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Carrier profile · USDOT 972558 · Updated 06/13/2026

VERTICAL EARTH INC

DBA VERTICAL EARTH

4 power unitsavg 3.7 yrLocal · 1 statesCUMMING, GA

CARRIER ACTIVE

Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily

4Power units

3 observed · MCS-150

—Trailers seen

None observed · 24 mo

3.7Avg age (yr)

2022–2023 · vPIC

Call dispatch(770) 888-2224 Email dispatchdon@VERTICAL-EARTH.COM

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.

Established 25 yearsDriver out-of-service rate well above average

Watch · 2

Driver out-of-service rate well above average33.3% of driver inspections were placed out of service vs the 6.7% national average.Reincarnated carrier — prior authority revokedFMCSA links this carrier to a previously revoked operating authority — the classic chameleon-carrier pattern. Verify it is not evading an enforcement history.

In good standing · 1

Established 25 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 2001.

Operating authority

yr active

since 2001

Insurance (BIPD)Unknown

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24mo

0.0

▼ 22.26% nat'l

Crashes · fatal

1 in 24mo

Vektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots

Fleet typeIdentity

Small fleet

4 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.

Fleet age vs peersNewer

3.7 yr

Model years 2022–2023 · peer benchmark computing.

Identity stabilityFlagged

24 yr unchanged

Linked to a previously revoked authority — verify before tendering.

AI readLocal operator, 24-yr authority, 0% vehicle OOS — review first.Full read

Is VERTICAL EARTH INC safe to load? VERTICAL EARTH INC (USDOT 972558) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in CUMMING, GA, operating 4 power units and 4 drivers. Operating authority has been active 24 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 8 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate over the last 24 months is 0.0% (below the 22.26% national average), with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months. FMCSA has not assigned a safety rating. Vektor rates it review before loading (73/100), with the leading concern: driver out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.

FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13

VEVERTICAL EARTH INC 73

Safety

8 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 33.3% (24-mo)3 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%

030%nat'l 6.67%

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

12.5% now

Holding near 0.0% — under 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.

Expected band

Under-inspected

Expected

Well-monitored

Heavily inspected

≈0.4 / unit·yr

thin signalabundant signal

Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 4-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.

Registered power units: 4
Inspections · 24 mo: 3
Annualized: ≈2 / yr
Coverage: ≈0.4 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 Driving6
393.95 Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)Vehicle Maintenance3
391.41 No / expired medical certificateDriver Fitness2 · 1 OOS
392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving2
390.21 USDOT number marking on vehicleUnsafe Driving2
396.17 Periodic (annual) inspectionVehicle Maintenance2
393.60 Windshield / glazingVehicle Maintenance1

Explore full safety record — inspections, BASICs, crashes

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

Equipment & fleet

VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC

Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed

Registered power units (MCS-150): 4
Observed power (24 mo): 3
Trailers (towed): 0

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

Fleet age· model years · decoded VINs

3.7 yr

Average age

2023

Newest model yr

2022

Oldest model yr

VINs decoded

Explore full fleet — VIN roster, equipment mix, age distribution

Operations & lanes

Revealed by inspection density across 1 states · 24 mo

Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography

Operating radiusLocal

revealed

States observed

US states

Inspections · 24 mo

GA busiest

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

Home base

CUMMING, GA

6025 MATT HWY

Top corridor

GA 3

Density

fewermore

Shade = roadside inspections, last 24 mo.

See the full operating map — state density, top lanes

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 972558. 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 972558.

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 · 1 carriers)

Across all inspections on record: USDOT 4223152

Shares a registration email domain with other carriers

@vertical-earth.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 4223152

Shares a company officer with other carriers

brett johnson — 16 carriers: USDOT 924034 USDOT 1094565 USDOT 1638148 USDOT 1852606 USDOT 1992484 USDOT 2005305 USDOT 2359713 USDOT 2554938

Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units

Registered (MCS-150)

Observed (24 mo)

Shared w/ other carriers

Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.

Explore the carrier network & VIN cross-links

Identity & contact

FMCSA census + L&I dossier

Location

Physical address: 6025 MATT HWY, CUMMING, GA, 30028
Operation: Intrastate (Non-Hazmat)

Contact

Phone: (770) 888-2224
Cell: (678) 274-7326
Fax: (678) 947-3672
Email: don@vertical-earth.com
Web domain: vertical-earth.com

Registration

Officers: Brett Johnson · Donald W. Lehrkinder
USDOT / docket: 972558
First registered: 08/13/2001
Last MCS-150: 07/30/2024 · 300,000 mi (2023)
FMCSA safety rating: Not rated
Recordable crash rate: 0.00
D-U-N-S: —

Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)

Power units

Drivers

CDL drivers

300,000

Annual mileage

Open the full identity & federal record

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

Reviews

Verified broker, shipper & driver reviews — moderated

Performance ratings only — never the Vektor risk score

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Frequently asked

What is VERTICAL EARTH INC's USDOT number?

VERTICAL EARTH INC's USDOT number is 972558.

Is VERTICAL EARTH INC authorized to operate?

As of 2026-06-13, VERTICAL EARTH INC is active in the FMCSA register.

What is VERTICAL EARTH INC's safety record?

VERTICAL EARTH INC has a 0.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 8 roadside inspections, with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months, and is not currently rated by FMCSA. Vektor's computed risk score is 73/100 (tier: review).

How big is VERTICAL EARTH INC's fleet?

VERTICAL EARTH INC operates 4 power units and 4 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.

Where is VERTICAL EARTH INC based?

VERTICAL EARTH INC is based in CUMMING, GA, with roadside inspections recorded across 1 state.

Similar carriers near Cumming, GA

Comparable carriers around Cumming and across Georgia

United Parcel Service Inc Clear · 88Atlanta, GA Saia Motor Freight Line LLC Clear · 88Johns Creek, GA7,428 power units Lazer Spot Inc Clear · 88Alpharetta, GA2,770 power units Siteone Landscape Supply LLC Clear · 88Roswell, GA2,465 power units Bennett Truck Transport LLC Clear · 88Mcdonough, GA2,356 power units Bennett Motor Express LLC Clear · 88Mcdonough, GA2,000 power units Allied Systems Ltd Review · 80Atlanta, GA1,713 power units HD Supply Inc Clear · 88Atlanta, GA1,665 power units

More in Georgia →Veteran carriers in Georgia →Modern fleets in Georgia →

Contact & documents

Call dispatch7708882224 Email dispatchdon@VERTICAL-EARTH.COMCarrier packetDownload / print · free

USDOT: 972558
Officer: BRETT JOHNSON
Address: 6025 MATT HWY
CUMMING, GA, 30028

At a glance

Vehicle OOS 0%

vs 22.26% national — at or below benchmark.

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Frequently asked

What is VERTICAL EARTH INC's USDOT number?

Is VERTICAL EARTH INC authorized to operate?

What is VERTICAL EARTH INC's safety record?

How big is VERTICAL EARTH INC's fleet?

Where is VERTICAL EARTH INC based?

Similar carriers near Cumming, GA

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