Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
195 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 456821 · MC-238157
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC
195 power unitsavg 5.8 yrNational · 42 statesGRAND MEADOW, MN
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-238157 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
195Power units
191 observed · MCS-150
236Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
5.8Avg age (yr)
1999–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-21
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority3434 yr active
since 1991Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo30.430.4 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal99
20 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersNewer
5.8 yr
Model years 1999–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
34 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1991 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC safe to work with?
Is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC safe to load? VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC (USDOT 456821, MC-238157) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in GRAND MEADOW, MN, operating 195 power units and 200 drivers. Operating authority has been active 34 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 906 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 30.4% (above the 22.26% national average), with 20 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (81/100), with the leading concern: fatal crash on record. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-21.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-21
VTVALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC 81
01
Safety
906 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 30.4% (24-mo)286 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.5% (24-mo)604 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
20.8% 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
≈1.5 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 195-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 195
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 604
- Annualized
- ≈302 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.5 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 Driving263
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance88 · 23 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance83 · 70 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance59 · 19 OOS
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance43
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance36 · 1 OOS
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance22
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance20 · 10 OOS
- 393.95 Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)Vehicle Maintenance15
- 393.130 Cargo securement — heavy vehicles/equipmentVehicle Maintenance14 · 14 OOS
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- None
- Contract
- Active
- Broker
- Inactive
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 8 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+6 earlier
Great West · 94–98
Empire Fire · 00–02
Sentry Select · 02–12
Great West · 13–18
19942020
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.
10 insurer eras · collapsed from 24 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| BENCHMARK INSURANCE COMPANY | May 2020 → May 2020 | $1M | 5 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Aug 2019 → Jun 2020 | $1M | 2 |
| PROTECTIVE INSURANCE CO. | Aug 2018 → Aug 2019 | $1M | 1 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | May 2013 → Aug 2018 | $1M | 4 |
| COREPOINTE INSURANCE COMPANY | May 2012 → May 2013 | $1M | 1 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2002 → May 2012 | $1M | 2 |
| EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. | Apr 2000 → May 2002 | $1M | 2 |
| HANOVER INSURANCE CO. | Apr 1999 → Apr 2000 | $1M | 1 |
| EMPLOYERS MUTUAL CASUALTY CO. | Jan 1998 → Apr 1999 | $1M | 3 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | May 1994 → Jan 1998 | $1M | 3 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 195
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 191
- Trailers (towed)
- 236
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 42 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusNational
revealedStates observed4141
US statesInspections · 24 mo602602
NM busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
GRAND MEADOW, MN
Top corridor
NM ⇄ MN
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 3534078Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (17 trucks · 17 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 795982USDOT 1243338USDOT 1941086USDOT 3534078USDOT 2836509USDOT 3414309USDOT 853615USDOT 1105554
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)195195
Observed (24 mo)191191
Shared w/ other carriers1717
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 73137 ST HWY 16, GRAND MEADOW, MN, 55936
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 414, GRAND MEADOW, MN, 55936
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (507) 754-5558
- Fax
- (507) 754-5667
- Web domain
- valleytransinc.com
Registration
- Officers
- Karsen Ulwelling · Bradley Grafe
- USDOT / docket
- 456821 · MC-238157
- First registered
- 08/28/1991
- Last MCS-150
- 01/05/2026 · 18,100,137 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 01/03/2012
- D-U-N-S
- 790258727
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 VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE 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 VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC's USDOT number?
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC's USDOT number is 456821, and its motor carrier number is MC-238157.
Is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-21, VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC's safety record?
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC has a 30.4% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 906 roadside inspections, with 20 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 81/100 (tier: review).
How big is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC's fleet?
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC operates 195 power units and 200 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC based?
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE INC is based in GRAND MEADOW, MN, with roadside inspections recorded across 42 states.