Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
139 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 328429 · MC-111268
KERNS TRUCKING INC
139 power unitsavg 5.1 yrLocal · 2 statesBLACKSBURG, SC
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-111268 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
139Power units
124 observed · MCS-150
40Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
5.1Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · 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 fileFatal crash on record
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 38 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1988.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 372 inspections.
Operating authority3737 yr active
since 1988Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo14.814.8 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal66
6 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersNewer
5.1 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 KERNS TRUCKING INC safe to work with?
Is KERNS TRUCKING INC safe to load? KERNS TRUCKING INC (USDOT 328429, MC-111268) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in BLACKSBURG, SC, operating 139 power units and 135 drivers. Operating authority has been active 37 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 372 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 14.8% (below the 22.26% national average), with 6 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (88/100), 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
KTKERNS TRUCKING INC 88
01
Safety
372 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 14.8% (24-mo)115 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)254 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
11.0% 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
≈0.9 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 139-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 139
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 254
- Annualized
- ≈127 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.9 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 Driving90
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance19 · 19 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance8 · 1 OOS
- 393.78 Windshield wipersVehicle Maintenance7
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance7 · 4 OOS
- 393.100 Cargo securement (general)Vehicle Maintenance6 · 6 OOS
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance6 · 1 OOS
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance5
- 393.95 Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)Vehicle Maintenance4
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance4
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- Active
- Broker
- Inactive
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 4 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+2 earlier
Northland · 94–12
National · 12–14
Stonewood · 16–19
19942019
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.
5 insurer eras · collapsed from 9 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| STONEWOOD INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2016 → Sep 2019 | $750k | 3 |
| WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2015 → Sep 2016 | $750k | 1 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2014 → Sep 2015 | $750k | 2 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Sep 2012 → Sep 2014 | $750k | 2 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 1994 → Sep 2012 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 139
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 124
- Trailers (towed)
- 40
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 2 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusLocal
revealedStates observed22
US statesInspections · 24 mo254254
NC busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
BLACKSBURG, SC
Top corridor
NC ⇄ SC
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 1 truck 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 434099Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (6 trucks · 6 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 4112687USDOT 91354USDOT 4321444USDOT 269992USDOT 997795USDOT 2126413
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@kernstrucking.com — 3 carriers: USDOT 1432963USDOT 2222519
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)139139
Observed (24 mo)124124
Shared w/ other carriers66
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 574 TRIBAL RD, BLACKSBURG, SC, 29702
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 279, KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC, 28086
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (704) 739-4747
- Web domain
- kernstrucking.com
Registration
- Officers
- Clyde Kerns · Alyson K Gray
- USDOT / docket
- 328429 · MC-111268
- First registered
- 09/26/1988
- Last MCS-150
- 04/30/2026 · 6,227,289 mi (2026)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 03/29/2004
- D-U-N-S
- 53013306
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 KERNS TRUCKING 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 KERNS TRUCKING INC's USDOT number?
KERNS TRUCKING INC's USDOT number is 328429, and its motor carrier number is MC-111268.
Is KERNS TRUCKING INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, KERNS TRUCKING INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is KERNS TRUCKING INC's safety record?
KERNS TRUCKING INC has a 14.8% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 372 roadside inspections, with 6 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 88/100 (tier: clear).
How big is KERNS TRUCKING INC's fleet?
KERNS TRUCKING INC operates 139 power units and 135 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is KERNS TRUCKING INC based?
KERNS TRUCKING INC is based in BLACKSBURG, SC, with roadside inspections recorded across 2 states.