Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
35 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 236984 · MC-118178
RED LINE INC
35 power unitsavg 8.2 yrNational · 17 statesEMPORIA, KS
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-118178 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
35Power units
33 observed · MCS-150
49Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
8.2Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · 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 fileFatal crash on record
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 43 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1983.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 133 inspections.
Operating authority4242 yr active
since 1983Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo18.218.2 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
5 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
8.2 yr
Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
42 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1983 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is RED LINE INC safe to work with?
Is RED LINE INC safe to load? RED LINE INC (USDOT 236984, MC-118178) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in EMPORIA, KS, operating 35 power units and 33 drivers. Operating authority has been active 42 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 133 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 18.2% (below the 22.26% national average), with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (88/100), with the leading concern: fatal crash on record. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
RLRED LINE INC 88
01
Safety
133 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 18.2% (24-mo)44 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 2.4% (24-mo)83 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
8.3% 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
≈1.2 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 35-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 35
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 83
- Annualized
- ≈42 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.2 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 Driving33
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance16 · 14 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance12 · 2 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance11 · 6 OOS
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance8
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance6 · 5 OOS
- 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 393.207 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance3 · 3 OOS
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance3
- 395.3 Driving beyond hours-of-service limitsHOS Compliance3
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 · 6 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+3 earlier
Northland · 92–95
Liberty Fire · 95–99
Wilshire · 99–03
Great West · 03–10
Carolina · 12–14
19922015
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.
8 insurer eras · collapsed from 12 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 2014 → Jul 2015 | $750k | 2 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Jul 2012 → Jul 2014 | $750k | 2 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Jul 2011 → Jul 2012 | $750k | 2 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Jul 2010 → Jul 2011 | $750k | 1 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Jul 2003 → Jul 2010 | $750k | 1 |
| WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 1999 → Aug 2003 | $750k | 2 |
| LIBERTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Jun 1995 → Jul 1999 | $750k | 1 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 1992 → Jul 1995 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 35
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 33
- Trailers (towed)
- 49
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
2026
Newest model yr
1997
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 17 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusNational
revealedStates observed1616
US statesInspections · 24 mo8282
KS busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
EMPORIA, KS
Top corridor
KS
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
No shared-VIN flow in the last 12 months
None of this carrier's trucks were inspected under another USDOT in the last 12 months — any shared equipment is historical, not active.
Show all-time history (2 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 3864868USDOT 4282262
Shares a company officer with other carriers
kevin r. nelson — 3 carriers: USDOT 2675178USDOT 3276067
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)3535
Observed (24 mo)3333
Shared w/ other carriers22
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 2805 BELAIRE DR, EMPORIA, KS, 66801-4417
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (620) 343-1000
- Cell
- (620) 344-1841
- Fax
- (620) 343-1076
- Web domain
- redlinetrucking.com
Registration
- Officer
- Kevin R. Nelson
- USDOT / docket
- 236984 · MC-118178
- First registered
- 08/22/1983
- Last MCS-150
- 05/07/2026 · 3,516,287 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 11/03/2009
- D-U-N-S
- 108592148
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 RED LINE 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 RED LINE INC's USDOT number?
RED LINE INC's USDOT number is 236984, and its motor carrier number is MC-118178.
Is RED LINE INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, RED LINE INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is RED LINE INC's safety record?
RED LINE INC has a 18.2% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 133 roadside inspections, with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 88/100 (tier: clear).
How big is RED LINE INC's fleet?
RED LINE INC operates 35 power units and 33 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is RED LINE INC based?
RED LINE INC is based in EMPORIA, KS, with roadside inspections recorded across 17 states.