Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
274 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 48104 · MC-162035
MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC
274 power unitsavg 4.1 yrMulti-region · 9 statesHICKORY, NC
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-162035 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
274Power units
266 observed · MCS-150
379Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
4.1Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-07-13
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 1151 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo4.84.8 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal99
19 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersNewer
4.1 yr
Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC safe to work with?
Is MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC safe to load? MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC (USDOT 48104, MC-162035) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in HICKORY, NC, operating 274 power units and 347 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 1,151 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 4.8% (below the 22.26% national average), with 19 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 2026-07-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-07-13
MTMERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC 88
01
Safety
1,151 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 4.8% (24-mo)336 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.1% (24-mo)723 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
3.1% 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
≈1.3 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Within the expected band for a 274-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.
- Registered power units
- 274
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 723
- Annualized
- ≈362 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.3 inspections / unit · yr
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- None
- Broker
- Active
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)Filed with FMCSA
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 6 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+2 earlier
American Motorists · 93–03
Continental · 03–05
Zurich American · 05–09
Discover Property · 09–11
19932013
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.
6 insurer eras · collapsed from 10 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAFETY NATIONAL CASUALTY CORPORATION | Apr 2012 → Jun 2013 | $750k | 2 |
| THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY CO. OF CONNECTICUT | Apr 2011 → Apr 2012 | $750k | 1 |
| DISCOVER PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Apr 2009 → Apr 2011 | $750k | 2 |
| ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2005 → Apr 2009 | $750k | 3 |
| CONTINENTAL CASUALTY CO. | Apr 2003 → Apr 2005 | $750k | 1 |
| AMERICAN MOTORISTS INSURANCE CO. | Apr 1993 → Apr 2003 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 274
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 266
- Trailers (towed)
- 379
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
1997
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 9 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusMulti-region
revealedStates observed99
US statesInspections · 24 mo723723
NC busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
HICKORY, NC
Top corridor
NC
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@mdi.com — 2 carriers: USDOT 4094010
Shares a company officer with other carriers
pete dhuse — 2 carriers: USDOT 4094010
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)274274
Observed (24 mo)266266
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 5005 ALEX LEE BLVD, HICKORY, NC, 28601
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 2148, HICKORY, NC, 28603
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (828) 725-4259
- Fax
- (828) 725-4201
- pete.dhuse@mdi.com
- Web domain
- mdi.com
Registration
- Officers
- Pete Dhuse · John Orgain
- USDOT / docket
- 48104 · MC-162035
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 04/03/2026 · 25,861,000 mi (2025)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 12/14/2000
- 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 MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC's USDOT number?
MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC's USDOT number is 48104, and its motor carrier number is MC-162035.
Is MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-07-13, MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC's safety record?
MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC has a 4.8% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 1,151 roadside inspections, with 19 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 MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC's fleet?
MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC operates 274 power units and 347 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC based?
MERCHANTS TRANSPORT OF HICKORY LLC is based in HICKORY, NC, with roadside inspections recorded across 9 states.