Carrier profile · USDOT 253615 · MC-179963 · FMCSA profile data as of Nov 3, 2026

Empire Express Inc

140 power unitsavg 6 yrNational · 25 statesMEMPHIS, TN81/100

CARRIER ACTIVEMC-179963 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT

Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily

140Power units

148 observed · MCS-150

200Trailers seen

Decoded · vPIC

6.0Avg age (yr)

1997–2026 · vPIC

Call dispatch(901) 942-3300 Email dispatch[email protected]

Click to see how we scored it

Load decision · FMCSA profile data as of Nov 3, 2026

Review before loading

Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.

Watch · 2

Vehicle out-of-service rate above average29.6% vs the 22.26% national average.Fatal crash on record8 crash(es) involving a fatality are on this carrier's record.

In good standing · 3

Active operating authorityActive for-hire authority is on file with FMCSA.Insurance on fileBIPD (liability) insurance is on file with FMCSA.Established 42 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1984.

USDOT registration

yr registered

Active for-hire

Insurance (BIPD)$3M in force

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24-mo29.6%

▲ 22.26% nat'l

Crashes · fatal

10 in 24 mo

Vektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots

Fleet typeIdentity

Asset-based

140 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.

Fleet age vs peersNewer

6 yr

Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark unavailable.

Identity stabilityStable

41 yr unchanged

Same registration since 1984 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.

Cross-border activity

No border inspections on record

102 other inspections in border states, with no named crossing match.

A named inspection location does not confirm a border transit or operating authority. Counts cover retained inspection records.

Before you tender

What to check before you tender

CheckAsk for the last annual inspection and brake and equipment maintenance records
Vehicle OOS 29.61% on 179 vehicle inspections in 24 months, above the 22.26% CVSA national average.
CheckConfirm ELD provider and check recent HOS violations dates
49 hours-of-service violations on record, most recent Oct 27, 2026.

Safety

290 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks

FMCSA safety data as of Nov 7, 2026

Out-of-service rate· 24-mo cumulative · vs national

Vehicle OOS 29.6%24-mo cumulative

050%nat'l 22.26%

Driver OOS 0.7%24-mo cumulative

030%nat'l 6.67%

Every inspection in the window pooled — 179 vehicle and 290 driver inspections over 24 months.

Vehicle OOS rate· vehicle OOS · vehicle-level inspections · 6-month trailing

37.8% · latest 6-mo window▲ Rising

Share of vehicle-level roadside inspections in each trailing six-month window that resulted in a vehicle out-of-service order. Trending up 2.7 pts across the window. The national vehicle benchmark uses the same metric and is shown on the chart.

Roadside inspection history· 24 charted calendar months · vehicle / driver level · any-OOS overlay

284 inspections in the charted months · busiest month Mar '25 · 20

Vehicle-levelDriver-levelAny OOS

Monthly FMCSA roadside inspections across the 24 charted calendar months. Bars show level-qualified vehicle and driver populations; one inspection can qualify for both. The line shows inspections with any out-of-service result.

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.

Well-monitored

Under-inspected

Expected

Well-monitored

Heavily inspected

≈1.0 / unit·yr

thin signalabundant signal

Within the expected band for a 140-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.

Registered power units: 140
Inspections · 24 mo: 290
Annualized: ≈145 / yr
Coverage: ≈1.0 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 Driving92 · 0 OOS
393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance58 · 53 OOS
393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance38 · 8 OOS
393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance24 · 0 OOS
395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance16 · 0 OOS
395.30 ELD — use / data transferHOS Compliance15 · 0 OOS
393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance15 · 0 OOS
393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance14 · 5 OOS
396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance12 · 8 OOS
395.3 Driving beyond hours-of-service limitsHOS Compliance11 · 0 OOS

Explore full safety record — inspections, BASICs, crashes

Authority & Insurance

Can they legally + adequately haul your load?

FMCSA authority & insurance data as of Nov 3, 2026

Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type

Operating authority

Common: Active
Contract: Active
Broker: Active

Insurance & bonds

BIPD / liability$3,000,000 in force

Cargo filing (census)Not recorded per census

Surety bond (census)Recorded per census

Insurance adequacy· filed BIPD vs the $750K federal floor

$3M in forcegeneral-freight federal minimum

$750K floor

Filed BIPD coverage of $3M meets or exceeds the $750K federal minimum for general freight (49 CFR 387.9). Some commodities (hazmat, larger vehicles) require $1M–$5M — confirm against your load.

Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses

$1M BIPD last filed ’23 · 8 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn

First City’89–’13

Reliance National’94–’98

Cherokee’02–’16

Cherokee’16–’22

Gemini’22–now

1989199920092019now

Shorter eras are too brief to label at this scale — all 9 insurers are named in the list below.

BIPD in force — $3,000,000 · GEMINI INSURANCE COMPANY · since Jul 2023

All 9 insurer eras · dates, limits, renewals

Insurer	Period	Limit	Renewals
GEMINI INSURANCE COMPANY	Aug 2022 → Jul 2023	$1M	2
CHEROKEE INSURANCE COMPANY	Jul 2016 → Jul 2022	$1M	5
LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY	Jul 2013 → Jul 2016	$1M	1
CHEROKEE INSURANCE COMPANY	Jul 2002 → Jul 2016	$1M	3
THE INSURANCE CO OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA	Jul 2001 → Jul 2002	$1M	1
XL SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY	Jul 2000 → Jul 2001	$1M	2
AMERICAN MOTORISTS INSURANCE CO.	Jul 1998 → Jul 2000	$1M	2
RELIANCE NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY	Jul 1994 → Jul 1998	$1M	4
FIRST CITY, A FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK	Dec 1989 → Oct 2013	$1M	1

Explore full authority & insurance record

Equipment

VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC

FMCSA equipment data as of Nov 7, 2026

Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed

Registered power units (MCS-150): 140
Observed power (24 mo): 148
Trailers (towed): 200

Capacity is power units only — trailers are towed equipment and are never summed into a fleet-size figure.

Fleet age· model years · decoded VINs

6.0 yr

Average age

2026

Newest model yr

1997

Oldest model yr

60.6%

VINs decoded

Explore full fleet — VIN roster, equipment mix, age distribution

Operations & Lanes

Revealed by inspection density across 25 states · 24 mo

FMCSA operations & lanes data as of Nov 7, 2026

Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography

Operating radiusNational

revealed

States observed

US states

Inspections · 24 mo

289

TX busiest

Inspections by state· roadside inspections, last 24 mo

Texas: 76 inspections
Tennessee: 48 inspections
Arkansas: 41 inspections
Missouri: 16 inspections
Georgia: 14 inspections
South Carolina: 12 inspections
Ohio: 12 inspections
Kentucky: 11 inspections
Alabama: 9 inspections
Mississippi: 7 inspections
Illinois: 7 inspections
North Carolina: 6 inspections
Louisiana: 6 inspections
Indiana: 4 inspections
Virginia: 3 inspections
Florida: 3 inspections
South Dakota: 3 inspections
Alaska: 3 inspections
North Dakota: 2 inspections
Maryland: 2 inspections
Wisconsin: 1 inspections
New York: 1 inspections
Washington: 1 inspections
Oklahoma: 1 inspections

Home base

MEMPHIS, TN

3710 TULANE ROAD

Most inspections: TX

76 inspections

TX 76 · TN 48 · AR 41

See the full operating map — state density, top lanes

Network & Fraud

Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict

FMCSA network & fraud data as of Nov 7, 2026

Last 12 months: 4 trucks also ran under 4 other carriers

VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 1948956 USDOT 4122069 USDOT 3421202 USDOT 3577289Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.

Show all-time history (82 trucks · 66 carriers)

Across all inspections on record: USDOT 2576801 USDOT 3908663 USDOT 4067949 USDOT 652055 USDOT 1154126 USDOT 500737 USDOT 3782379 USDOT 3748391

Shares a registration email domain with other carriers

@empireexpress.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 3753172

Shares a company officer with other carriers

tim gatlin — 2 carriers: USDOT 3753172

Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units

Registered (MCS-150)

140

Observed (24 mo)

148

Shared w/ other carriers

Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.

Explore the carrier network & VIN cross-links

Identity & Federal

FMCSA census + L&I dossier

FMCSA identity & federal data as of Nov 7, 2026

Location

Physical address: 3710 TULANE ROAD, MEMPHIS, TN, 38116-3928
Operation: Interstate· Hazmat

Contact

Phone: (901) 942-3300
Fax: (901) 251-1236
Email: [email protected]
Web domain: empireexpress.com

Registration

Officers: Tim Gatlin · Jackie Buckingham
USDOT / docket: 253615 · MC-179963
First registered: Dec 12, 1984
Last MCS-150: May 13, 2026 · 11,542,760 mi (2025)
FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory · Dec 14, 2005
D-U-N-S: 605667716

Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)

140

Power units

116

Drivers

116

CDL drivers

11,542,760

Annual mileage

Open the full identity & federal record

Federal activity

Daily-captured FMCSA licensing & insurance changes — monitored by Vektor

FMCSA federal activity data as of Nov 7, 2026

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.

Open the full federal-record activity feed

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 EMPIRE EXPRESS INC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.

Leave a review

Open reviews

30%

vehicle out-of-service rate

Safety and violations

53 of 179 eligible vehicle inspections had a vehicle OOS finding.

FMCSA roadside inspections, Nov 2024 to Nov 2026.

243violation records

67OOS-tagged records

53 of 179inspections with OOS

What the violations were

FMCSA BASIC themes in plain language: vehicle maintenance, driver fitness, hours of service and unsafe driving. Roadside records grouped without double counting.

Unsafe driving

779%7 / 77

Other vehicle maintenance

7170%50 / 71

Brakes

336%2 / 33

Hours of service

320%0 / 32

Lights

2425%6 / 24

Other / unclassified

40%0 / 4

Driver fitness

2100%2 / 2

Bar = record count; % = OOS share.

Vehicle OOS over time

Eligible vehicle inspections in six-month windows; no national comparison.

40%

15%

30%

27%Nov 24 to May 2512 / 44

28%May 25 to Nov 2516 / 58

28%Nov 25 to May 269 / 32

36%May 26 to Nov 2616 / 45

Top 3 codes (54 of 243 records)

393.75A3-TAOL Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)27
393.47E Brake actuators / linings / components14
395.24 ELD — record edits / data13

View all

392.2-SLLLR State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)12
392.2-SLLEWA1 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)11
392.2-SLLS2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)8
392.2-SLLTCD State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)8
392.9A2-C Failure to secure load / cargo not secured7
393.53B-B Automatic brake adjusters / indicators6
393.75A3 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)6
393.9 Inoperative required lamps6
393.207A-STCB Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)5
393.9A-LSML Inoperative required lamps5
395.30B1-ELDDFR ELD — use / data transfer4
392.2-SLLEWA2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)3
392.2-SLLS3 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)3
393.45D-B Brake tubing / hose defects3
395.3A2-HOSPD Driving beyond hours-of-service limits3
395.3A3II Driving beyond hours-of-service limits3
383.23A2 Operating without a valid CDL2
392.2-SLLED State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)2
392.2-SLLMF State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)2
392.2-SLLS4 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)2
392.2-SLLUP State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)2
392.22A-D Driving of commercial motor vehicles2
392.22B-DFPWD Driving of commercial motor vehicles2
393.110B2I-C Cargo securement — number of tiedowns2
393.53B Automatic brake adjusters / indicators2
393.75A Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)2
393.78 Windshield wipers2
393.9A-LRLI Inoperative required lamps2
393.9A-LSLIWR Inoperative required lamps2
393.9H Inoperative required lamps2
393.9TS Inoperative required lamps2
395.22H1-ELDNUM ELD — provider/registration/malfunction2
395.22H3-ELDMF ELD — provider/registration/malfunction2
396.17C-PI Periodic (annual) inspection2
396.3A1-BOS Inspection / repair / maintenance not performed2
396.3A1BOS Inspection / repair / maintenance not performed2
172.202B-HMSPS Other violation1
172.332A-HMM Other violation1
172.604A3-HMER Other violation1
177.817A-HMPSPMC Other violation1
392.2-INAT State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-ML State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLCP State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLEQP State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLEWG2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLIFTA State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLS1 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLSIV State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2-SLLSR State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2SLIMPT State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.2WC State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)1
392.82A1 Using a hand-held mobile phone1
392.82DUMT Using a hand-held mobile phone1
393.104F3 Cargo securement — tiedowns1
393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missing1
393.110B3-C Cargo securement — number of tiedowns1
393.11TL Required lamps/reflectors missing1
393.19 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)1
393.203E-CBP Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)1
393.205C-WRAWFLMIB Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)1
393.207B-AALPME-OOS Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)1
393.209D-STGBL Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)1
393.45 Brake tubing / hose defects1
393.45B2PC Brake tubing / hose defects1
393.45D-BAAL Brake tubing / hose defects1
393.45DLUV Brake tubing / hose defects1
393.47A-BCFSBD Brake actuators / linings / components1
393.48A-BLMACBD Brakes inoperative1
393.55C1 Antilock brake system (ABS)1
393.55E Antilock brake system (ABS)1
393.60E Windshield / glazing1
393.70B1I Coupling devices / fifth wheel1
393.75A2-TAOBB-6 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)1
393.75A3-ATIS Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)1
393.75C-TAOTD-LT2/32 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)1
393.95A Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)1
393.95A4-EENA Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)1
393.95A4-EEUS Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)1
393.9A-LIL Inoperative required lamps1
393.9A-LLPL Inoperative required lamps1
393.9T Inoperative required lamps1
395.22H2-ELDNISDT ELD — provider/registration/malfunction1
395.22H4-ELDBRODS ELD — provider/registration/malfunction1
395.30B2-ELDDFC24 ELD — use / data transfer1
395.3A1-HOSPD Driving beyond hours-of-service limits1
395.3AII Driving beyond hours-of-service limits1
396.17C Periodic (annual) inspection1
396.3A1-BALAC Inspection / repair / maintenance not performed1
396.3A1BL Inspection / repair / maintenance not performed1
396.3A1T Inspection / repair / maintenance not performed1
396.5B-HWSL Oil and/or grease leak1
396.5B-L Oil and/or grease leak1

Before you tender

Ask for current records for the assigned equipment and driver.

Unsafe driving

Check dated inspection records and current authority before tendering.

Other vehicle maintenance

Check dated inspection records and current authority before tendering.

Brakes

Request current brake repair and follow-up inspection records for the assigned equipment.

Safety and violations

Violation data is not available for this carrier right now.

Verification summaryAuthority, insurance, safety and identity facts for EMPIRE EXPRESS INC.

EMPIRE EXPRESS INC (USDOT 253615) has a Vektor safety score of 81/100 and a Review before loading verdict, from the carrier's FMCSA record. FMCSA profile data as of Nov 3, 2026.

The carrier holds active common and contract for-hire operating authority per FMCSA L&I. FMCSA authority data as of Nov 7, 2026.

It has an active BIPD insurance filing with a $3,000,000 limit in force from GEMINI INSURANCE COMPANY effective Jul 1, 2023 in FMCSA L&I's current snapshot. FMCSA insurance data as of Nov 3, 2026.

Its vehicle out-of-service rate was 29.6% over the last 24 months, versus the 22.26% CVSA national average, from FMCSA roadside-inspection data. FMCSA safety data as of Nov 7, 2026.

The carrier received 290 roadside inspections in the last 24 months — 179 vehicle-level and 290 driver-level — across 25 states, according to FMCSA roadside-inspection data. FMCSA operations data as of Nov 7, 2026.

The carrier has 10 reportable crashes in the last 24 months and 8 fatal crashes across the full FMCSA crash record available. FMCSA safety data as of Nov 7, 2026.

It reports 140 power units and 116 drivers in its most recent MCS-150 filing dated May 13, 2026. FMCSA identity data as of Nov 7, 2026.

It has an FMCSA safety rating of Satisfactory assigned Dec 14, 2005 in the federal record. FMCSA identity data as of Nov 7, 2026.

Frequently asked

What is EMPIRE EXPRESS INC's USDOT number?

EMPIRE EXPRESS INC's USDOT number is 253615, and its motor carrier number is MC-179963.

Is EMPIRE EXPRESS INC authorized to operate?

FMCSA authority data as of Nov 7, 2026. EMPIRE EXPRESS INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.

What is EMPIRE EXPRESS INC's safety record?

EMPIRE EXPRESS INC has a 29.6% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 466 roadside inspections, with 10 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 81/100 (tier: review).