HY8KDA14498· 23697Z WI
2000 TRAIL KING INDUSTRIES
1TKU01625YM079453· ER25194 WI
2022 RAM 5500
3C7WRNFL0NG373723· 3432406 IN
2021 INTERNATIONAL HV613
3HTESTZT3MN329113· 72726Z WI
2020 FELLING TRAILERS Felling Trailers
5FTCF3721L1005040· HR5563 WI
2019 INTERNATIONAL SF667
3HAGSSNT0KL617360· 72652Z WI
2020 FELLING TRAILERS Felling Trailers
5FTCF3729L1004945· HR5557 WI
2022 GM GM515
1HTKJPVKXNH484957· 3495388 IN
2020 RING-O-MATIC Ring-O-Matic Manufacturing Co. Inc.
1R9J82323LP303304· ER29270 WI
2014 INTERNATIONAL SF667
1HTGSSJT1EH068073· 22658Z WI
2015 LOAD TRAIL Load Trail
4ZECH1823F1078174· YA13198 WI
2024 FORD F-550
1FD0W5HTXREC11809· 75866Z WI
2024 RING-O-MATIC Ring-O-Matic Manufacturing Co. Inc.
1R9J82321RP303598· FR22565 WI
2024 INTERNATIONAL MV607
3HAEUMMN4RL687325· 72398Z WI
2020 FELLING TRAILERS Felling Trailers
5FTCF3733L1004996· KR4750 WI
2020 FORD F-550
1FD0W5HN6LEE47155· 72867Z WI
2014 INTERNATIONAL SF667
1HTGSSJT5EH068075· 72689Z WI
2022 PETERBILT 567
1XPCP4EX1ND777808· 46157Z WI
2008 LOAD KING Load King
5LKL5135081827266· 851984 WI
2025 INTERNATIONAL MV607
3HAEUMMN4SL720796· 82498Z WI
2018 FELLING TRAILERS Felling Trailers
5FTCF3726J1005290· HR5184 WI
2015 INTERNATIONAL SF667
1HTGSSNT7FH544919· 72699Z WI

+ 18 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

3

Fatal

0

Company profile

FMCSA census

PRIVATE PROPERTY

Power units
294
on file (MCS-150)
Drivers
285
210 hold a CDL
Annual mileage
4M mi
reported 2025
Recordable crash rate
0.00
per million miles
How far they run · drivers by operating lane
  • Interstate · 100+ mi234 drivers
  • Intrastate · 100+ mi51 drivers
Company officer
KELLY BENIKE
Operation
Interstate · Hazmat
Registered since
2023-12-04
Last MCS-150 update
2026-01-06
Census status
Active

Fleet: 294 trucks · 239 owned trailers · 4 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 graph

This carrier shares addresses, phone numbers, officers or emails with 15 other carriers — review the connections below as part of your vetting.

15
Connected carriers
0
Fleet-transfer links
0
Most shared VINs
13
Strong links
Strong· 13
1
ASTRA GROUP INC
USDOT 973477Active· WOODSTOCK, GA
Strong
Email
2
EQUIX ENERGY SERVICES LLC
USDOT 1249433Active· MIDWAY, FL
Strong
Email
3
EQUIX INTEGRITY INC
USDOT 2887516Active· FOND DU LAC, WI
Strong
Email
4
EQUIX INTEGRITY SOUTHEAST INC
USDOT 3405882Active· FOND DU LAC, WI
Strong
OfficerEmail
5
MI-TECH SERVICES INC
USDOT 2342628Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
MailingEmailPhoneAddress
6
MICHELS CONSTRUCTION INC
USDOT 3706905Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
EmailPhoneAddress
7
MICHELS CORPORATION
USDOT 99905Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
EmailPhone
8
MICHELS PACIFIC ENERGY INC
USDOT 3308441Active· SAN JOSE, CA
Strong
OfficerEmail
9
MICHELS PIPELINE INC
USDOT 3599759Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
EmailPhoneAddress
10
MICHELS POWER INC
USDOT 3484138Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
OfficerEmailPhoneAddress
11
MICHELS ROAD AND STONE INC
USDOT 3703820Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
EmailPhoneAddress
12
MICHELS TRENCHLESS INC
USDOT 3893941Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
MailingEmailPhoneAddress
13
MICHELS UTILITY SERVICES INC
USDOT 3491461Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Strong
OfficerEmailPhoneAddress
Medium· 1
MOUNTAIN TUNNEL CONSTRUCTORS INC
USDOT 4008716Active· BROWNSVILLE, WI
Medium
MailingPhoneAddress

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
  1. 01/06/2026MCS-150 update filed

    4.0M mi reported (2025)

  2. 12/04/2023Registered 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
Not rated
Type
Rated
Last review
📄

MCS-150 registration

Form date
2026-01-06
Reported mileage
4,006,283 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.

Open the Drafter →
Data sourced from public FMCSA records via safer.fmcsa.dot.gov · Latest FMCSA update: Sep 2026 · Page refreshed: Sep 22, 2026, 5:14 PM. VioCodes is not affiliated with FMCSA. To dispute incorrect data, file a DataQs Request for Data Review.