THE TROPICAL CONNECTION
Legal: CAROLYN WOOD INC
Risk factors
Low 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 202649 inspections · 33 violations (5 OOS) · 17% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1395.8E-HOSPDHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain
21
3× · sev 7
- 2383.23A2-LCDLNDriver Fitness2 OOS
License (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL
16
2× · sev 8
- 3395.3A2-HOSPDHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Property) - Driving beyond the 14 hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Tim
14
2× · sev 7
- 4396.17C-PIVehicle Maintenance
Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection
8
2× · sev 4
- 5395.3A1-HOSPDHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Property) - Driving more than 11 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Time
7
1× · sev 7
- 6395.8A1-HOSPHours-of-Service Compliance1 OOS
HOS (Property) - Failing to have a record of duty status using the method prescribed
5
1× · sev 5
- 7396.3A1-BOS2 OOS
Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination
3
3×
- 8392.2-SLLEWA1
State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 1-2500 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
2
2×
- 9392.2-SLLEWA2
State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 2501-5000 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
2
2×
- 10393.47E
Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
2
2×
Most inspected in · top 5 states
- CA26
- NV1
- OR1
- AZ1
- US1
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.
Driver qualification / CDL / medical violations are the leading contributor to Driver Fitness
High impactEstimated Driver Fitness percentile of 89% is at/over the 80% 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.
- 383.23A2-LCDLNLicense (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL3× · 96%
- 383.71HLicense (CDL) - CDL or CLP holder possesses a valid medical certificate but is not on file with the issuing state driver's licensing agency as required1× · 4%
- 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
Driver out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactDriver OOS rate is 9.8% 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 Riverside County, CA
Medium impact16 of 33 violations in the last 12 months (48%) came from inspections in Riverside County, CA. 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 Riverside County, CA to spot recurring issues
- Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Unsafe Driving needs attention
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 0% is under the 65% 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
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
Lighting / lamps violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
Low impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 23% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 393.9A-LRLILighting - Tail lamp - Any inoperative2× · 12%
- 393.9A-LHLILighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative2× · 8%
- 393.9A-LCLLighting - Clearance lamp(s) inoperative4× · 7%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS4× · 27%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection2× · 16%
- 393.53B-BAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear1× · 8%
- 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
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.
- 396.3A1-BOS×3Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination · OOS
- 392.2-SLLEWA2×2State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 2501-5000 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
- 393.47E×2Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
- 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
- 395.8E-HOSPD×3HOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain
- 395.3A2-HOSPD×2HOS (Property) - Driving beyond the 14 hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Tim
- 395.3A1-HOSPDHOS (Property) - Driving more than 11 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Time
- Log in and annotate the ELD correctly every day; fix edits promptly
- Plan trips around available hours — never falsify a log
- 396.17C-PI×2Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection
- 393.53B-BAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear
- 396.5-HLHubs - Leaking hub
- Do — and document — a real pre-trip and post-trip DVIR
- Keep the annual inspection current and records in the truck
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 NHTSA15 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
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.
Company profile
FMCSA censusPRIVATE PROPERTY
- Interstate · 100+ mi4 drivers
- Interstate · <100 mi6 drivers
- Company officer
- CAROLYN WOOD
- Operation
- Interstate
- Registered since
- 1993-06-23
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2025-04-21
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 13 trucks · 7 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 graphThis carrier shares VINs or officers with 3 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
2 events- 04/21/2025MCS-150 update filed
0.3M mi reported (2024)
- 06/23/1993Registered 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
- Non-ratable review
- Rated
- —
- Last review
- 2017-06-15
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2025-04-21
- Reported mileage
- 280,000 mi (2024)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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