Fleet typeIdentity
Owner-operator
1 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 84329 · MC-116886
HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC
1 power unitsavg 9.3 yrMulti-region · 9 statesCLOVERDALE, VA
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-116886 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
1Power units
59 observed · MCS-150
56Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
9.3Avg age (yr)
1997–2025 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-25
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 authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo25.025.0 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal22
8 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
9.3 yr
Model years 1997–2025 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC safe to work with?
Is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC safe to load? HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC (USDOT 84329, MC-116886) is an active owner-operator motor carrier based in CLOVERDALE, VA, operating 1 power unit and 1 driver. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 151 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 25.0% (above the 22.26% national average), with 8 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 2026-07-25.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-25
HMHOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC 81
01
Safety
151 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 25.0% (24-mo)32 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 1.2% (24-mo)83 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
16.7% 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
≈41.5 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Among the more heavily-inspected carriers for its size — abundant roadside signal. Coverage isn't the question here; the out-of-service and crash record is.
- Registered power units
- 1
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 83
- Annualized
- ≈42 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈41.5 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 Driving25
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance13 · 2 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance7 · 2 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance6 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance5 · 5 OOS
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving4
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 391.11 Driver not qualifiedDriver Fitness3 · 3 OOS
- 392.22 Driving of commercial motor vehiclesUnsafe Driving3
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance3
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
$750k BIPD · 3 insurers · 0 lapsesContinuous
Liberty · 91–03
Liberty Fire · 03–09
Discover Property · 09–14
19912014
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.
3 insurer eras · collapsed from 9 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISCOVER PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Apr 2009 → Mar 2014 | $750k | 6 |
| LIBERTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Apr 2003 → Apr 2009 | $750k | 1 |
| LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Apr 1991 → May 2003 | $750k | 2 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 1
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 59
- Trailers (towed)
- 56
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
2025
Newest model yr
1997
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 mo8282
NC busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
CLOVERDALE, VA
Top corridor
NC ⇄ VA
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 3891316Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (5 trucks · 6 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 3342792USDOT 3742526USDOT 3891316USDOT 672167USDOT 865711USDOT 308343
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)11
Observed (24 mo)5959
Shared w/ other carriers55
Roadside-observed power units materially exceed the registered MCS-150 fleet — confirm the carrier is operating within its filed capacity.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 51 SIMMONS DR, CLOVERDALE, VA, 24077-3131
- Mailing address
- P O BOX 12308, ROANOKE, VA, 24024-2308
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (540) 591-3205
- Cell
- (540) 676-3411
- Fax
- (540) 966-3203
- Web domain
- howellsmotor.com
Registration
- Officers
- Harry G Norris · Chadwick Norris
- USDOT / docket
- 84329 · MC-116886
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 07/08/2026 · 6,261,028 mi (2026)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 12/17/2003
- 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
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Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC's USDOT number?
HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC's USDOT number is 84329, and its motor carrier number is MC-116886.
Is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-25, HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC's safety record?
HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC has a 25.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 151 roadside inspections, with 8 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 HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC's fleet?
HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC operates 1 power unit and 1 driver per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC based?
HOWELL'S MOTOR FREIGHT INC is based in CLOVERDALE, VA, with roadside inspections recorded across 9 states.