FORTON'S EXPRESS 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 202630 inspections · 44 violations (13 OOS) · 30% of inspections had an OOS finding.
Violations by BASIC
click to filter codes
Top cited codes
score = count × severity weight
- 1393.75A3-TAOLVehicle Maintenance2 OOS
Tires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS
16
2× · sev 8
- 2392.2-SLLS2Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit
12
3× · sev 4
- 3393.9A-LHLIVehicle Maintenance
Lighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative
12
2× · sev 6
- 4383.51A-SINDriver Fitness1 OOS
Driving a CMV while CDL is suspended for a safety-related or unknown reason and in state of driver's license issuance
8
1× · sev 8
- 5392.2-SLLLRUnsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation
6
2× · sev 3
- 6395.8F1-HOSMHours-of-Service Compliance
HOS (Manner) - Driver's record of duty status not current to the time shown for last change of duty status. Date and Time:
5
1× · sev 5
- 7393.48A-BIBDVehicle Maintenance
Drum Brake - Inoperative other than a steering axle
4
1× · sev 4
- 8396.3A1-BARSVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Air Brake - Air reservoir separated from its original attachment points or moving more than 1 inch
4
1× · sev 4
- 9393.47E
Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto, Clamp (Short & Long), DD-3, or Bolt
2
2×
- 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 6 states
- MI9
- KY8
- OH6
- TN3
- AL2
- GA2
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.
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-LHLILighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative2× · 12%
- 393.9A-LSLIWRLighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on1× · 10%
- 393.9A-LSLILighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative.1× · 7%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS3× · 20%
- 393.75A3-TAOLTISTires - All others, leaking in tread area and inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped with ATIS1× · 12%
- 396.3A1-BALACBrake - Audible air leak from a brake chamber2× · 6%
- 393.45B2-B-AIRAir Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured2× · 6%
- 393.45B2-B-VACBrake - Vacuum hose(s) or line(s) restricted/abraded/chafed through outer cover-to-cord ply crimped/cracked/broken1× · 5%
- 396.17C-PIOperating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection1× · 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 out-of-service rate exceeds the national average
High impactVehicle OOS rate is 66.7% 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
Medium impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 62% is close to the 65% intervention line — worth getting ahead of before it crosses.
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit3× · 38%
- 392.2-SLLSWZState/Local Laws - Speeding work/construction zone1× · 16%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation2× · 23%
- 392.2-SLLMLState/Local Laws - Failure to maintain lane1× · 8%
- 392.2-SLLCPState/Local Laws - Operate a CMV while using a cellular phone1× · 16%
- 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
A high share of violations are occurring in Jackson County, MI
Medium impact6 of 18 violations in the last 12 months (33%) came from inspections in Jackson County, MI. 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 Jackson County, MI to spot recurring issues
- Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
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
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.
- 393.9A-LSLIWRLighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on · OOS
- 396.3A1-BALACBrake - Audible air leak from a brake chamber
- Walk the lights every pre-trip and carry spare bulbs/fuses
- Clean lenses and check the trailer plug for corrosion
- 392.2-SLLS2State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit
- Coach speed and following distance — Unsafe Driving points are weighted heavily
- Hands off the phone; always belt up
- 393.47EBrake 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
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 NHTSA20 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 censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi6 drivers
- Interstate · <100 mi1 drivers
- Company officer
- MALINDA SICHKO
- Operation
- Interstate
- Registered since
- 1999-11-24
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2025-10-08
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 7 trucks · 6 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 phone numbers with 1 other carrier — 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
73 events- 10/08/2025MCS-150 update filed
0.7M mi reported (2024)
- 11/21/2023Insurance filed — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
Liability (BIPD) — BMC-91X · policy WN354008
- 11/21/2023Insurance cancelled — WATFORD INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy W26AF00063
- 10/25/2023COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/22/2023)
- 11/21/2020Insurance cancelled — HALLMARK INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy C21700005
- 10/26/2020COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/20/2020)
- 11/21/2019Insurance cancelled — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 11/01/2019Insurance cancelled — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 10/25/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/18/2019)
- 10/15/2019Insurance replaced — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 10/07/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (10/16/2019)
- 05/31/2019Insurance cancelled — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 05/10/2019Insurance replaced — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 05/06/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (05/13/2019)
- 01/31/2019Insurance cancelled — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 12/31/2018Insurance replaced — BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESTATE INSURANCE COMPAN
BIPD/Primary · policy 02TRM031920-01
- 11/25/2018Insurance cancelled — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy 753180001
- 11/21/2018Insurance replaced — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy 753180001
- 10/29/2018COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/21/2018)
- 11/21/2017Insurance replaced — NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 70TRS069967
- 11/21/2016Insurance cancelled — NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 70TRS057851
- 10/25/2016COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/23/2016)
- 11/21/2015Insurance cancelled — ACE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy H08673068 003
- 10/26/2015COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/17/2015)
- 11/21/2014Insurance cancelled — ACE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy H08673068 002
- 10/27/2014COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (11/21/2014)
- 11/21/2013Insurance replaced — ACE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy H08673068 001
- 11/21/2012Insurance replaced — SPARTA INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 055TU-00011
- 01/18/2012Insurance cancelled — AGCS MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY
CARGO · policy 00142
- 11/21/2011Insurance cancelled — SUA INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy 10NSMTR104291CA01
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
- Compliance review
- Rated
- 2024-03-11
- Last review
- 2024-03-08
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2025-10-08
- Reported mileage
- 743,921 mi (2024)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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