Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
21 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 72022 · MC-108382
SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC
21 power unitsavg 9 yrMulti-region · 9 statesBAY CITY, MI
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-108382 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
21Power units
14 observed · MCS-150
22Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
9.0Avg age (yr)
2004–2024 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-18
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 52 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1974.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 46 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo11.111.1 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal22
3 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
9 yr
Model years 2004–2024 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC safe to work with?
Is SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC safe to load? SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC (USDOT 72022, MC-108382) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in BAY CITY, MI, operating 21 power units and 13 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 46 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 11.1% (below the 22.26% national average), with 3 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 2026-07-18.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-18
SFSHORT FREIGHT LINES INC 88
01
Safety
46 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 11.1% (24-mo)18 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 4.3% (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
25.0% 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
≈0.5 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 21-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 21
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 23
- Annualized
- ≈12 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.5 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 Driving13
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance4 · 1 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance4
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance4
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance3 · 2 OOS
- 172.516 Other violationOther2
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance2
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance1 · 1 OOS
- 172.602 Other violationOther1
- 177.823 Other violationOther1
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)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 8 insurers · 1 lapseCoverage lapse
+5 earlier
Reliance National · 94–00
Continental · 00–03
Cherokee · 03–09
Great West · 10–14
Great West · 16–19
National Interstate · 20–24
19942024
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.
11 insurer eras · collapsed from 29 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL INTERSTATE INS CO. OF HAWAII, INC. | Sep 2020 → Sep 2024 | $1M | 2 |
| FALLS LAKE NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2019 → Sep 2020 | $1M | 2 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Sep 2016 → Sep 2019 | $1M | 1 |
| STATE AUTOMOBILE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2015 → Sep 2016 | $1M | 1 |
| NATIONAL INTERSTATE INS CO. OF HAWAII, INC. | Sep 2014 → Sep 2015 | $1M | 2 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE INSURANCE CO. | Sep 2010 → Sep 2010 | $1M | 1 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Sep 2010 → Oct 2014 | $1M | 2 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE INSURANCE CO. | Sep 2009 → Oct 2010 | $1M | 6 |
| CHEROKEE INSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 2003 → Sep 2009 | $1M | 4 |
| CONTINENTAL CASUALTY CO. | Mar 2000 → Mar 2003 | $1M | 2 |
| RELIANCE NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY | Mar 1994 → Mar 2000 | $1M | 6 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 21
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 14
- Trailers (towed)
- 22
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
2024
Newest model yr
2004
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 9 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed88
US statesInspections · 24 mo2222
MI busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
BAY CITY, MI
Top corridor
MI
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 190003Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (10 trucks · 7 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 3421533USDOT 4073634USDOT 1965386USDOT 190003USDOT 3229028USDOT 920222USDOT 2526686
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@shortfreightlines.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 3309155
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)2121
Observed (24 mo)1414
Shared w/ other carriers1010
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 459 S RIVER RD, BAY CITY, MI, 48708-9601
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 357, BAY CITY, MI, 48707
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (989) 893-3505
- Fax
- (989) 893-3151
- Web domain
- shortfreightlines.com
Registration
- Officers
- Jeanne Short · Derek Short
- USDOT / docket
- 72022 · MC-108382
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 12/16/2025 · 1,216,850 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 04/24/2008
- D-U-N-S
- 3807468
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 SHORT FREIGHT LINES 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 SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC's USDOT number?
SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC's USDOT number is 72022, and its motor carrier number is MC-108382.
Is SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-18, SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC's safety record?
SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC has a 11.1% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 46 roadside inspections, with 3 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 SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC's fleet?
SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC operates 21 power units and 13 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC based?
SHORT FREIGHT LINES INC is based in BAY CITY, MI, with roadside inspections recorded across 9 states.