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Carrier profile · USDOT 594048

UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC

33 power unitsavg 11 yrRegional · 3 statesCHICAGO, IL
CARRIER ACTIVE
Verified linksusmrecycles.comFMCSA SAFERCallEmail
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
33Power units
17 observed · MCS-150
11Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.0Avg age (yr)
2001–2026 · vPIC
Call dispatch(312) 666-0011Email dispatchpermits@usmrecycles.com

Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13

Review before loading

Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.

Established 31 yearsVehicle out-of-service rate well above average
Operating authority31 yr active
since 1995
Insurance (BIPD)Unknown
FMCSA L&I
Vehicle OOS · 24mo42.9%
▲ 22.26% nat'l
Crashes · fatal1
2 in 24mo
Vektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet typeIdentity

Asset-based

33 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.

Fleet age vs peersTypical

11 yr

Model years 2001–2026 · peer benchmark computing.

Identity stabilityStable

31 yr unchanged

Same registration since 1995 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.

AI readRegional operator, 31-yr authority, 43% vehicle OOS — review first.Full read

Is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC safe to work with?

Is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC safe to load? UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC (USDOT 594048) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in CHICAGO, IL, operating 33 power units and 26 drivers. Operating authority has been active 31 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 35 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 42.9% (above the 22.26% national average), with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA has not assigned a safety rating. Vektor rates it review before loading (68/100), with the leading concern: vehicle out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.

FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
USUNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC 68
01

Safety

35 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks

Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark

Vehicle OOS 42.9% (24-mo)14 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 13.0% (24-mo)23 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%

OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national

40.0% now▲ Worsening

Trailing rate up 1.8 pts across the window — latest above the 22.26% national benchmark.

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.

Thin coverage
Under-inspected
Expected
Well-monitored
Heavily inspected
≈0.3 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Few roadside inspections for a 33-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
33
Inspections · 24 mo
23
Annualized
≈12 / yr
Coverage
≈0.3 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 Driving24
  • 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance17 · 1 OOS
  • 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance10
  • 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance7 · 4 OOS
  • 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance6 · 6 OOS
  • 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance5
  • 396.17 Periodic (annual) inspectionVehicle Maintenance4
  • 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance4 · 1 OOS
  • 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance4
  • 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance4
Explore full safety record — inspections, BASICs, crashes
02

Authority & insurance

Can they legally + adequately haul your load?

Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses

No insurance filing history on record.

Explore full authority & insurance record
03

Equipment & fleet

VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC

Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed

Registered power units (MCS-150)
33
Observed power (24 mo)
17
Trailers (towed)
11

Capacity is power units only — trailers are towed equipment and are never summed into a fleet-size figure.

Fleet age· model years · decoded VINs

11.0 yr
Average age
2026
Newest model yr
2001
Oldest model yr
14%
VINs decoded
Explore full fleet — VIN roster, equipment mix, age distribution
04

Operations & lanes

Revealed by inspection density across 3 states · 24 mo

Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography

Operating radiusRegional
revealed
States observed3
US states
Inspections · 24 mo23
IL busiest

Inspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo

Home base
CHICAGO, IL
2500 WEST FULTON STREET
Top corridor
IL
IL 19 · IN 3 · WI 1
Density
fewermore
Shade = roadside inspections, last 24 mo.
See the full operating map — state density, top lanes
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 (1 truck · 1 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 4179932

Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units

Registered (MCS-150)33
Observed (24 mo)17
Shared w/ other carriers1

Registered capacity materially exceeds what is observed roadside — the MCS-150 may be stale or the fleet under-utilized.

Explore the carrier network & VIN cross-links
06

Identity & contact

FMCSA census + L&I dossier

Location

Physical address
2500 WEST FULTON STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60612
Operation
Interstate

Contact

Phone
(312) 666-0011
Fax
(312) 666-8515
Email
permits@usmrecycles.com
Web domain
usmrecycles.com

Registration

Officers
Jason Zeid · Dennis Klein
USDOT / docket
594048
First registered
03/16/1995
Last MCS-150
08/06/2024 · 989,000 mi (2023)
FMCSA safety rating
Not rated
D-U-N-S
59453811

Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)

33Power units
26Drivers
26CDL drivers
989,000Annual mileage
Open the full identity & federal record
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.

Open the full federal-record activity feed
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 UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.

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09

Frequently asked

What is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC's USDOT number?

UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC's USDOT number is 594048.

Is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC authorized to operate?

As of 2026-06-13, UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC is active in the FMCSA register.

What is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC's safety record?

UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC has a 42.9% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 35 roadside inspections, with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and is not currently rated by FMCSA. Vektor's computed risk score is 68/100 (tier: review).

How big is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC's fleet?

UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC operates 33 power units and 26 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.

Where is UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC based?

UNIVERSAL SCRAP METALS INC is based in CHICAGO, IL, with roadside inspections recorded across 3 states.