Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
160 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 244723 · MC-172944
HORNISH BROS INC
DBA HBI TRUCK LINES
160 power unitsavg 7.1 yrMulti-region · 15 statesDEFIANCE, OH
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-172944 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
160Power units
92 observed · MCS-150
112Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
7.1Avg age (yr)
2003–2025 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority4242 yr active
since 1984Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo25.025.0 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal55
9 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
7.1 yr
Model years 2003–2025 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
42 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1984 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is HORNISH BROS INC safe to work with?
Is HORNISH BROS INC safe to load? HORNISH BROS INC (USDOT 244723, MC-172944) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in DEFIANCE, OH, operating 160 power units and 152 drivers. Operating authority has been active 42 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 168 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 25.0% (above the 22.26% national average), with 9 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (81/100), 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
HBHORNISH BROS INC 81
01
Safety
168 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 25.0% (24-mo)56 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.7% (24-mo)136 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
≈0.4 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 160-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 160
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 136
- Annualized
- ≈68 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.4 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 Driving73
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance21
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance14 · 13 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance8
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance6 · 3 OOS
- 395.22 ELD — provider/registration/malfunctionHOS Compliance6
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance5
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance5
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving5
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance3
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
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 8 insurers · 1 lapseCoverage lapse
+4 earlier
Fidelity Guaranty · 96–98
Wausau · 98–01
Lancer · 02–04
Sentry Select · 04–08
Sentry Select · 08–17
Cincinnati · 17–24
19932025
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.
10 insurer eras · collapsed from 20 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY | Feb 2024 → Aug 2025 | $750k | 4 |
| THE CINCINNATI INSURANCE CO. | Feb 2017 → Feb 2024 | $750k | 3 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2008 → Feb 2017 | $750k | 3 |
| LANCER INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2004 → Apr 2004 | $750k | 2 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2004 → Dec 2008 | $750k | 1 |
| LANCER INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2002 → Apr 2004 | $750k | 1 |
| REDLAND INSURANCE CO. | Apr 2001 → Apr 2002 | $750k | 1 |
| WAUSAU UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 1998 → Apr 2001 | $750k | 3 |
| FIDELITY & GUARANTY INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS | Apr 1996 → Apr 1998 | $750k | 1 |
| UNITED STATES FIDELITY & GUARANTY CO. | Dec 1993 → Apr 1996 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 160
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 92
- Trailers (towed)
- 112
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 15 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed1515
US statesInspections · 24 mo136136
IN busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
DEFIANCE, OH
Top corridor
IN ⇄ OH
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 2 trucks 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 623018Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (38 trucks · 14 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 3515965USDOT 3887374USDOT 71955USDOT 1441162USDOT 3055431USDOT 623018USDOT 134697USDOT 54283
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)160160
Observed (24 mo)9292
Shared w/ other carriers3838
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
- 2060 EAST SECOND STREET SUITE 101, DEFIANCE, OH, 43512
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (419) 785-3100
- Web domain
- hbitrucklines.com
Registration
- Officers
- Steven A. Waxler · Chad Baer
- USDOT / docket
- 244723 · MC-172944
- First registered
- 04/05/1984
- Last MCS-150
- 08/13/2025 · 5,945,184 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 08/27/2012
- D-U-N-S
- —
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 HORNISH BROS 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 HORNISH BROS INC's USDOT number?
HORNISH BROS INC's USDOT number is 244723, and its motor carrier number is MC-172944.
Is HORNISH BROS INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, HORNISH BROS INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is HORNISH BROS INC's safety record?
HORNISH BROS INC has a 25.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 168 roadside inspections, with 9 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 81/100 (tier: review).
How big is HORNISH BROS INC's fleet?
HORNISH BROS INC operates 160 power units and 152 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is HORNISH BROS INC based?
HORNISH BROS INC is based in DEFIANCE, OH, with roadside inspections recorded across 15 states.