Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
11 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 1358260 · MC-520834
EXPRESS THUNDER LLC
11 power unitsavg 2.9 yrNational · 16 statesHIGHWOOD, MT
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-520834 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
11Power units
14 observed · MCS-150
16Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
2.9Avg age (yr)
2017–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Clear to load
Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.
Active operating authorityInsurance on file
Watch · 0
Nothing flagged.
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 21 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 2005.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 77 inspections.
Operating authority2121 yr active
since 2005Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo14.814.8 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
2 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersNewer
2.9 yr
Model years 2017–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
21 yr unchanged
Same registration since 2005 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC safe to work with?
Is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC safe to load? EXPRESS THUNDER LLC (USDOT 1358260, MC-520834) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in HIGHWOOD, MT, operating 11 power units and 10 drivers. Operating authority has been active 21 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 77 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 14.8% (below the 22.26% national average), with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (100/100). Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
ETEXPRESS THUNDER LLC 100
01
Safety
77 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 14.8% (24-mo)27 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 3.4% (24-mo)59 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
11.1% 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
≈2.7 / 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
- 11
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 59
- Annualized
- ≈30 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈2.7 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 Maintenance9 · 2 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance7 · 1 OOS
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance7 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance5 · 5 OOS
- 393.60 Windshield / glazingVehicle Maintenance3
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 393.203 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance2
- 393.209 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance2
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance2
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 · 3 insurers · 0 lapsesContinuous
+1 earlier
Great West · 05–20
Sentry Select · 21–24
20052024
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 8 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 2021 → Oct 2024 | $1M | 1 |
| WILSHIRE INSURANCE COMPANY | May 2020 → Aug 2021 | $1M | 3 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Apr 2005 → May 2020 | $1M | 4 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 11
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 14
- Trailers (towed)
- 16
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
2026
Newest model yr
2017
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 16 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusNational
revealedStates observed1616
US statesInspections · 24 mo5959
CA busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
HIGHWOOD, MT
Top corridor
CA ⇄ MT
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 3045814Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (6 trucks · 6 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 956631USDOT 12358USDOT 3045814USDOT 3822751USDOT 2334101USDOT 3312635
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)1111
Observed (24 mo)1414
Shared w/ other carriers66
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 3032 BURLEY HILL RD HIGHWOOD, HIGHWOOD, MT, 59450
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (951) 972-2917
- Fax
- (406) 733-6421
- Web domain
- thunderexpress.net
Registration
- Officer
- Lance Niemi
- USDOT / docket
- 1358260 · MC-520834
- First registered
- 04/08/2005
- Last MCS-150
- 05/28/2025 · 1,135,000 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 05/08/2009
- Recordable crash rate
- 0.00
- 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 EXPRESS THUNDER 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 EXPRESS THUNDER LLC's USDOT number?
EXPRESS THUNDER LLC's USDOT number is 1358260, and its motor carrier number is MC-520834.
Is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, EXPRESS THUNDER LLC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC's safety record?
EXPRESS THUNDER LLC has a 14.8% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 77 roadside inspections, with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 100/100 (tier: clear).
How big is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC's fleet?
EXPRESS THUNDER LLC operates 11 power units and 10 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is EXPRESS THUNDER LLC based?
EXPRESS THUNDER LLC is based in HIGHWOOD, MT, with roadside inspections recorded across 16 states.