Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
45 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 388139 · MC-496962
RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC
45 power unitsavg 12.4 yrLocal · 1 statesZERBE, PA
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-496962 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
45Power units
12 observed · MCS-150
11Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
12.4Avg 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 above average
Watch · 2
Operating authority3636 yr active
since 1990Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo33.333.3 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
4 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersOlder
12.4 yr
Model years 1997–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
36 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1990 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC safe to work with?
Is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC safe to load? RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC (USDOT 388139, MC-496962) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in ZERBE, PA, operating 45 power units and 45 drivers. Operating authority has been active 36 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 25 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 33.3% (above the 22.26% national average), with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA rates it Satisfactory. Vektor rates it review before loading (81/100), with the leading concern: fatal crash on record. Source: FMCSA SAFER/MCMIS, last updated 2026-06-13.
FMCSA fields + Vektor analysis · updated 2026-06-13
RBRICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC 81
01
Safety
25 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 33.3% (24-mo)3 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)16 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▲ 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
≈0.2 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Few roadside inspections for a 45-unit fleet — the out-of-service and violation signals above rest on a small sample, so weight them cautiously. Thin coverage on a young authority is itself a flag.
- Registered power units
- 45
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 16
- Annualized
- ≈8 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.2 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 Driving19
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance3 · 1 OOS
- 392.16 Failure to use seat beltUnsafe Driving2
- 392.9 Failure to secure load / cargo not securedUnsafe Driving1
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance1
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- Active
- Contract
- None
- Broker
- None
Insurance & bonds
BIPD / liability (required)Filed with FMCSA
CargoNone
Surety bond (BMC-84)None
Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses
$750k BIPD · 8 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn
+3 earlier
Westport · 04–08
Ohio · 11–13
Selective Way · 13–16
Travelers · 16–19
Acuity A · 19–22
20042022
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.
8 insurer eras · collapsed from 12 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACUITY, A MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 2019 → Jul 2022 | $750k | 1 |
| TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY | Jul 2016 → Jul 2019 | $750k | 2 |
| SELECTIVE WAY INSURANCE COMPANY | Jul 2013 → Jul 2016 | $750k | 2 |
| OHIO CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. | Jul 2011 → Jul 2013 | $750k | 1 |
| CONTINENTAL WESTERN INSURANCE CO. | Jul 2010 → Jul 2011 | $750k | 1 |
| FIREMEN'S INSURANCE CO. OF WASHINGTON DC | Jul 2009 → Jul 2010 | $750k | 1 |
| WESTFIELD INSURANCE CO. | Jul 2008 → Jul 2009 | $750k | 1 |
| WESTPORT INSURANCE CORPORATION | Aug 2004 → Jul 2008 | $750k | 3 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 45
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 12
- Trailers (towed)
- 11
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 1 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusLocal
revealedStates observed11
US statesInspections · 24 mo1616
PA busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
ZERBE, PA
Top corridor
PA
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 849812Some overlap is legitimate (leased or sold equipment); review alongside the other signals.
Show all-time history (3 trucks · 2 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 849812USDOT 3910316
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)4545
Observed (24 mo)1212
Shared w/ other carriers33
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
- 88 W DONALDSON STREET, ZERBE, PA, 17981
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (570) 695-3521
- Fax
- (570) 695-2666
Registration
- Officers
- Matthew Withelder · Richard Withelder
- USDOT / docket
- 388139 · MC-496962
- First registered
- 04/04/1990
- Last MCS-150
- 12/18/2025 · 1,927,777 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Satisfactory · 06/24/1993
- D-U-N-S
- 38418885
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 RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE 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 RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC's USDOT number?
RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC's USDOT number is 388139, and its motor carrier number is MC-496962.
Is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC's safety record?
RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC has a 33.3% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 25 roadside inspections, with 4 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 81/100 (tier: review).
How big is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC's fleet?
RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC operates 45 power units and 45 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC based?
RICKS BACKHOE SERVICE INC is based in ZERBE, PA, with roadside inspections recorded across 1 state.