Fleet typeIdentity
Small fleet
5 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 172169 · MC-205544
PAUL MICHELS
DBA MICHELS TRUCKING
5 power unitsavg 10.8 yrRegional · 4 statesHAZLETON, IA
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-205544 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
5Power units
6 observed · MCS-150
6Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
10.8Avg age (yr)
2001–2024 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Clear to load
Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileMultiple injury crashes
In good standing · 4
Active operating authorityActive for-hire authority is on file with FMCSA.Insurance on fileBIPD (liability) insurance is on file with FMCSA.Established 52 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1974.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 15 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo0.00.0 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
1 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
10.8 yr
Model years 2001–2024 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is PAUL MICHELS safe to work with?
Is PAUL MICHELS safe to load? PAUL MICHELS (USDOT 172169, MC-205544) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in HAZLETON, IA, operating 5 power units and 6 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 15 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 0.0% (below the 22.26% national average), with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (94/100). Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
PMPAUL MICHELS 94
01
Safety
15 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 0.0% (24-mo)4 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)10 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
0.0% now● Stable
Inspection coverage· expected vs observed · the fraud signal
Inspection coverage
How heavily FMCSA inspects this fleet for its size — it tells you how much to trust the safety signals above. Thin coverage on a young authority is a fraud signal nobody else surfaces.
Under-inspected
Expected
Well-monitored
Heavily inspected
≈1.1 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 5-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 5
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 11
- Annualized
- ≈6 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.1 inspections / unit · yr
Violation themes· decoded · grouped by BASIC
What this carrier actually gets cited for — FMCSA violation codes decoded into plain English, ranked by frequency.
- 392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving11
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance7
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving5
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance4
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance2
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance2
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance2
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.24 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance1
- 393.78 Windshield wipersVehicle Maintenance1
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- Active
- Broker
- None
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 8 insurers · 2 lapsesCoverage lapse
+5 earlier
Northland · 98–03
Sentry Select · 03–05
National · 08–15
Acuity A · 15–18
Midwest Family · 18–22
Northland · 22–24
19872024
No BIPD policy is currently in force in the filing history. The authority record may still list one on file — request a COI to confirm current coverage.
11 insurer eras · collapsed from 28 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2022 → Oct 2024 | $750k | 1 |
| MIDWEST FAMILY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2018 → Oct 2022 | $750k | 1 |
| ACUITY, A MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2015 → Oct 2018 | $750k | 1 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Jul 2008 → Oct 2015 | $750k | 10 |
| FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Oct 2007 → Oct 2007 | $750k | 1 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Oct 2006 → Oct 2007 | $750k | 3 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Oct 2005 → Oct 2005 | $750k | 5 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2003 → Oct 2005 | $750k | 2 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 1998 → Oct 2003 | $750k | 2 |
| MILWAUKEE MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Sep 1997 → Sep 1998 | $750k | 1 |
| CONTINENTAL WESTERN INSURANCE CO. | Dec 1987 → Sep 1997 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 5
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 6
- Trailers (towed)
- 6
Capacity is power units only — trailers are towed equipment and are never summed into a fleet-size figure.
Fleet age· model years · decoded VINs
Average age
2024
Newest model yr
2001
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 4 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed44
US statesInspections · 24 mo1111
IA busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
HAZLETON, IA
Top corridor
IA
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 1 truck also ran under 1 other carrier
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 1770221Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (3 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 1770221USDOT 1534605
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)55
Observed (24 mo)66
Shared w/ other carriers33
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 1230 JACKSON AVE, HAZLETON, IA, 50641
- Mailing address
- P O BOX 27, HAZLETON, IA, 50641-0027
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (319) 636-2600
- Cell
- (563) 920-5097
Registration
- Officers
- Paul Michels · Mary Ann Michels
- USDOT / docket
- 172169 · MC-205544
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 09/13/2024 · 320,548 mi (2023)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 04/27/2007
- D-U-N-S
- 362279903
Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)
07
Federal activity
Daily-captured FMCSA licensing & insurance changes — monitored by Vektor
Federal record activity· monitored daily by Vektor
No licensing or insurance changes captured since Vektor began monitoring this carrier (June 2026). Quiet is usually good.
08
Reviews
Verified broker, shipper & driver reviews — moderated
Performance ratings only — never the Vektor risk score
No verified reviews yet
Be the first broker or shipper to rate PAUL MICHELS. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is PAUL MICHELS's USDOT number?
PAUL MICHELS's USDOT number is 172169, and its motor carrier number is MC-205544.
Is PAUL MICHELS authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, PAUL MICHELS is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is PAUL MICHELS's safety record?
PAUL MICHELS has a 0.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 15 roadside inspections, with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 94/100 (tier: clear).
How big is PAUL MICHELS's fleet?
PAUL MICHELS operates 5 power units and 6 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is PAUL MICHELS based?
PAUL MICHELS is based in HAZLETON, IA, with roadside inspections recorded across 4 states.