Fleet typeIdentity
Small fleet
77 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 917652 · MC-396918
COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC
77 power unitsavg 12.6 yrMulti-region · 8 statesBALTIMORE, MD
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-396918 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
77Power units
51 observed · MCS-150
63Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
12.6Avg age (yr)
1997–2025 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-21
Clear to load
Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority2525 yr active
since 2000Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo28.328.3 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
5 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersOlder
12.6 yr
Model years 1997–2025 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
25 yr unchanged
Same registration since 2000 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC safe to work with?
Is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC safe to load? COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC (USDOT 917652, MC-396918) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in BALTIMORE, MD, operating 77 power units and 65 drivers. Operating authority has been active 25 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 108 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 28.3% (above the 22.26% national average), with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (87/100). Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-21.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-21
CTCOWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC 87
01
Safety
108 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 28.3% (24-mo)46 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 1.3% (24-mo)76 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
26.7% 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
≈0.5 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 77-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 77
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 76
- Annualized
- ≈38 / 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.
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance45 · 9 OOS
- 392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving39
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance11 · 6 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance8 · 2 OOS
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance6 · 3 OOS
- 393.126 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance6 · 6 OOS
- 390.21 USDOT number marking on vehicleUnsafe Driving5
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance5
- 396.17 Periodic (annual) inspectionVehicle Maintenance3
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving3
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 · 8 insurers · 5 lapsesCoverage lapse
+8 earlier
National · 07–09
State Nationalspecialty · 09–12
Illinois National · 13–16
United States · 17–20
Self-insured · 20–25
20032022
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.
13 insurer eras · collapsed from 37 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Nov 2020 → Jan 2022 | $1M | 4 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 2020 → Jun 2003 | $1M | 1 |
| UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2020 → Jan 2020 | $1M | 3 |
| SELF-INSURED | Jan 2020 → Nov 2025 | $1M | 2 |
| UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2017 → Jan 2020 | $1M | 2 |
| THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY CO. OF CONNECTICUT | Dec 2016 → Jan 2017 | $1M | 2 |
| ILLINOIS NATIONAL INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2013 → Jan 2016 | $1M | 4 |
| STAR INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2012 → Jan 2013 | $1M | 1 |
| STATE NATIONALSPECIALTY INSCO/NATIONAL SPECIA | Jan 2009 → Jan 2012 | $1M | 1 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Jan 2007 → Jan 2009 | $1M | 2 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2005 → Jan 2006 | $1M | 8 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 2004 → May 2004 | $1M | 4 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 2003 → Mar 2003 | $1M | 3 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 77
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 51
- Trailers (towed)
- 63
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 8 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed88
US statesInspections · 24 mo7676
TN busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
BALTIMORE, MD
Top corridor
TN ⇄ MD
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 7 trucks also ran under 5 other carriers
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 548880USDOT 2564216USDOT 4392434USDOT 1356546USDOT 292991Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (28 trucks · 29 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 688143USDOT 3728895USDOT 4082398USDOT 4332031USDOT 292991USDOT 879305USDOT 514795USDOT 4087825
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@cowansystems.com — 6 carriers: USDOT 215194USDOT 369330USDOT 548880USDOT 1479857USDOT 1488362
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)7777
Observed (24 mo)5151
Shared w/ other carriers2929
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
- 4555 HOLLINS FERRY ROAD, BALTIMORE, MD, 21227
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (410) 247-0800
- Web domain
- cowansystems.com
Registration
- Officers
- Shelly A Dumas-Magnin · Eric Sizemore
- USDOT / docket
- 917652 · MC-396918
- First registered
- 11/22/2000
- Last MCS-150
- 01/22/2026 · 3,547,921 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 03/16/2006
- 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 COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC's USDOT number?
COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC's USDOT number is 917652, and its motor carrier number is MC-396918.
Is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-21, COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC's safety record?
COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC has a 28.3% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 108 roadside inspections, with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 87/100 (tier: clear).
How big is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC's fleet?
COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC operates 77 power units and 65 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC based?
COWAN TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC is based in BALTIMORE, MD, with roadside inspections recorded across 8 states.