Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
115 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 173929 · MC-98114
AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC
115 power unitsavg 11.6 yrLocal · 1 statesDETROIT, MI
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-98114 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
115Power units
24 observed · MCS-150
23Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.6Avg age (yr)
2003–2025 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-18
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate well above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo38.138.1 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal22
8 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
11.6 yr
Model years 2003–2025 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC safe to work with?
Is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC safe to load? AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC (USDOT 173929, MC-98114) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in DETROIT, MI, operating 115 power units and 113 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 57 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 38.1% (above the 22.26% national average), with 8 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (74/100), with the leading concern: vehicle out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-07-18.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-18
AMAMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC 74
01
Safety
57 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 38.1% (24-mo)21 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 2.9% (24-mo)35 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
20.0% now▲ Worsening
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
≈0.2 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Few roadside inspections for a 115-unit fleet — the out-of-service and violation signals above rest on a small sample, so weight them cautiously. Thin coverage on a young authority is itself a flag.
- Registered power units
- 115
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 36
- Annualized
- ≈18 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.2 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 Driving45
- 393.40 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance10
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance9 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance8 · 8 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance5
- 392.82 Using a hand-held mobile phoneUnsafe Driving4
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance4
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance4 · 4 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving3
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- Active
- Broker
- Active
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoFiled with FMCSA
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 7 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+2 earlier
Home · 90–96
Fidelity Guaranty · 96–98
Rli · 00–08
National · 08–10
Zurich American · 10–15
19902015
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.
7 insurer eras · collapsed from 15 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2010 → Dec 2015 | $750k | 5 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Dec 2008 → Dec 2010 | $750k | 2 |
| RLI INSURANCE COMPANY | Jun 2000 → Dec 2008 | $750k | 4 |
| ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. | Jun 1999 → Jun 2000 | $750k | 1 |
| FIDELITY AND GUARANTY INS. UNDERWRITERS, INC. | Jun 1998 → Jun 1999 | $750k | 1 |
| FIDELITY & GUARANTY INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS | Jun 1996 → Jun 1998 | $750k | 1 |
| THE HOME INDEMNITY CO. | Jun 1990 → Jun 1996 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 115
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 24
- Trailers (towed)
- 23
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
2025
Newest model yr
2003
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 1 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusLocal
revealedStates observed11
US statesInspections · 24 mo3636
MI busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
DETROIT, MI
Top corridor
MI
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 525677Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (5 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 525677USDOT 683537
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@alcotrans.com — 11 carriers: USDOT 170955USDOT 473334USDOT 525677USDOT 543281USDOT 684198USDOT 872277USDOT 1739836USDOT 2197129
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)115115
Observed (24 mo)2424
Shared w/ other carriers55
Registered capacity materially exceeds what is observed roadside — the MCS-150 may be stale or the fleet under-utilized.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 575 FORDSON, DETROIT, MI, 48217
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (734) 722-9500
- lrusso@alcotrans.com
- Web domain
- alcotrans.com
Registration
- Officer
- Lisa M Russo
- USDOT / docket
- 173929 · MC-98114
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 03/14/2025 · 2,797,513 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 07/25/2006
- D-U-N-S
- 106867393
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 AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC's USDOT number?
AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC's USDOT number is 173929, and its motor carrier number is MC-98114.
Is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-18, AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC's safety record?
AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC has a 38.1% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 57 roadside inspections, with 8 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 74/100 (tier: review).
How big is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC's fleet?
AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC operates 115 power units and 113 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC based?
AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC is based in DETROIT, MI, with roadside inspections recorded across 1 state.