Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
106 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 201734 · MC-157313
KOTACO FUELS INC
DBA NICHELSON OIL
106 power unitsavg 11.5 yrMulti-region · 10 statesFARGO, ND
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-157313 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORYHAZMAT
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
106Power units
65 observed · MCS-150
60Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.5Avg age (yr)
1998–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-21
Clear to load
Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileFatal crash on record
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 200 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo14.914.9 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
3 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
11.5 yr
Model years 1998–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is KOTACO FUELS INC safe to work with?
Is KOTACO FUELS INC safe to load? KOTACO FUELS INC (USDOT 201734, MC-157313) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in FARGO, ND, operating 106 power units and 133 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 200 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 14.9% (below the 22.26% national average), with 3 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (88/100), with the leading concern: fatal crash on record. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-21.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-21
KFKOTACO FUELS INC 88
01
Safety
200 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 14.9% (24-mo)94 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.8% (24-mo)126 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▲ 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
≈0.6 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 106-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 106
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 126
- Annualized
- ≈63 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.6 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 Driving33
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance30 · 6 OOS
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance21 · 1 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance19 · 1 OOS
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance13
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance11 · 7 OOS
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance8 · 3 OOS
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance6
- 393.48 Brakes inoperativeVehicle Maintenance6
- 177.817 Other violationOther5 · 2 OOS
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
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$1M BIPD · 1 insurer · 0 lapsesContinuous
Federated · 87–17
19872017
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.
1 insurer era · collapsed from 9 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEDERATED MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. | Jun 1987 → Dec 2017 | $1M | 9 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 106
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 65
- Trailers (towed)
- 60
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
1998
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 10 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed99
US statesInspections · 24 mo124124
ND busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
FARGO, ND
Top corridor
ND
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 (19 trucks · 15 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 4545480USDOT 2434870USDOT 2517843USDOT 3114790USDOT 3620076USDOT 4362979USDOT 1958610USDOT 630320
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@kotacofuels.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 3928391
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)106106
Observed (24 mo)6565
Shared w/ other carriers1919
Registered capacity materially exceeds what is observed roadside — the MCS-150 may be stale or the fleet under-utilized.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 1902 7TH AVE N, FARGO, ND, 58102
- Operation
- Interstate· Hazmat
Contact
- Phone
- (701) 232-9215
- Fax
- (701) 237-6932
- Web domain
- kotacofuels.com
Registration
- Officer
- Shelly Flaagan
- USDOT / docket
- 201734 · MC-157313
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 05/09/2025 · 6,000,000 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 09/15/2005
- 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
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Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is KOTACO FUELS INC's USDOT number?
KOTACO FUELS INC's USDOT number is 201734, and its motor carrier number is MC-157313.
Is KOTACO FUELS INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-21, KOTACO FUELS INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is KOTACO FUELS INC's safety record?
KOTACO FUELS INC has a 14.9% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 200 roadside inspections, with 3 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 88/100 (tier: clear).
How big is KOTACO FUELS INC's fleet?
KOTACO FUELS INC operates 106 power units and 133 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is KOTACO FUELS INC based?
KOTACO FUELS INC is based in FARGO, ND, with roadside inspections recorded across 10 states.