ESTES EXPRESS LINES
Doing business as ESTES
Carrier & Broker
Motor carrier & Broker under MC97275
Nothing in the FMCSA record matched our risk signals. That is not a guarantee; follow the checks below. How this works
No cargo cover filed with FMCSA
Green means the FMCSA record shows it. It does not confirm who you are talking to, or that a policy covers your specific load.
What to verify next
- Confirm authority and insurance on the official Motus record ↗. Safety record: SAFER ↗.
- Call back on the number on file, (804) 353-1900, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC97275.
- Ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Insurance on file
Liability (BI&PD) pays for injury and damage to other people and property; it does not cover the freight. Cargo insurance covers the freight. FMCSA only requires cargo filings from household goods carriers and freight forwarders, so most carriers file none: ask for a cargo certificate that fits your load. No cargo cover filed with FMCSA.
| Type | Docket | Layer | Insurer | Coverage | Effective | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surety Bond | MC97275 | — | LM Insurance Corporation Policy 019097460 · BMC-82 | $1,000,000 | May 1, 2025 | Active |
| Surety Bond | MC97275 | — | LM Insurance Corporation Policy 019097460 · BMC-82 | $75,000 | May 1, 2025 | Active |
| Surety Bond | MC97275 | — | Fidelity & Deposit Co. of Maryland Policy LPM8685332 · BMC-84 | $75,000 | Oct 1, 2013 | Active |
Source: FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026. Identical filings repeated in the FMCSA data are shown once; a filing listed under two dockets is one policy, not extra coverage. Coverage is the maximum amount filed with FMCSA, not the full policy.
Confirm current filings: Motus record ↗ and ask the insurer for a certificate naming you as holder.
Roadside inspections Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026
447 of 2,726 · Virginia avg 21.3%
39 of 4,579 · Virginia avg 6.0%
10 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | NC | 3 | 0 | No |
| Oct 15, 2026 | PA | 3 | 0 | No |
| Oct 15, 2026 | PA | 2 | 2 | No |
| Oct 14, 2026 | NC | 3 | 0 | No |
| Oct 14, 2026 | NC | 1 | 0 | No |
| Oct 14, 2026 | AL | 2 | 3 | Yes |
| Oct 14, 2026 | OK | 3 | 0 | No |
| Oct 14, 2026 | NM | 2 | 0 | No |
| Oct 13, 2026 | OK | 2 | 0 | No |
| Oct 13, 2026 | NC | 3 | 2 | No |
How these rates are calculated
Period: Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026. Vehicle rate = vehicle inspections with a vehicle out-of-service order ÷ vehicle inspections (levels 1, 2, 5 and 6). Driver rate uses levels 1, 2, 3 and 6. The Virginia average covers 31,514 vehicle and 51,603 driver inspections of all Virginia-based carriers in this period. It mixes every type of operation, so compare with care; rates based on a handful of inspections say little. FMCSA's own SMS measures are weighted differently: SMS profile ↗ · SAFER snapshot ↗
Violations in FMCSA's SMS last 24 months
2,753 violations counted in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), 553 of them serious enough to put the driver or vehicle out of service.
Why is this different from the 3,847 violations above?
The inspections section's number counts every violation written on the inspection reports in our Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026 window. The SMS count comes from FMCSA's own monthly SMS snapshot, which uses its own 24-month window and only the violations it scores. Both are FMCSA figures; they measure different things.
| Category (FMCSA BASIC) | Violations | Out of service | Share | Virginia share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 1,670 | 451 | 60.7% | 67.5% |
| Unsafe Driving | 586 | 0 | 21.3% | 13.5% |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 248 | 6 | 9.0% | 12.8% |
| Hazardous Materials Compliance | 207 | 59 | 7.5% | 1.0% |
| Driver Fitness | 42 | 37 | 1.5% | 4.8% |
10 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| Air Brake - Hose/tubing damaged or not secured Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345B2BAIR | 83 | 1 |
| State/Local Laws - Lane restriction violation Misc Violations · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLLR | 79 | 0 |
| State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g. safety official signal sign light lane marking other Dangerous Driving · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLTCD | 77 | 0 |
| Driver - Failed to use seat belt while operating a CMV Seat Belt · Unsafe Driving · code 39216D | 77 | 0 |
| Tires - All others leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS Tires · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39375A3TAOL | 71 | 70 |
| State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 2 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS2 | 70 | 0 |
| HOS (ELD) - ELD Form and Manner Other Log/Form & Manner · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 39524 | 67 | 0 |
| Air Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1 1998 Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39355EB | 65 | 0 |
| Air Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345DB | 62 | 0 |
| Lighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALSLIWR | 52 | 52 |
Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 18, 2026. "Share" is this company's mix of violations; the Virginia column is the mix across all Virginia-based carriers, so you can see which kinds of problems stand out. A high count partly reflects fleet size and how often trucks are inspected.
Crashes Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026
10 most recent crashes
| Date | Location | Fatalities | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | Rural, LA | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 2, 2026 | Lumberton, NC | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 2, 2026 | Batavia, OH | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Columbia, MO | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Black Creek Township, PA | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Black Creek Township, PA | 0 | 3 |
| Sep 22, 2026 | Laredo, TX | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Hopewell Township, PA | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Derry Township, PA | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | Unincorporated, FL | 0 | 1 |
Reportable crashes do not imply the carrier was at fault.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 18, 2026
| USDOT number | 121018 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC97275 |
| Legal name | ESTES EXPRESS LINES |
| DBA name | ESTES |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | Corporation |
| Power units | 9,805 |
| Drivers | 8,821 |
| Annual mileage | 620,749,705 (2024) |
| Hazmat | Yes |
| Safety rating | Satisfactory (Jan 29, 2001) |
| USDOT number added | Jun 1, 1974 · 52 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Jul 29, 2025 |
Cargo carried
General FreightMetal: Sheets, Coils, RollsBuilding MaterialsMachinery, Large ObjectsLiquids/GasesIntermodal ContainersGrain, Feed, HayChemicalsBeveragesPaper ProductsAgricultural/Farm SuppliesConstruction
Questions about ESTES EXPRESS LINES
Is ESTES EXPRESS LINES a broker or a carrier?
Both. ESTES EXPRESS LINES holds active broker authority and active authority to haul freight. Check which role it is acting in on your load: as a broker it arranges another carrier; as a carrier it hauls with its own trucks.
What does ESTES EXPRESS LINES's operating authority allow?
MC97275: Motor carrier (may haul regulated property for hire); Broker (may arrange transportation by other authorized carriers, but may not haul the freight itself under this authority).
Which information about ESTES EXPRESS LINES is old or missing?
Nothing notable: authority and insurance come from current Motus data and there is enough inspection history to compare.
What should I verify before booking ESTES EXPRESS LINES?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 121018. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (804) 353-1900, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC97275, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as certificate holder.
Other companies using (804) 353-1900
A shared number is common for related companies, dispatch services and family businesses. It is not proof of fraud, but it is worth knowing which company you are dealing with.
2 companies
| Company | USDOT | Docket | Trucks | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSAL LOGISTICS OF VIRGINIA LLC DBA ESTES DEDICATED |
3330935 | MC1061460 | 522 | Active Current · Motus |
| ESTES TRUCKLOAD MANAGEMENT LLC DBA ESTES BROKERAGE |
2239979 | MC614468 | 0 | Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026 |
Other trucking companies in Richmond
All in Richmond →Largest fleets
| Company | USDOT | Docket | Trucks | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSAL LOGISTICS OF VIRGINIA LLC DBA ESTES DEDICATED |
3330935 | MC1061460 | 522 | Active Current · Motus |
| SOUTHERN STATES CO-OPERATIVE INC | 4969 | MC212149 | 469 | Last known: Inactive FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026 |
| BIG E TRANSPORTATION LLC | 1762766 | MC644288 | 380 | Active Current · Motus |
| PETROLEUM CARRIERS LLC | 993280 | MC421823 | 188 | Active Current · Motus |
| CARPENTER CO | 121209 | MC199598 | 155 | Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026 |
| GROOME TRANSPORTATION LLC | 121026 | MC229876 | 153 | Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026 |
| JAMES RIVER CARRIERS LLC | 3113083 | MC83735 | 129 | Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026 |
| ESTES FORWARDING WORLDWIDE LLC DBA EFW |
2352258 | FF7073 | 114 | Active Current · Motus |
| GPM TRANSPORTATION COMPANY LLC | 3907271 | MC1441252 | 106 | Active Current · Motus |
| SWEETIE BOY TRANSPORTATION LLC | 2106834 | MC734752 | 80 | Active Current · Motus |
Company details from the FMCSA Company Census File (Oct 18, 2026). Inspections and crashes from FMCSA MCMIS files. About our data · Report an error.