Fleet typeIdentity
Small fleet
199 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 282131 · MC-276209
CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC
DBA CANAL CARTAGE
199 power unitsavg 13.6 yrLocal · 1 statesHOUSTON, TX
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-276209 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
199Power units
55 observed · MCS-150
43Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
13.6Avg age (yr)
1999–2026 · 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 file
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 40 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1986.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 247 inspections.
Operating authority3939 yr active
since 1986Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo17.517.5 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal55
clean 24 moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersOlder
13.6 yr
Model years 1999–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
39 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1986 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC safe to work with?
Is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC safe to load? CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC (USDOT 282131, MC-276209) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in HOUSTON, TX, operating 199 power units and 199 drivers. Operating authority has been active 39 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 247 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 17.5% (below the 22.26% national average), with 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (96/100). Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
CTCANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC 96
01
Safety
247 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 17.5% (24-mo)63 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)64 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
22.2% now▼ Improving
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 199-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
- 199
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 64
- Annualized
- ≈32 / 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.
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance59 · 32 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance28
- 392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving21
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance18 · 3 OOS
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance16 · 7 OOS
- 393.207 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance12 · 6 OOS
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance11
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance10
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance9
- 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance8
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 · 11 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+5 earlier
Ranger Ins · 94–96
Liberty · 96–98
Carolina · 01–03
Continental · 03–10
Sentry Select · 10–19
National Interstate · 19–25
19942025
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.
11 insurer eras · collapsed from 23 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| PROTECTIVE INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2025 → Apr 2025 | $750k | 1 |
| NATIONAL INTERSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY | Feb 2019 → Jan 2025 | $750k | 3 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2010 → Feb 2019 | $750k | 2 |
| TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE CO. | Dec 2009 → Dec 2010 | $750k | 2 |
| CONTINENTAL CASUALTY CO. | Jun 2003 → Jan 2010 | $750k | 5 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Jul 2001 → Jun 2003 | $750k | 3 |
| WAUSAU BUSINESS INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 2000 → Jul 2001 | $750k | 1 |
| CALIBER ONE INDEMNITY COMPANY | Jul 1999 → Jul 2000 | $750k | 1 |
| STONINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 1998 → Jul 1999 | $750k | 2 |
| LIBERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION | Jan 1996 → Jan 1998 | $750k | 2 |
| RANGER INS. CO./FAIRMONT SPECIALTY INS. CO. | Mar 1994 → Jan 1996 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 199
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 55
- Trailers (towed)
- 43
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
1999
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 mo6464
TX busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
HOUSTON, TX
Top corridor
TX
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 (100 trucks · 59 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 232734USDOT 690147USDOT 879305USDOT 1162239USDOT 2410450USDOT 2564966USDOT 4450657USDOT 242877
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@canalcartage.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 4029603
Shares a company officer with other carriers
randall morris — 5 carriers: USDOT 1720396USDOT 2516440USDOT 2978670USDOT 3914777
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)199199
Observed (24 mo)5555
Shared w/ other carriers100100
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
- 11643A WALLISVILLE ROAD, HOUSTON, TX, 77013
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (713) 672-1779
- Cell
- (832) 452-5564
- Web domain
- canalcartage.com
Registration
- Officer
- Randall Morris
- USDOT / docket
- 282131 · MC-276209
- First registered
- 11/13/1986
- Last MCS-150
- 05/14/2024 · 8,070,700 mi (2023)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 02/19/2010
- D-U-N-S
- 192706687
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 CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC's USDOT number?
CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC's USDOT number is 282131, and its motor carrier number is MC-276209.
Is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC's safety record?
CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC has a 17.5% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 247 roadside inspections, with 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 96/100 (tier: clear).
How big is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC's fleet?
CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC operates 199 power units and 199 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC based?
CANAL TRANSPORTATION LLC is based in HOUSTON, TX, with roadside inspections recorded across 1 state.