Fleet typeIdentity
Small fleet
9 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 681284 · MC-246602
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC
DBA FIRST CHOICE TRANSPORT
9 power unitsavg 12.7 yrMulti-region · 14 statesELKHART, IN
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-246602 ACTIVE
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
9Power units
6 observed · MCS-150
7Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
12.7Avg age (yr)
1998–2022 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-18
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate well above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority2929 yr active
since 1997Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo40.040.0 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
2 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersOlder
12.7 yr
Model years 1998–2022 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
29 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1997 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC safe to work with?
Is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC safe to load? FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC (USDOT 681284, MC-246602) is an active small-fleet motor carrier based in ELKHART, IN, operating 9 power units and 9 drivers. Operating authority has been active 29 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 42 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 40.0% (above the 22.26% national average), with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA has not assigned a safety rating. Vektor rates it review before loading (74/100), with the leading concern: vehicle out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-07-18.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-18
FCFIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC 74
01
Safety
42 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 40.0% (24-mo)10 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)16 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
0.0% 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
≈0.9 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 9-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 9
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 16
- Annualized
- ≈8 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.9 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 Driving18
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance17 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance7 · 6 OOS
- 395.30 ELD — use / data transferHOS Compliance7
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance6 · 1 OOS
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance6 · 1 OOS
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance4
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 393.95 Emergency equipment (extinguisher, triangles)Vehicle Maintenance3
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance3
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- Active
- Broker
- None
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 15 insurers · 3 lapsesCoverage lapse
+14 earlier
Employers · 98–00
Carolina · 02–05
Sentry Select · 05–11
Carolina · 13–17
Scottsdale · 21–23
19972026
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.
19 insurer eras · collapsed from 37 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2025 → Jan 2026 | $1M | 1 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2024 → Jan 2025 | $1M | 1 |
| WATFORD INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2023 → Jan 2024 | $1M | 1 |
| SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2021 → Jan 2023 | $1M | 1 |
| CANAL INSURANCE CO. | Dec 2019 → Jan 2021 | $1M | 1 |
| CANAL INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2019 → Jan 2019 | $1M | 2 |
| NATIONAL INDEMNITY COMPANY | Jan 2018 → Jan 2019 | $1M | 2 |
| GREAT DIVIDE INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2017 → Jan 2018 | $1M | 1 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2013 → Jan 2017 | $1M | 5 |
| TOWER INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK | Jan 2012 → Jan 2013 | $1M | 1 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Jan 2011 → Jan 2012 | $1M | 2 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2005 → Jan 2011 | $1M | 2 |
| CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Nov 2002 → Nov 2005 | $1M | 3 |
| SIRIUS AMERICA INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2000 → Nov 2001 | $1M | 5 |
| WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION | Aug 2000 → Nov 2000 | $1M | 2 |
| EMPLOYERS MUTUAL CASUALTY CO. | Aug 1998 → Aug 2000 | $1M | 2 |
| ATHENA ASSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 1998 → Aug 1998 | $1M | 1 |
| PROGRESSIVE NORTHERN INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 1998 → Feb 1998 | $1M | 3 |
| PROGRESSIVE NORTHERN INSURANCE COMPANY | Mar 1997 → Mar 1997 | $1M | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 9
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 6
- Trailers (towed)
- 7
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
2022
Newest model yr
1998
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 14 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed1414
US statesInspections · 24 mo1616
IN busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
ELKHART, IN
Top corridor
IN
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
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 (4 trucks · 3 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 3235278USDOT 2075653USDOT 673410
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)99
Observed (24 mo)66
Shared w/ other carriers44
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 2334 STERLING AVE, ELKHART, IN, 46516
- Mailing address
- 2334 STERLING AVE STE 4, ELKHART, IN, 46516
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (269) 483-2010
Registration
- Officers
- Rebecca Smith · Misty Campagna
- USDOT / docket
- 681284 · MC-246602
- First registered
- 03/19/1997
- Last MCS-150
- 04/30/2026 · 845,609 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Not rated
- D-U-N-S
- 48049485
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 FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART 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 FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC's USDOT number?
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC's USDOT number is 681284, and its motor carrier number is MC-246602.
Is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-18, FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC's safety record?
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC has a 40.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 42 roadside inspections, with 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and is not currently rated by FMCSA. Vektor's computed risk score is 74/100 (tier: review).
How big is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC's fleet?
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC operates 9 power units and 9 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC based?
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC is based in ELKHART, IN, with roadside inspections recorded across 14 states.