S & S EXCAVATING CONTRACTORS INC
Legal: STERWERF & STERWERF CONTRACTORS INC
Risk factors
Moderate 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 202639 inspections · 131 violations (31 OOS) · 43% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1396.17C-PIVehicle Maintenance
Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection
20
5× · sev 4
- 2393.9A-LTSIVehicle Maintenance2 OOS
Lighting - Turn signal - Any inoperative on the rearmost vehicle.
18
3× · sev 6
- 3392.16-DUnsafe Driving
Driver - Failed to use seat belt while operating a CMV
14
2× · sev 7
- 4393.106D-CVehicle Maintenance2 OOS
Cargo - Insufficient aggregate working load limit for cargo transported
6
2× · sev 3
- 5393.9A-LSLIVehicle Maintenance
Lighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative.
6
1× · sev 6
- 6393.95F
Emergency Equipment - Stopped vehicle warning devices missing or improper
2
2×
- 7391.41APCDriver Fitness2 OOS
Medical (Certificate) - Operating a property-carrying vehicle without a valid medical certificate in possession or on file with the state drivers licensing agency
2
2× · sev 1
- 8392.2-SLLTL
State/Local Laws - Misc. traffic law violation
2
2×
- 9392.2-SLLSR
State/Local Laws - State registration/tag violation
2
2×
- 10390.21TB2-DOT
Operate a CMV without USDOT number displayed. Must be preceded by the letters USDOT
1
1×
Most inspected in · top 4 states
- OH16
- IN11
- KY2
- MI1
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.
Seat belt violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
High impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 66% is at/over the 65% 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.
- 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other5× · 34%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation1× · 3%
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit3× · 14%
- Zero-tolerance belt policy; verify with in-cab camera or spot checks
Lighting / lamps violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
High impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 100% 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.
- 393.9A-LTSILighting - Turn signal - Any inoperative on the rearmost vehicle.5× · 9%
- 393.9A-LSLIWRLighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on3× · 6%
- 393.9A-LFTSILighting - Front - Turn signal - inoperative3× · 4%
- 393.130B-CHVEHeavy Vehicles/Equipment - Improper securement of accessory equipment or articulated vehicles3× · 6%
- 393.106D-CCargo - Insufficient aggregate working load limit for cargo transported3× · 4%
- 393.100B-CCargo - Cargo not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling from CMV1× · 3%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection17× · 16%
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured4× · 4%
- 393.51C-BLPWAir Brake - Low pressure warning device missing/inoperative2× · 3%
- 393.53B-BAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear3× · 2%
- 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
Vehicle and driver out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactVehicle OOS rate is 48.1% vs the 22% national average. Driver OOS rate is 12.5% 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 Hamilton County, OH
Medium impact22 of 91 violations in the last 12 months (24%) came from inspections in Hamilton County, OH. 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 Hamilton County, OH 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 impactEstimated Hours-of-Service Compliance 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
Drugs / alcohol violations are the leading contributor to Controlled Substances/Alcohol
Low impactEstimated Controlled Substances/Alcohol percentile of 18% is under the 80% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.15Driver Prohibited from Performing Safety Sensitive Functions per 382.501(a) in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse1× · 100%
- Reinforce the testing program and zero-tolerance policy
- 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.
- 393.207F-SDASSuspension - Deflated air suspension · OOS
- 393.100B-CCargo - Cargo not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling from CMV · OOS
- 393.9A-LSLIWRLighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on · OOS
- Look under the truck for shifted axles and broken/leaking suspension parts
- Include suspension in scheduled maintenance
- 392.2-SLLEDState/Local Laws - Excessive dimension (width/height/length)
- 392.2-SLLSRState/Local Laws - State registration/tag violation
- 393.40F-BNPBBrake - Inoperative or missing parking/emergency brake on power unit · OOS
- Review these violations with drivers and add the fix to your pre-trip and PM routine
- 392.16-DDriver - Failed to use seat belt while operating a CMV
- Coach speed and following distance — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
- Hands off the phone; always belt up
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 NHTSA39 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 9 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
2
Tow-away
2
Injury
0
Fatal
0
Company profile
FMCSA censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi12 drivers
- Company officer
- DONNA M STERWERF
- Operation
- Interstate
- D-U-N-S
- 791826779
- Registered since
- 1993-10-12
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2026-05-05
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 26 trucks · 17 owned tractors · 25 owned trailers.
Source: FMCSA Company Census File (data.transportation.gov). Fleet and driver counts are self-reported on the carrier’s most recent MCS-150 filing.
Data change history
Every FMCSA record change we’ve detected — address, fleet size, contacts, MCS-150 — newest first.
Activity history
4 events- 05/05/2026MCS-150 update filed
0.3M mi reported (2025)
- 03/07/2025MOTOR PROPERTY CONTRACT CARRIER — GRANTED
- 02/26/2025Insurance filed — THE WESTERN RESERVE MUTUAL CASUALTY COMPANY
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy PACKWCA1352184669
- 10/12/1993Registered with FMCSA
AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.
Operations
Classification
- AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Area served
- Interstate
FMCSA safety rating
- Rating
- Conditional
- Type
- Compliance review
- Rated
- 2020-09-21
- Last review
- 2020-07-14
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2026-05-05
- Reported mileage
- 309,970 mi (2025)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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