Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
14 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 854422 · MC-413974
PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC
14 power unitsavg 11.4 yrRegional · 7 statesBRANFORD, FL
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-413974 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
14Power units
21 observed · MCS-150
40Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
11.4Avg age (yr)
1997–2026 · vPIC
Click to see how we scored it
Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · 2026-06-13
Review before loading
Operating, but with flags a broker should weigh before tendering freight.
Active operating authorityInsurance on fileVehicle out-of-service rate well above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority2626 yr active
since 2000Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo52.452.4 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
1 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersTypical
11.4 yr
Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
26 yr unchanged
Same registration since 2000 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC safe to work with?
Is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC safe to load? PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC (USDOT 854422, MC-413974) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in BRANFORD, FL, operating 14 power units and 14 drivers. Operating authority has been active 26 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 75 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 52.4% (above the 22.26% national average), with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (74/100), with the leading concern: vehicle out-of-service rate well above average. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
PPPREFERRED PINE STRAW INC 74
01
Safety
75 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 52.4% (24-mo)21 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 2.2% (24-mo)46 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
33.3% 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
≈1.6 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Among the more heavily-inspected carriers for its size — abundant roadside signal. Coverage isn't the question here; the out-of-service and crash record is.
- Registered power units
- 14
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 46
- Annualized
- ≈23 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈1.6 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.
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance14 · 4 OOS
- 392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving12
- 395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance6
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance6
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance6 · 4 OOS
- 396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance5 · 3 OOS
- 395.22 ELD — provider/registration/malfunctionHOS Compliance4
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 393.78 Windshield wipersVehicle Maintenance3
- 396.5 Oil and/or grease leakVehicle Maintenance2
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 · 16 insurers · 3 lapsesCoverage lapse
+14 earlier
Empire Fire · 02–04
Occidental Fire · 17–19
National · 19–22
Highlander Specialty · 23–25
20012025
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.
18 insurer eras · collapsed from 39 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIGHLANDER SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2023 → Dec 2025 | $750k | 2 |
| WATFORD INSURANCE COMPANY | Dec 2022 → Dec 2023 | $750k | 1 |
| NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY | Mar 2019 → Dec 2022 | $750k | 1 |
| OCCIDENTAL FIRE AND CASUALTY CO. OF N.C. | Mar 2017 → Mar 2019 | $750k | 1 |
| CANAL INSURANCE CO. | Mar 2016 → Mar 2017 | $750k | 1 |
| CANAL INSURANCE CO. | Mar 2015 → Mar 2015 | $750k | 7 |
| ILLINOIS NATIONAL INSURANCE CO. | Mar 2014 → Mar 2015 | $750k | 2 |
| GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO. | Apr 2013 → Mar 2014 | $750k | 2 |
| NEW YORK MARINE & GENERAL INS. CO. | Apr 2012 → Apr 2013 | $750k | 1 |
| SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2011 → Apr 2012 | $750k | 1 |
| COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY INSURANCE | Apr 2010 → Apr 2011 | $750k | 1 |
| NATIONAL TRUST INSURANCE COMPANY | Apr 2009 → Apr 2010 | $750k | 1 |
| PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY | Jan 2008 → Apr 2009 | $750k | 2 |
| MERCURY INSURANCE COMPANY OF FLORIDA | Sep 2006 → Jan 2008 | $750k | 1 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2005 → Sep 2006 | $750k | 5 |
| AEQUICAP INSURANCE COMPANY | Sep 2004 → Dec 2004 | $750k | 4 |
| EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. | Jun 2002 → Sep 2004 | $750k | 3 |
| SIRIUS AMERICA INSURANCE COMPANY | Jun 2001 → Oct 2001 | $750k | 3 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 14
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 21
- Trailers (towed)
- 40
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 7 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed77
US statesInspections · 24 mo4646
FL busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
BRANFORD, FL
Top corridor
FL
Density
fewermore
05
Network & fraud
Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict
Last 12 months: 1 truck also ran under 1 other carrier
VINs inspected under this carrier were recently inspected under other USDOTs too — the active double-broker / shared-equipment signal: USDOT 2832166Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@windstream.net — 5065 carriers: USDOT 3865USDOT 6236USDOT 7480USDOT 28870USDOT 33852USDOT 34326USDOT 38801USDOT 47874
Shares a company officer with other carriers
johnny vincent — 2 carriers: USDOT 8074
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)1414
Observed (24 mo)2121
Shared w/ other carriers11
Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.
06
Identity & contact
FMCSA census + L&I dossier
Location
- Physical address
- 26644 SR 247, BRANFORD, FL, 32008-2632
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (386) 935-2773
- Fax
- (386) 935-0061
- Web domain
- windstream.net
Registration
- Officer
- Johnny Vincent
- USDOT / docket
- 854422 · MC-413974
- First registered
- 02/10/2000
- Last MCS-150
- 02/02/2026 · 964,382 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 06/16/2009
- 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 PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC's USDOT number?
PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC's USDOT number is 854422, and its motor carrier number is MC-413974.
Is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC's safety record?
PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC has a 52.4% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 75 roadside inspections, with 1 reportable crash in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 74/100 (tier: review).
How big is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC's fleet?
PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC operates 14 power units and 14 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC based?
PREFERRED PINE STRAW INC is based in BRANFORD, FL, with roadside inspections recorded across 7 states.