Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
22 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 338676 · MC-254585
HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED
22 power unitsavg 8.5 yrMulti-region · 14 statesNEWLAND, NC
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-254585 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
22Power units
18 observed · MCS-150
40Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
8.5Avg age (yr)
2001–2025 · vPIC
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.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate well above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority3737 yr active
since 1988Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo38.938.9 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
8 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
8.5 yr
Model years 2001–2025 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
37 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1988 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED safe to work with?
Is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED safe to load? HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED (USDOT 338676, MC-254585) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in NEWLAND, NC, operating 22 power units and 28 drivers. Operating authority has been active 37 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 77 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 38.9% (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 (74/100), with the leading concern: vehicle out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
HTHOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED 74
01
Safety
77 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 38.9% (24-mo)18 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)49 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
11.8% 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
≈1.1 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 22-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 22
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 49
- Annualized
- ≈25 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.1 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 Driving27
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance10 · 1 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance8 · 6 OOS
- 395.8 Record of duty status (log / ELD) not current or missingHOS Compliance7 · 1 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance5 · 1 OOS
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance3
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance3
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance3
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving3
- 392.22 Driving of commercial motor vehiclesUnsafe Driving3
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
CargoFiled with FMCSA
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 13 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+10 earlier
Atlantic · 04–07
Northland · 07–09
State National · 09–11
Sentry Select · 12–16
Stonewood · 18–20
Incline · 21–24
19932025
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.
16 insurer eras · collapsed from 31 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2024 → Nov 2025 | $750k | 3 |
| INCLINE CASUALTY COMPANY | Nov 2021 → Nov 2024 | $750k | 5 |
| AMGUARD INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2020 → Nov 2021 | $750k | 3 |
| STONEWOOD INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2018 → Nov 2020 | $750k | 2 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2017 → Nov 2018 | $750k | 1 |
| UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO. | Nov 2016 → Nov 2017 | $750k | 1 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2012 → Nov 2016 | $750k | 1 |
| COMPANION PROPERTY & CASUALTY INS. CO. | Oct 2011 → Dec 2012 | $750k | 1 |
| STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC. | Oct 2009 → Oct 2011 | $750k | 3 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2007 → Oct 2009 | $750k | 1 |
| ATLANTIC CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2004 → Oct 2007 | $750k | 3 |
| ATHENA ASSURANCE COMPANY | Oct 2003 → Oct 2004 | $750k | 1 |
| CANAL INSURANCE CO. | Sep 1999 → Oct 2003 | $750k | 2 |
| FIDELITY AND GUARANTY INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 1998 → Sep 1999 | $750k | 2 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Aug 1996 → Aug 1998 | $750k | 1 |
| THE CONNECTICUT INDEMNITY CO. | Aug 1993 → Aug 1996 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 22
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 18
- Trailers (towed)
- 40
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
2001
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 mo4949
NC busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
NEWLAND, NC
Top corridor
NC
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 3 trucks also ran under 2 other carriers
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 1059180USDOT 1218262Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (13 trucks · 7 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 1218262USDOT 3391560USDOT 1399983USDOT 1059180USDOT 1423393USDOT 2813179USDOT 2576680
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@houstontrans.net — 3 carriers: USDOT 1059180USDOT 2985723
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)2222
Observed (24 mo)1818
Shared w/ other carriers1313
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 858 POWDERMILL CREEK RD, NEWLAND, NC, 28657
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 121, SPRUCE PINE, NC, 28777
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (828) 765-1733
- Cell
- (828) 766-4585
- Fax
- (828) 765-0358
- Web domain
- houstontrans.net
Registration
- Officers
- Robert V Houston Sr · Christie Maltba
- USDOT / docket
- 338676 · MC-254585
- First registered
- 12/31/1988
- Last MCS-150
- 06/19/2025 · 1,830,715 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 05/15/2009
- 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 HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED's USDOT number?
HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED's USDOT number is 338676, and its motor carrier number is MC-254585.
Is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED's safety record?
HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED has a 38.9% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 77 roadside inspections, with 8 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 74/100 (tier: review).
How big is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED's fleet?
HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED operates 22 power units and 28 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED based?
HOUSTON TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED is based in NEWLAND, NC, with roadside inspections recorded across 14 states.