Fleet typeIdentity
Asset-based
91 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.
Carrier profile · USDOT 184089 · MC-267378
THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP
DBA VAN EERDEN FOOD SERVICE
91 power unitsavg 4.8 yrRegional · 3 statesGRAND RAPIDS, MI
CARRIER ACTIVEMC-267378 ACTIVE
Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily
91Power units
21 observed · MCS-150
22Trailers seen
Decoded · vPIC
4.8Avg age (yr)
2011–2026 · 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 authority5252 yr active
since 1974Insurance (BIPD)On file
FMCSA L&IVehicle OOS · 24mo38.538.5 %
▲ 22.26% nat'lCrashes · fatal11
5 in 24moVektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots
Fleet age vs peersNewer
4.8 yr
Model years 2011–2026 · peer benchmark computing.
Identity stabilityStable
52 yr unchanged
Same registration since 1974 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.
AI readFull read
Is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP safe to work with?
Is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP safe to load? THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP (USDOT 184089, MC-267378) is an active asset-based motor carrier based in GRAND RAPIDS, MI, operating 91 power units and 114 drivers. Operating authority has been active 52 years (past the 24-month broker-confidence threshold). Across 36 roadside inspections, its vehicle out-of-service rate is 38.5% (above the 22.26% national average), with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months. FMCSA has not assigned a safety rating. 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
TDTHE DISTRIBUTION GROUP 74
01
Safety
36 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks
Out-of-service rate· trailing 24 months vs national benchmark
Vehicle OOS 38.5% (24-mo)13 veh insp · 24-mo · nat'l 22.26%
050%nat'l 22.26%
Driver OOS 0.0% (24-mo)25 drv insp · 24-mo · nat'l 6.67%
030%nat'l 6.67%
OOS trajectory· trailing 6-mo vehicle-OOS rate vs national
22.2% 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
≈0.1 / unit·yr
thin signalabundant signal
Few roadside inspections for a 91-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
- 91
- Inspections · 24 mo
- 25
- Annualized
- ≈13 / yr
- Coverage
- ≈0.1 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 Driving14
- 393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance5
- 393.75 Tires (defective / underinflated / worn)Vehicle Maintenance5 · 4 OOS
- 393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance4 · 1 OOS
- 393.47 Brake actuators / linings / componentsVehicle Maintenance4
- 393.11 Required lamps/reflectors missingVehicle Maintenance3
- 390.21 USDOT number marking on vehicleUnsafe Driving2
- 392.9 Failure to secure load / cargo not securedUnsafe Driving2
- 396.17 Periodic (annual) inspectionVehicle Maintenance2
- 393.209 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance1 · 1 OOS
02
Authority & insurance
Can they legally + adequately haul your load?
Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type
Operating authority
- Common
- None
- 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 · 6 insurers · 1 lapseCoverage lapse
+1 earlier
Travelers · 93–95
American · 95–97
Valley Forge · 99–04
Frankenmuth · 03–17
Travelers Property · 17–21
19932021
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 7 filings
| Insurer | Period | Limit | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRAVELERS PROPERTY CASUALTY CO. OF AMERICA | Sep 2017 → Sep 2021 | $750k | 1 |
| FRANKENMUTH MUTUAL INSURANCE CO | Sep 2003 → Sep 2017 | $750k | 1 |
| VALLEY FORGE INSURANCE CO. | Sep 1999 → Jan 2004 | $750k | 1 |
| FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE COMPANY OF WISCONSIN | Sep 1997 → Sep 1997 | $750k | 2 |
| THE AMERICAN INSURANCE CO. | Sep 1995 → Sep 1997 | $750k | 1 |
| TRAVELERS CASUALTY AND SURETY COMPANY | Sep 1993 → Sep 1995 | $750k | 1 |
03
Equipment & fleet
VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC
Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed
- Registered power units (MCS-150)
- 91
- Observed power (24 mo)
- 21
- Trailers (towed)
- 22
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
2011
Oldest model yr
VINs decoded
04
Operations & lanes
Revealed by inspection density across 3 states · 24 mo
Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography
Operating radiusRegional
revealedStates observed33
US statesInspections · 24 mo2525
MI busiestInspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo
Home base
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Top corridor
MI
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 (3 trucks · 3 carriers)
Across all inspections on record: USDOT 1699820USDOT 4073634USDOT 4090485
Shares a registration email domain with other carriers
@vaneerden.com; kristyg — 2 carriers: USDOT 2400707
Shares a company officer with other carriers
robert ford — 19 carriers: USDOT 924657USDOT 1246134USDOT 1458992USDOT 1606908USDOT 1748286USDOT 1754432USDOT 2006084USDOT 2389954
Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units
Registered (MCS-150)9191
Observed (24 mo)2121
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
- 650 IONIA AVE SW, GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 49503
- Mailing address
- PO BOX 3110, GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 49503
- Operation
- Interstate
Contact
- Phone
- (616) 475-0900
- Fax
- (616) 475-0990
- Web domain
- vaneerden.com; kristyg
Registration
- Officers
- Robert Ford · Charles Van Eerden
- USDOT / docket
- 184089 · MC-267378
- First registered
- 06/01/1974
- Last MCS-150
- 12/16/2025 · 3,996,499 mi (2024)
- FMCSA safety rating
- Not rated
- D-U-N-S
- 17105529
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 THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.
Leave a review09
Frequently asked
What is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP's USDOT number?
THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP's USDOT number is 184089, and its motor carrier number is MC-267378.
Is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP authorized to operate?
As of 2026-06-13, THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.
What is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP's safety record?
THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP has a 38.5% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 36 roadside inspections, with 5 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and is not currently rated by FMCSA. Vektor's computed risk score is 74/100 (tier: review).
How big is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP's fleet?
THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP operates 91 power units and 114 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.
Where is THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP based?
THE DISTRIBUTION GROUP is based in GRAND RAPIDS, MI, with roadside inspections recorded across 3 states.