Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
10 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 166182 · MC-138796
NELSON INC
10 power unitsavg 12 yrRegional · 6 statesDEERWOOD, MN
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-138796 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
10Power units
6 observed · MCS-150
8Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
12.0Avg age (yr)
1999–2022 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Clear to load
Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileMultiple injury crashes
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 24 inspections.
Operating authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo0.00.0 %
▼ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal00
1 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
12 yr
Model years 1999–2022 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is NELSON INC safe to work with?
Is NELSON INC safe to load? NELSON INC (USDOT 166182, MC-138796) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in DEERWOOD, MN, operating 10 power units and 10 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 24 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 0.0% (below the 22.26% national average), with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it clear to load (94/100). Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
NINELSON INC 94
01
Safety
24 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 0.0% (24-mo)2 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)10 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
0.0% now● Stable
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
≈0.5 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Roadside-inspection volume is about what you'd expect for a 10-unit fleet — enough signal to read the safety record, though not a heavy sample.
- Registered power units
- 10
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 10
- Annualized
- ≈5 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.5 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 Driving5
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.53 Automatic brake adjusters / indicatorsVehicle Maintenance1
- 393.55 Antilock brake system (ABS)Vehicle Maintenance1
- 393.83 Exhaust systemVehicle Maintenance1
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance1
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
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 4 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+1 earlier
Redland · 94–00
Northland · 01–13
Great West · 13–18
19942018
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.
4 insurer eras · collapsed from 5 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Nov 2013 → Nov 2018 | $750k | 2 |
| NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY | Nov 2001 → Nov 2013 | $750k | 1 |
| GULF INSURANCE CO. | Nov 2000 → Nov 2001 | $750k | 1 |
| REDLAND INSURANCE CO. | Nov 1994 → Nov 2000 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 10
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 6
- Trailers (towed)
- 8
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
2022
Newest model yr
1999
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 6 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed66
US statesInspections · 24 mo1010
MN busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
DEERWOOD, MN
Top corridor
MN
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 (2 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 517338USDOT 307855
Shares a company officer with other carriers
josh johnson — 12 carriers: USDOT 742542USDOT 886363USDOT 2202784USDOT 2408573USDOT 2522391USDOT 2813610USDOT 3241461USDOT 3839781
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)1010
Observed (24 mo)66
Shared w/ other carriers22
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
- 23577 FOREST ROAD, DEERWOOD, MN, 56444
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 38, DEERWOOD, MN, 56444
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (218) 534-3521
- Fax
- (218) 534-3179
- scott@nelsoninc.org
- Web domain
- nelsoninc.org
Registration
- Officers
- Josh Johnson · Scott Nelson
- USDOT / docket
- 166182 · MC-138796
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 10/09/2025 · 842,610 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 12/19/1996
- D-U-N-S
- 22756654
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
Be the first broker or shipper to rate NELSON INC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is NELSON INC's USDOT number?
NELSON INC's USDOT number is 166182, and its motor carrier number is MC-138796.
Is NELSON INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, NELSON INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is NELSON INC's safety record?
NELSON INC has a 0.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 24 roadside inspections, with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 94/100 (tier: clear).
How big is NELSON INC's fleet?
NELSON INC operates 10 power units and 10 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is NELSON INC based?
NELSON INC is based in DEERWOOD, MN, with roadside inspections recorded across 6 states.