Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
16 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 12728 · MC-176951
HOWES OIL CO INC
16 power unitsavg 7 yrRegional · 3 statesSIOUX FALLS, SD
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-176951 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
16Power units
16 observed · MCS-150
15Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
7.0Avg age (yr)
2000–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-18
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 52 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1974.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 60 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo8.78.7 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
clean 24 moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
7 yr
Model years 2000–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is HOWES OIL CO INC safe to work with?
Is HOWES OIL CO INC safe to load? HOWES OIL CO INC (USDOT 12728, MC-176951) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in SIOUX FALLS, SD, operating 16 power units and 20 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 60 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 8.7% (below the 22.26% national average), with 0 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 2026-07-18.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-18
HOHOWES OIL CO INC 100
01
Safety
60 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 8.7% (24-mo)23 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)31 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
10.0% now▲ Worsening
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
≈1.0 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 16-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 16
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 31
- Annualized
- ≈16 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.0 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 Driving7
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance6 · 1 OOS
- 396.17 Periodic (annual) inspectionVehicle Maintenance4
- 172.600 Other violationOther2
- 172.602 Other violationOther2
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving1
- 393.43 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance1 · 1 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance1
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- None
- 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 · 2 insurers · 0 lapsesContinuous
Farmland · 94–97
Federated · 97–12
19942012
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.
2 insurer eras · collapsed from 3 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEDERATED MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Jan 1997 → Apr 2012 | $750k | 1 |
| FARMLAND MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Feb 1994 → Mar 1997 | $750k | 2 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 16
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 16
- Trailers (towed)
- 15
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
2000
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 3 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed33
US statesInspections · 24 mo3131
SD busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
SIOUX FALLS, SD
Top corridor
SD
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 (3 trucks · 3 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 1049286USDOT 459268USDOT 3297367
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)1616
Observed (24 mo)1616
Shared w/ other carriers33
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 823 E 14TH ST, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 57104
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 1025, SIOUX FALLS, SD, 57101
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (605) 336-2288
- Fax
- (605) 336-8729
- mwessel@howesoil.com
- Web domain
- howesoil.com
Registration
- Officers
- Andrew Howes · Mike Howes
- USDOT / docket
- 12728 · MC-176951
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 07/30/2024 · 950,000 mi (2023)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 12/06/2006
- D-U-N-S
- 24374761
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
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Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is HOWES OIL CO INC's USDOT number?
HOWES OIL CO INC's USDOT number is 12728, and its motor carrier number is MC-176951.
Is HOWES OIL CO INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-18, HOWES OIL CO INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is HOWES OIL CO INC's safety record?
HOWES OIL CO INC has a 8.7% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 60 roadside inspections, with 0 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 HOWES OIL CO INC's fleet?
HOWES OIL CO INC operates 16 power units and 20 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is HOWES OIL CO INC based?
HOWES OIL CO INC is based in SIOUX FALLS, SD, with roadside inspections recorded across 3 states.