Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
23 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 683081 · MC-316054
SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC
23 power unitsavg 13.4 yrRegional · 5 statesDEKALB, IL
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-316054 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
23Power units
7 observed · MCS-150
7Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
13.4Avg age (yr)
2000–2020 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileReincarnated carrier — prior authority revoked
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 29 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1997.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 23 inspections.
Operating authority2929 yr active
since 1997Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo0.00.0 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
clean 24 moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersOlder
13.4 yr
Model years 2000–2020 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityFlagged
29 yr unchanged
Linked to a previously revoked authority — verify before tendering.
AI readFull read
Is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC safe to work with?
Is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC safe to load? SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC (USDOT 683081, MC-316054) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in DEKALB, IL, operating 23 power units and 18 drivers. Operating authority has been active 29 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 23 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 0.0% (below the 22.26% national average), with 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (85/100), with the leading concern: reincarnated carrier — prior authority revoked. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
SSSMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC 85
01
Safety
23 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 0.0% (24-mo)2 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)10 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
0.0% now▼ Improving
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
≈0.2 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Few roadside inspections for a 23-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
- 23
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 10
- Annualized
- ≈5 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.2 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 Driving12
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance2 · 1 OOS
- 392.9 Failure to secure load / cargo not securedUnsafe Driving1
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.110 Cargo securement — number of tiedownsVehicle Maintenance1 · 1 OOS
- 393.78 Windshield wipersVehicle Maintenance1
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- None
- Broker
- None
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 4 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+1 earlier
Trumbull · 97–00
American Alternative · 00–02
Lancer · 02–10
19972010
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.
4 insurer eras · collapsed from 10 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Feb 2010 → Aug 2010 | $1M | 1 |
| LANCER INSURANCE COMPANY | Feb 2002 → Feb 2010 | $1M | 7 |
| AMERICAN ALTERNATIVE INSURANCE CORPORATION | Feb 2000 → Feb 2002 | $1M | 1 |
| TRUMBULL INSURANCE COMPANY | Feb 1997 → Feb 2000 | $1M | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 23
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 7
- Trailers (towed)
- 7
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
2020
Newest model yr
2000
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 mo1010
IL busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
DEKALB, IL
Top corridor
IL
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Reincarnated carrier — prior authority was revoked
FMCSA links this carrier to a previously revoked authority: USDOT 683081. Reincarnation is a primary chameleon-carrier pattern.
Named as the prior authority of newer carriers
1 carrier list this USDOT as their revoked predecessor: USDOT 683081.
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 (2 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 1329090USDOT 3144131
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@smithspecializedheavyhauling.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 3337277
Shares a company officer with other carriers
john d smith — 13 carriers: USDOT 493332USDOT 531168USDOT 1169045USDOT 1201250USDOT 1285727USDOT 1485750USDOT 1614407USDOT 1622251
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)2323
Observed (24 mo)77
Shared w/ other carriers22
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
- 197 HARVESTORE DRIVE #2, DEKALB, IL, 60115
- Mailing address
- 197 HARVESTORE DR STE 2, DEKALB, IL, 60115
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (815) 758-8589
- Fax
- (815) 748-1762
- Web domain
- smithspecializedheavyhauling.com
Registration
- Officer
- John D Smith
- USDOT / docket
- 683081 · MC-316054
- First registered
- 03/31/1997
- Last MCS-150
- 01/30/2026 · 831,963 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 03/20/2008
- D-U-N-S
- —
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 SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING 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 SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC's USDOT number?
SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC's USDOT number is 683081, and its motor carrier number is MC-316054.
Is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC's safety record?
SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC has a 0.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 23 roadside inspections, with 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 85/100 (tier: review).
How big is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC's fleet?
SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC operates 23 power units and 18 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC based?
SMITH'S SPECIALIZED HEAVY HAULING INC is based in DEKALB, IL, with roadside inspections recorded across 5 states.