HOWARD SHEPPARD LLC
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.
- No active broker bond on file — a bond is required to operate. High non-payment risk.
- Broker authority is inactive, not active.
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 202627 inspections · 32 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
- 2392.2-SLLS2Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit
12
3× · sev 4
- 3392.2-SLLS4Unsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit
10
1× · sev 10
- 4393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Vehicle Maintenance
Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth
8
1× · sev 8
- 5393.100B-CVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Cargo - Cargo not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling from CMV
7
1× · sev 7
- 6392.2-SLLTCDUnsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other
5
1× · sev 5
- 7396.3A1-FVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Fuel - Dripping leak.
3
1× · sev 3
- 8392.2-SLLLRUnsafe Driving
State/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation
3
1× · sev 3
- 9396.5-HLVehicle Maintenance1 OOS
Hubs - Leaking hub
2
1× · sev 2
- 10393.203C-CBPVehicle Maintenance
Cab and Body Parts - Hood not securely fastened
2
1× · sev 2
Most inspected in · top 2 states
- GA29
- SC1
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 83% 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.
- 393.75A3-TAOLTires - All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS3× · 45%
- 393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth1× · 9%
- 393.9A-LBLLighting - Backup lamp inoperative1× · 10%
- 393.9A-LSLIWRLighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on1× · 4%
- 393.9A-HLLHLighting - Headlamp(s) fail to operate on low and high beam1× · 3%
- 393.100B-CCargo - Cargo not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling from CMV2× · 15%
- 396.3A1-FFuel - Dripping leak.1× · 3%
- 393.203C-CBPCab and Body Parts - Hood not securely fastened1× · 1%
- 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 42.9% 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
A high share of violations are occurring in GA
Medium impact11 of 11 violations in the last 12 months (100%) came from inspections in GA. 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 GA to spot recurring issues
- Brief drivers running that lane; consider rerouting around the toughest enforcement corridors where practical
Speeding violations are the leading contributor to Unsafe Driving
Low impactEstimated Unsafe Driving percentile of 4% is under the 65% 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 limit3× · 39%
- 392.2-SLLS4State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit2× · 24%
- 392.2-SLLS3State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit1× · 9%
- 392.2-SLLTCDState/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g., safety official, signal, sign, light, lane marking, other2× · 12%
- 392.2-SLLLRState/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation1× · 7%
- 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
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
Driver Fitness needs attention
Low impactEstimated Driver Fitness 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
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.
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 NHTSA73 distinct vehicles seen in this carrier’s roadside inspections.
+ 43 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
8
Tow-away
8
Injury
7
Fatal
0
Company profile
FMCSA censusAUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
- Interstate · 100+ mi10 drivers
- Interstate · <100 mi10 drivers
- Intrastate · 100+ mi10 drivers
- Intrastate · <100 mi95 drivers
- Company officer
- ERIC HOLMES
- Operation
- Interstate · Hazmat
- D-U-N-S
- 46890703
- Registered since
- 1974-06-01
- Last MCS-150 update
- 2026-05-12
- Census status
- Active
Fleet: 125 trucks · 120 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.
Data change history
Every FMCSA record change we’ve detected — address, fleet size, contacts, MCS-150 — newest first.
Connections
carrier graphThis carrier shares VINs, addresses, phone numbers, officers or emails with 17 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
55 events- 05/12/2026MCS-150 update filed
7.3M mi reported (2025)
- 06/09/2023Insurance cancelled — AXIS SURPLUS INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy P-001-001148454-01
- 06/01/2023Insurance replaced — HUDSON INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD · policy HMB200145
- 06/01/2023Insurance replaced — AXIS SURPLUS INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy P-001-001148454-01
- 08/10/2021Insurance name changed — HUDSON INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD · policy HMB200131
- 07/08/2021COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (07/07/2021)
- 07/08/2021CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (07/07/2021)
- 06/01/2021Insurance replaced — HUDSON INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD · policy HMB200131
- 03/21/2020Insurance cancelled — HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
CARGO · policy 20 MS ND3227
- 06/01/2019Insurance cancelled — GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy MCP04493A
- 06/01/2019Insurance replaced — LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Excess · policy 013510215
- 05/06/2019COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/03/2019)
- 05/06/2019CONTRACT — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/03/2019)
- 09/17/2013Insurance cancelled — TRAVELERS CASUALTY & SURETY CO. OF AMERICA
SURETY · policy 105489902
- 06/01/2013Insurance replaced — VANLINER INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Primary · policy TRV5392300
- 06/01/2012Insurance replaced — ST. PAUL SURPLUS LINES INSURANCE COMPANY
BIPD/Excess · policy QZ06812012
- 09/17/2010Insurance cancelled — WESTERN SURETY CO.
SURETY · policy 70378371
- 08/23/2010BROKER — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (09/02/2010)
- 06/26/2009Insurance cancelled — CONTINENTAL CASUALTY CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy TRK2057347618
- 06/01/2009Insurance replaced — CONTINENTAL CASUALTY CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy TRK2057347618
- 06/01/2008Insurance replaced — HANOVER INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy IHA 8750690-00
- 09/21/2007PROPERTY BROKER — GRANTED
REVOKED (09/23/2013)
- 06/01/2006Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy KO1-751-283908-04
- 06/01/2006Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy AI2-751-283908-01
- 06/01/2006Insurance replaced — HANOVER INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy IHA 8750690-00
- 06/26/2004Insurance cancelled — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy KO1-751-283908-04
- 06/01/2004Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
CARGO · policy KO1-751-283908-04
- 06/01/2004Insurance cancelled — GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO.
CARGO · policy GWP08768A
- 06/01/2004Insurance replaced — LIBERTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO.
BIPD/Primary · policy AI2-751-283908-01
- 05/05/2004COMMON — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
DISCONTINUED REVOCATION (06/03/2004)
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
- 2009-12-07
- Last review
- 2012-10-31
MCS-150 registration
- Form date
- 2026-05-12
- Reported mileage
- 7,285,605 mi (2025)
Got a violation you want to contest?
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