Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
133 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 325836 · MC-203287
TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC
133 power unitsavg 11.8 yrNational · 28 statesHOUSTON, TX
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-203287 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
133Power units
124 observed · MCS-150
149Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.8Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-26
High risk
Multiple serious issues on the federal record. Verify directly before any tender.
Active operating authorityEstablished 38 yearsNo insurance on file
Watch · 3
Operating authority3737 yr active
since 1988Insurance (BIPD)Not on file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo33.033.0 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal88
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
37 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1988 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC safe to work with?
Is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC safe to load? TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC (USDOT 325836, MC-203287) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in HOUSTON, TX, operating 133 power units and 140 drivers. Operating authority has been active 37 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 405 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 33.0% (above the 22.26% national average), with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it high risk (63/100), with the leading concern: no insurance on file. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-07-26.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-26
TSTRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC 63
01
Safety
405 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 33.0% (24-mo)179 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 1.1% (24-mo)264 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
29.2% now● Stable
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
≈1.0 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 133-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 133
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 264
- Annualized
- ≈132 / 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.
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance90 · 17 OOS
- 392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving82
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance54 · 12 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance48 · 2 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance48 · 36 OOS
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance33 · 3 OOS
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance31
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance30 · 22 OOS
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance24
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance19
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- None
- Contract
- None
- Broker
- Active
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Not on file
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 12 insurers · 1 lapseCoverage lapse
+11 earlier
Transportation · 05–09
Great West · 11–13
Protective · 14–17
Wesco · 17–19
Amtrust Kansas · 19–21
Wesco · 21–24
19972025
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.
17 insurer eras · collapsed from 33 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS TRANSVERSE INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2025 → Sep 2025 | $1M | 3 |
| FALLS LAKE NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2024 → Aug 2025 | $1M | 1 |
| WESCO INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2021 → Aug 2024 | $1M | 1 |
| AMTRUST INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2021 → Aug 2021 | $1M | 1 |
| AMTRUST INSURANCE COMPANY OF KANSAS, INC | Aug 2019 → Aug 2021 | $1M | 2 |
| WESCO INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2017 → Aug 2019 | $1M | 1 |
| PROTECTIVE INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2014 → Aug 2017 | $0 | 7 |
| HUDSON INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2013 → Aug 2014 | $0 | 3 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Aug 2011 → Aug 2013 | $1M | 1 |
| TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2010 → Aug 2011 | $1M | 1 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Aug 2009 → Aug 2010 | $1M | 2 |
| TRANSPORT INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2005 → Sep 2005 | $1M | 1 |
| TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2005 → Aug 2009 | $1M | 1 |
| TRANSPORT INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2005 → Aug 2005 | $1M | 1 |
| TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE CO. | Aug 1999 → Sep 2005 | $1M | 2 |
| GULF INSURANCE CO. | Aug 1998 → Aug 1999 | $1M | 3 |
| SELECT INSURANCE CO. | Aug 1997 → Aug 1998 | $1M | 2 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 133
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 124
- Trailers (towed)
- 149
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 28 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusNational
revealedStates observed2727
US statesInspections · 24 mo263263
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
Last 12 months: 6 trucks also ran under 6 other carriers
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 540864USDOT 4520298USDOT 292991USDOT 1744230USDOT 3964605USDOT 783494Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (53 trucks · 47 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 2791579USDOT 3750297USDOT 303024USDOT 2824683USDOT 213641USDOT 3987751USDOT 292991USDOT 2422038
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)133133
Observed (24 mo)124124
Shared w/ other carriers5353
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 5407 MESA DR, HOUSTON, TX, 77028-5716
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (713) 631-1095
- Fax
- (713) 631-1099
- Web domain
- tristarfreightsys.com
Registration
- Officers
- Corey Nance · Kathleen Nance
- USDOT / docket
- 325836 · MC-203287
- First registered
- 08/25/1988
- Last MCS-150
- 12/23/2025 · 7,173,255 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 08/02/2012
- D-U-N-S
- 174065730
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
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Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC's USDOT number?
TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC's USDOT number is 325836, and its motor carrier number is MC-203287.
Is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-26, TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC's safety record?
TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC has a 33.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 405 roadside inspections, with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 63/100 (tier: high_risk).
How big is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC's fleet?
TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC operates 133 power units and 140 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC based?
TRI STAR FREIGHT SYSTEM INC is based in HOUSTON, TX, with roadside inspections recorded across 28 states.