Fleet typeIdentity
Small fleet
20 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 265753 · MC-181480
TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC
20 power unitsavg 11.8 yrMulti-region · 15 statesMECHANICSBURG, PA
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-181480 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
20Power units
13 observed · MCS-150
13Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.8Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · 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.
Established 41 yearsNo active operating authority
Watch · 3
In good standing · 1
Operating authority4040 yr active
since 1985Insurance (BIPD)Unknown
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo31.631.6 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
4 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
11.8 yr
Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
40 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1985 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC safe to work with?
Is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC safe to load? TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC (USDOT 265753, MC-181480) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in MECHANICSBURG, PA, operating 20 power units and 20 drivers. Operating authority has been active 40 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 53 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 31.6% (above the 22.26% national average), with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (69/100), with the leading concern: no active operating authority. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
TETOWAWAY EXPRESS INC 69
01
Safety
53 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 31.6% (24-mo)19 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 4.2% (24-mo)24 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
38.5% 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
≈0.6 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 20-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 20
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 24
- Annualized
- ≈12 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.6 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 Driving8 · 1 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance8 · 1 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance6
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance5 · 4 OOS
- 393.203 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance3
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance3 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance3 · 3 OOS
- 393.48 Brakes inoperativeVehicle Maintenance3
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance2
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Inactive
- Contract
- Inactive
- Broker
- None
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Not on file
CargoFiled with FMCSA
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 6 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+3 earlier
Providence Washington · 99–01
Westport · 01–03
Sentry Select · 03–06
Sentry Select · 07–11
Companion Property · 11–13
Sentry Select · 13–26
19942026
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.
9 insurer eras · collapsed from 17 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Jun 2013 → Jan 2026 | $750k | 4 |
| COMPANION PROPERTY & CASUALTY INS. CO. | Jun 2011 → Jun 2013 | $750k | 2 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Jun 2007 → Jun 2011 | $750k | 2 |
| WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION | Apr 2006 → Jun 2007 | $750k | 2 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2003 → Apr 2006 | $750k | 1 |
| WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION | Apr 2001 → Apr 2003 | $750k | 2 |
| PROVIDENCE WASHINGTON INSURANCE CO. | Apr 1999 → Apr 2001 | $750k | 1 |
| FIRE & CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. OF CONNECTICUT | Mar 1996 → May 1999 | $750k | 2 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Mar 1994 → Mar 1996 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 20
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 13
- Trailers (towed)
- 13
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 15 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed1515
US statesInspections · 24 mo2424
TX busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
MECHANICSBURG, PA
Top corridor
TX ⇄ PA
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 5 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 2318070USDOT 874272USDOT 3489275USDOT 565162Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (16 trucks · 16 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 600382USDOT 4177187USDOT 565162USDOT 1859925USDOT 874272USDOT 3489275USDOT 3383088USDOT 3148380
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@towaway.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 701755
Shares a company officer with other carriers
thomas s sheaffer — 2 carriers: USDOT 701755
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)2020
Observed (24 mo)1313
Shared w/ other carriers1717
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
- 18 BRENNEMAN CIRCLE, MECHANICSBURG, PA, 17050
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (717) 766-7061
- Cell
- (800) 367-8789
- staff@towaway.com
- Web domain
- towaway.com
Registration
- Officers
- Thomas S Sheaffer · Rachael Salla
- USDOT / docket
- 265753 · MC-181480
- First registered
- 10/25/1985
- Last MCS-150
- 01/29/2025 · 1,803,842 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 02/09/2007
- D-U-N-S
- 150754265
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 TOWAWAY EXPRESS 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 TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC's USDOT number?
TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC's USDOT number is 265753, and its motor carrier number is MC-181480.
Is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC's safety record?
TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC has a 31.6% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 53 roadside inspections, with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 69/100 (tier: review).
How big is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC's fleet?
TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC operates 20 power units and 20 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC based?
TOWAWAY EXPRESS INC is based in MECHANICSBURG, PA, with roadside inspections recorded across 15 states.