Carrier profile · USDOT 211596 · MC-161485 · Updated Jun 13, 2026

MERL'S TOWING SERVICE INC

DBA MERL'S TOWING SERVICE

33 power unitsWYOMING, MI78/100

CARRIER ACTIVEMC-161485 ACTIVEHAZMAT

Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily

33Power units

Self-reported · MCS-150

—Trailers seen

None observed · 24 mo

—Avg age (yr)

Not yet decoded

Call dispatch(616) 538-1320 Email dispatchdeedeefredette@gmail.com

Click to see how we scored it

Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · Jun 13, 2026

Review before loading

Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.

Active operating authorityInsurance on fileNo inspection history despite active fleet

Watch · 3

No inspection history despite active fleetAn established carrier reporting 33 power units has no roadside inspections — a common shell/paper-carrier signal.MCS-150 update dueThe biennial MCS-150 update is overdue.Multiple injury crashes10 crashes involving injuries are on record.

In good standing · 3

Active operating authorityActive for-hire authority is on file with FMCSA.Insurance on fileBIPD (liability) insurance is on file with FMCSA.Established 44 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1982.

USDOT registration

yr registered

Active for-hire

Insurance (BIPD)$1M in force

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24-mo—

No inspections · 24 mo

Crashes · fatal

2 in 24 mo

USDOT registration

yr registered

Active for-hire

Insurance (BIPD)$1M in force

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24-mo—

No inspections · 24 mo

Crashes · fatal

2 in 24 mo

Vektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots

Fleet typeIdentity

Asset-based

33 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.

Fleet age vs peersDecoding

—

Not yet decoded

Identity stabilityStable

44 yr unchanged

Same registration since 1982 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.

Safety

Roadside inspections, BASICs & crash history

Out-of-service rate· 24-mo cumulative

No roadside inspections on record.

Roadside inspection history· 24 charted calendar months · vehicle / driver level · any-OOS overlay

No roadside inspections on the FMCSA record in this window

Explore full safety record — inspections, BASICs, crashes

Authority & insurance

Can they legally + adequately haul your load?

Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type

Operating authority

Common: Active
Contract: Active
Broker: Inactive

Insurance & bonds

BIPD / liability$1,000,000 in force

Cargo filing (census)Recorded per census

Surety bond (census)Not recorded per census

Insurance adequacy· filed BIPD vs the $750K federal floor

$1M in forcegeneral-freight federal minimum

$750K floor

Filed BIPD coverage of $1M meets or exceeds the $750K federal minimum for general freight (49 CFR 387.9). Some commodities (hazmat, larger vehicles) require $1M–$5M — confirm against your load.

Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses

$1M BIPD last filed ’21 · 12 insurers · 2 lapsesCoverage lapse

Sentry Select’94–’97

Zurich’97–’00

Universal’07–’11

Netherlands’12–’17

Ohio Security’17–’20

beyond this history

1994200220102018now

Shorter eras are too brief to label at this scale — all 15 insurers are named in the list below.

BIPD in force — $1,000,000 · FREMONT INSURANCE COMPANY · since Mar 2021

All 15 insurer eras · dates, limits, renewals

Insurer	Period	Limit	Renewals
ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY	Dec 2020 → Mar 2021	$1M	1
OHIO SECURITY INSURANCE COMPANY	Dec 2017 → Dec 2020	$1M	1
PACIFIC FINANCIAL ASSOCIATION, INC.	Oct 2013 → Jun 2015	$1M	1
THE NETHERLANDS INSURANCE COMPANY	Dec 2012 → Dec 2017	$1M	2
PACIFIC FINANCIAL ASSOCIATION, INC.	Jun 2012 → Oct 2013	$1M	1
THE NETHERLANDS INSURANCE COMPANY	Dec 2011 → Dec 2012	$1M	1
UNIVERSAL UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE CO.	Nov 2007 → Dec 2011	$1M	2
THE NETHERLANDS INSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 2006 → Nov 2007	$1M	1
CONSOLIDATED INSURANCE CO.	Nov 2005 → Nov 2005	$1M	2
WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION	Nov 2003 → Nov 2005	$1M	2
EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.	Nov 2002 → Nov 2003	$1M	1
UNITED STATES FIDELITY & GUARANTY CO.	Dec 2001 → Dec 2002	$1M	3
TRANSCONTINENTAL INSURANCE CO.	Dec 2000 → Dec 2001	$1M	1
ZURICH INSURANCE CO.	Sep 1997 → Dec 2000	$1M	1
SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 1994 → Nov 1997	$1M	3

Explore full authority & insurance record

Equipment & fleet

VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC

Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed

Registered power units (MCS-150): 33
Observed power (24 mo): —
Trailers (towed): —

Capacity is power units only — trailers are towed equipment and are never summed into a fleet-size figure.

Explore full fleet — VIN roster, equipment mix, age distribution

Operations & lanes

Revealed by inspection density · 24 mo

Inspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo

Home base

WYOMING, MI

5510 CLAY AVE SW

Density

fewermore

Shade = roadside inspections, last 24 mo.

See the full operating map — state density, top lanes

Network & fraud

Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict

No shared-identity links detected — no reincarnation flag, shared trucks, registration domain, or officer overlap with other carriers.

Explore the carrier network & VIN cross-links

Identity & contact

FMCSA census + L&I dossier

Location

Physical address: 5510 CLAY AVE SW, WYOMING, MI, 49548
Operation: Interstate· Hazmat

Contact

Phone: (616) 538-1320
Cell: (616) 813-1040
Fax: (616) 538-0601
Email: deedeefredette@gmail.com

Registration

Officer: Mark Fredette
USDOT / docket: 211596 · MC-161485
First registered: Apr 28, 1982
Last MCS-150: Mar 28, 2024 · 661,994 mi (2022)
FMCSA safety rating: Not rated
D-U-N-S: —

Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)

Power units

Drivers

CDL drivers

661,994

Annual mileage

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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.

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Reviews

Verified broker, shipper & driver reviews — moderated

Performance ratings only — never the Vektor risk score

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Verification summaryAuthority, insurance, safety and identity facts for MERL'S TOWING SERVICE INC.

MERL'S TOWING SERVICE INC (USDOT 211596) has a Vektor safety score of 78/100 and a Review before loading verdict, from the carrier's FMCSA record refreshed Jun 13, 2026.

The carrier holds active common and contract for-hire operating authority per FMCSA L&I as of Jun 13, 2026.

It has an active BIPD insurance filing with a $1,000,000 limit in force from FREMONT INSURANCE COMPANY effective Mar 14, 2021 in FMCSA L&I's current snapshot as of Jun 13, 2026.

The carrier received 0 roadside inspections in the last 24 months — 0 vehicle-level and 0 driver-level, according to FMCSA roadside-inspection data refreshed Jun 13, 2026.

The carrier has 2 reportable crashes in the last 24 months and 0 fatal crashes across the full FMCSA crash record available as of Jun 13, 2026.

It reports 33 power units and 11 drivers in its most recent MCS-150 filing dated Mar 28, 2024.

It has no FMCSA-assigned safety rating in the federal record refreshed Jun 13, 2026.