VCVioCodes
Carrier Vetting Report
Generated Sep 22, 2026
viocodes.yuriance.net
CAROLINE'S EXPRESS LLC
USDOT 4456159 · MC1756688 · EIN 39-2144755 · AUTHORIZED FOR Property
302 SPERRY CIR, BRISTOL, TN, 37620
(207) 606-4409 · TOM SHAFER
65
Moderate risk
Risk factors
Possible reincarnation pattern — tied to an older inactive carrierDriver OOS 9.1% — above the 6.7% national average
Snapshot
Operating authority
Active
Liability insurance
$750K on file
Safety rating
Not rated
Power units / drivers
5 / 6
Inspections / CSA pts (24mo)
24 / 464
Crashes (24 mo)
0
Authority & insurance
Common
Active
Contract
None
Broker
None
Benchmark Specialty Insurance Company — $750K BIPD · policy FLBSIC-1611-02953 · eff 09/19/2026
Federal BMC-91X filing; actual commercial limits (per COI) may be higher.
Roadside inspection performance
Vehicle OOS rate20% · nat 22%
Driver OOS rate9.1% · nat 6.7%
CSA breakdown — violations by BASIC
Vehicle Maintenance405 pts
Hours-of-Service Compliance156 pts
Driver Fitness20 pts
Other13 pts
Unsafe Driving6 pts
Not in SMS2 pts
Top cited violations (by CSA points)
| Code | BASIC | Count | OOS | CSA pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 395.8E-HOSPD | Hours-of-Service Compliance | 5 | 105 | |
| 393.48A-BIHE | Vehicle Maintenance | 8 | 96 | |
| 393.75B-TFV | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 24 | |
| 393.9A-LTSI | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| 393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32 | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 24 | |
| 383.23A2-LCDLN | Driver Fitness | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| 393.52A-B | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 393.9A-LFTSI | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 18 | |
| 393.9A-LIL | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 18 | |
| 393.104F3-C | Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 18 |
Most inspected states
TN5
IA3
NC2
VA2
NM1
KS1
NY1
WY1
Next monthly SMS run — projection
| BASIC | Official (Sep 2026) | Projected | Est. %ile | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe Driving | 1.20 | 1.22 | — | ▲ worse |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 1.57 | 1.59 | ≈84–91% (over 60) | ▲ worse |
| Driver Fitness | 0.35 | 0.36 | — | steady |
| Controlled Substances/Alcohol | 0.00 | 0.00 | ≈0–0% | steady |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 3.80 | 3.87 | ≈41–45% | ▲ worse |
Latest inspection 2026-09-02. “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
False log / RODS violations are the leading contributor to Hours-of-Service Compliance · high impact
False log / RODS 69% · Hours exceeded 12% (1 OOS) · Log / ELD device 11%
• 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 26 pts in ~12 months if worked down.
Vehicle and driver 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 Worth County, IA · medium impact
• Review the inspections from Worth County, IA to spot recurring issues
• Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention · low impact
• 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 impact
Brakes 31% (1 OOS) · Lighting / lamps 30% (1 OOS) · Tires 12%
• 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”
Projected: could improve up to 22 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: 10 inspections, 32 violations, 4 OOS, 4 clean · improving.
1. Vehicle Maintenance18 viol · 2 OOS · 56%
393.48A-BIHE ×4, 393.104F3-C ×2, 393.95A4-EEUS ×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
≈ 7 clean inspections would cut this BASIC ~25% (to 2.85).
2. Hours-of-Service Compliance10 viol · 31%
395.8E-HOSPD ×5, 395.24 ×4, 395.30B1-ELDDFR
✓ Log in and annotate the ELD correctly every day; fix edits promptly
✓ Plan trips around available hours — never falsify a log
≈ 7 clean inspections would cut this BASIC ~25% (to 1.178).
3. Other4 viol · 2 OOS · 13%
392.2-SLLSR, 396.3A1-BOS, 392.2-SLLIFTA
✓ Review these violations with drivers and add the fix to your pre-trip and PM routine
Repeat offenders: 395.8E-HOSPD ×5, 393.48A-BIHE ×4, 395.24 ×4, 393.104F3-C ×2, 393.95A4-EEUS ×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
Equipment — 18 vehicles seen in inspections
10 trailer7 truck1 incomplete vehicle
Company profile
Officer
TOM SHAFER
Recordable crash rate
0 / MM mi
Annual mileage
0.0M mi (2025)
CDL drivers
0
Registered since
2025-08-20
Operation
Interstate
Connections — 6 carriers
Shares identifiers with 6 carriers (4 via shared VINs).
| Carrier | USDOT | Link | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS LYLE SHAFER | 3460631 | 7 VINs | strong |
| RICK TUCKER | 957837 | officer | strong |
| TOM SHAFER | 2906286 | officer | strong |
⚠ Possible reincarnation: RICK TUCKER (USDOT 957837, 2001).
Activity history (recent)
09/19/2026 — Insurance filed — Benchmark Specialty Insurance Company
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy FLBSIC-1611-02953
09/19/2026 — Insurance ended — PROGRESSIVE HAWAII INSURANCE CORP
policy CA861972612
07/10/2026 — MCS-150 update filed
0.0M mi reported (2025)
09/19/2025 — MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER — GRANTED
09/19/2025 — Insurance filed — PROGRESSIVE HAWAII INSURANCE CORP
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy CA861972612
08/20/2025 — Registered with FMCSA
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/4456159.