HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC OF IOWA
Legal: CONTRACT FREIGHTERS INC
Risk factors
High 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.
Broker payment signals
Bond, cancellation & authority risk for this broker — from free FMCSA records.
- Authority revoked 14 times historically (reinstated) — a pattern worth noting.
- Bond has changed hands 18 times across 6 sureties — churn can signal payment or coverage trouble.
These are FMCSA bond & authority signals — not a credit report. A filed bond cancellation is the biggest early warning that a broker may stop paying, but days-to-pay and slow-pay history aren’t public FMCSA data — verify those with a broker-credit service or references before extending terms.
Roadside inspection performance
Out-of-service rate vs national average. Lower is better.
CSA performance breakdown
FMCSA · Sep 20261,487 inspections · 31 violations (5 OOS) · 13% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1393.75A3-TAOLVehicle Maintenance3 OOS
Tires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS
24
3× · sev 8
- 2393.53B-BVehicle Maintenance
Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear
8
2× · sev 4
- 3393.9A-LHLIVehicle Maintenance
Lighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative
6
1× · sev 6
- 4396.3A1BVehicle Maintenance
Brakes (general) Explain:
4
1× · sev 4
- 5393.47E
Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
3
3×
- 6392.2-SLLEWA1
State/Local Laws - Excessive weight - 1-2500 lbs over on an axle/axle groups
2
2×
- 7393.95A
No/discharged/unsecured fire extinguisher
1
1×
- 8393.78A-WSVehicle Maintenance
Washers - Inoperative washing system.
1
1× · sev 1
- 9392.2-SLLED
State/Local Laws - Excessive dimension (width/height/length)
1
1×
- 10396.3A1-BOS1 OOS
Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination
1
1×
Most inspected in · top 8 states
- LA5
- KY3
- NC3
- TX3
- NM3
- SC2
- TN2
- NE1
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.
Tires violations are the leading contributor to Vehicle Maintenance
High impactEstimated Vehicle Maintenance percentile of 88% is at/over the 75% 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.
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS82× · 31%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTISTires - All others, leaking in tread area and inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped with ATIS18× · 6%
- 393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth6× · 2%
- 393.9A-LTSILighting - Turn signal - Any inoperative on the rearmost vehicle.14× · 5%
- 393.9TSInoperative turn signal17× · 4%
- 393.9A-LFTSILighting - Front - Turn signal - inoperative14× · 3%
- 393.53B-BAir Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear29× · 4%
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured14× · 2%
- 393.45D-BAir Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection8× · 1%
- 393.207B-AALPME-OOSMore than 25% of the locking pins are missing or not engaged4× · 1%
- 392.7A-DDriver - Failed to conduct pre-trip inspection or make use of required parts and accessories2× · 0%
- 396.5B-LLubrication - Oil or grease leak2× · 0%
- Gauge and thump every tire on the walk-around, including inner duals
- Replace before tread hits the limit; correct low pressure immediately
- Prioritize the out-of-service items — they carry the heaviest weight
Vehicle out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactVehicle OOS rate is 29.1% vs the 22% 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
Speeding violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 3% is under the 60% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit16× · 14%
- 392.2-SLLS3State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit6× · 9%
- 392.2-SLLS4State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit3× · 7%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation17× · 13%
- 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other10× · 11%
- 392.2-SLLMLState/Local Laws - Failure to maintain lane3× · 4%
- 392.2CFailure to obey traffic control device11× · 11%
- 392.2-INATDriver- Inattentive or Distracted Driving2× · 2%
- 392.2-SLLUPState/Local Laws - Unlawfully parking /leaving vehicle on roadway5× · 1%
- Coach the drivers with speeding violations directly — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
- Set and enforce a governed road speed; review telematics/dashcam speed events weekly
Log / ELD device violations are the leading contributor to Hours-of-Service Compliance
Low impactEstimated Hours-of-Service Compliance percentile of 37% is under the 60% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 395.24HOS (ELD) - ELD Form and Manner18× · 14%
- 395.32B-ELDDFRHOS (ELD) - Driver failed to review any unassigned driving time when prompted by the ELD4× · 10%
- 395.24C2II-ELDTNHOS (ELD) - Driver failing to manually input or verify CMV trailer number.10× · 6%
- 395.8E-HOSPDHOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain5× · 18%
- 395.8E1PCHOS - False record of duty status driver improper use of Personal Conveyance - Not OOS2× · 11%
- 395.8A1-HOSPHOS (Property) - Failing to have a record of duty status using the method prescribed1× · 5%
- 395.3A2-HOSPDHOS (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 Tim3× · 18%
- Make sure the ELD is registered, working, and drivers know how to log in and certify daily
Driver qualification / CDL / medical violations are the leading contributor to Driver Fitness
Low impactEstimated Driver Fitness percentile of 33% is under the 75% line. In decent shape, but here's what's driving it.
- 383.51A-SINDriving a CMV while CDL is suspended for a safety-related or unknown reason and in state of driver's license issuance2× · 45%
- 383.95A-LCDLRestriction - (CDL) - Operate a CMV in violation of a restriction1× · 15%
- 383.23A2-LCDLNLicense (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL1× · 15%
- 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
Controlled Substances/Alcohol needs attention
Low impactEstimated Controlled Substances/Alcohol percentile of 0% is under the 75% 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
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.
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 NHTSA104 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 74 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
74
Tow-away
68
Injury
41
Fatal
3
Company profile
FMCSA censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi27 drivers
- Company officer
- JOSH HELMICH
- Operation
- Interstate · Hazmat
- D-U-N-S
- 56385438
- Registered since
- 1974-06-01
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2026-02-19
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 91 trucks · 91 owned 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, addresses or phone numbers with 40 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
114 events- 04/01/2026Insurance name changed — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD · policy 016239480
- 03/30/2026Insurance filed — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
Filing 82 · policy 016239480
- 03/30/2026Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD · policy 016239480
- 02/27/2026BROKER — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/31/2026)
- 02/27/2026COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/31/2026)
- 02/27/2026CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/31/2026)
- 02/19/2026MCS-150 update filed
92.4M mi reported (2025)
- 05/10/2023Insurance cancelled — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD · policy 016067969
- 04/01/2023Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD · policy 016067969
- 04/05/2022COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (05/13/2022)
- 04/05/2022CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (05/13/2022)
- 04/05/2022BROKER — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (05/13/2022)
- 01/29/2021Insurance cancelled — LIBERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION
SURETY · policy 016230357
- 01/13/2021PROPERTY BROKER — GRANTED
- 12/22/2020Insurance replaced — LIBERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION
SURETY · policy 016230357
- 12/19/2016Insurance name changed — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 6524239
- 12/19/2016Insurance name changed — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy 016045961
- 11/16/2016COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/14/2016)
- 11/16/2016CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/14/2016)
- 10/27/2016Insurance replaced — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 6524239
- 10/27/2016Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy 016045961
- 05/02/2016Insurance name changed — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 6524239
- 05/02/2016Insurance name changed — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy 016045961
- 03/30/2016Insurance replaced — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 6524239
- 03/30/2016Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy 016045961
- 03/29/2016COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/31/2016)
- 03/29/2016CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (03/31/2016)
- 05/21/2014Insurance cancelled — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 016060267
- 04/17/2014Insurance replaced — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
BIPD · policy 6524239
- 01/05/2012Insurance cancelled — SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
CARGO · policy 6531011
Merged from FMCSA authority, insurance, out-of-service, and census records.
Operations
Classification
- AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Area served
- Interstate
FMCSA safety rating
- Rating
- Satisfactory
- Type
- Non-ratable review
- Rated
- 2010-02-16
- Last review
- 2023-06-30
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2026-02-19
- Reported mileage
- 92,427,172 mi (2025)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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