Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
202 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 548611 · MC-178289
NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC
202 power unitsavg 8.6 yrRegional · 5 statesTURLOCK, CA
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-178289 ACTIVE
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
202Power units
119 observed · MCS-150
173Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
8.6Avg age (yr)
2005–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-03
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 33 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1994.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 398 inspections.
Operating authority3232 yr active
since 1994Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo8.78.7 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal55
8 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
8.6 yr
Model years 2005–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
32 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1994 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC safe to work with?
Is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC safe to load? NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC (USDOT 548611, MC-178289) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in TURLOCK, CA, operating 202 power units and 170 drivers. Operating authority has been active 32 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 398 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 8.7% (below the 22.26% national average), with 8 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA has not assigned a safety rating. Vektor rates it clear to load (88/100), with the leading concern: fatal crash on record. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-07-03.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-03
NRNORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC 88
01
Safety
398 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 8.7% (24-mo)183 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 3.5% (24-mo)260 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
10.8% 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
≈0.6 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 202-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 202
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 260
- Annualized
- ≈130 / 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 Driving79 · 4 OOS
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance17
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance16 · 7 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance10 · 6 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance10
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance10 · 3 OOS
- 391.41 No / expired medical certificateDriver Fitness9 · 8 OOS
- 395.22 ELD — provider/registration/malfunctionHOS Compliance8
- 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance7 · 1 OOS
- 395.3 Driving beyond hours-of-service limitsHOS Compliance6
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
CargoFiled with FMCSA
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 7 insurers · 3 lapsesCoverage lapse
+4 earlier
Truck Exchange · 95–97
Carolina · 01–06
Carolina · 07–11
Nationwide Agribusiness · 13–20
Great West · 20–22
United States · 22–25
19932025
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 26 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO. | May 2022 → Jul 2025 | $1M | 3 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | May 2020 → May 2022 | $1M | 2 |
| NATIONWIDE AGRIBUSINESS INSURANCE CO. | May 2013 → May 2020 | $1M | 1 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | May 2012 → May 2013 | $1M | 1 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | May 2007 → May 2011 | $1M | 8 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | May 2001 → May 2006 | $1M | 3 |
| RLI INSURANCE COMPANY | May 2000 → May 2001 | $1M | 1 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Apr 1997 → May 1997 | $1M | 5 |
| TRUCK INSURANCE EXCHANGE | May 1995 → May 1997 | $1M | 1 |
| AMERICAN EAGLE INSURANCE CO | Apr 1993 → May 1995 | $1M | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 202
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 119
- Trailers (towed)
- 173
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
2005
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 5 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed55
US statesInspections · 24 mo260260
CA busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
TURLOCK, CA
Top corridor
CA
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 2 trucks also ran under 2 other carriers
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 3619512USDOT 1997286Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (20 trucks · 19 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 2335002USDOT 3225246USDOT 1460150USDOT 2940180USDOT 3061161USDOT 4287477USDOT 3218096USDOT 3312205
Shares a company officer with other carriers
richard mello — 4 carriers: USDOT 541309USDOT 1697049USDOT 2808863
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)202202
Observed (24 mo)119119
Shared w/ other carriers2020
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
- 2700 WEST MAIN STREET, TURLOCK, CA, 95380-9537
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (209) 664-3800
- Fax
- (209) 656-2326
- Web domain
- northernrefrigerated.com
Registration
- Officers
- W. John R. Doidge · Richard Mello
- USDOT / docket
- 548611 · MC-178289
- First registered
- 01/25/1994
- Last MCS-150
- 02/03/2026 · 10,022,262 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Not rated
- D-U-N-S
- 58266669
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 NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC's USDOT number?
NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC's USDOT number is 548611, and its motor carrier number is MC-178289.
Is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-03, NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC's safety record?
NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC has a 8.7% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 398 roadside inspections, with 8 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and is not currently rated by FMCSA. Vektor's computed risk score is 88/100 (tier: clear).
How big is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC's fleet?
NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC operates 202 power units and 170 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC based?
NORTHERN REFRIGERATED TRANSPORTATION INC is based in TURLOCK, CA, with roadside inspections recorded across 5 states.