AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC

Carrier & Broker

Motor carrier under MC98114 · Motor carrier & Broker under MC278263

Detroit, MI · Interstate · 115 power units · Safety rating: Satisfactory

Call (734) 722-9500

Authority & insurance: Motus ↗ Safety: SAFER ↗

Review before bookingHow this works

Facts from the FMCSA record that call for a closer look. They are not a finding of wrongdoing. How this works

Vehicle out-of-service rate well above the state average43.5% vs Michigan average 21.2%.

Operating authority

Active

MC98114: Motor carrier active
MC278263: Motor carrier, Broker active

FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026

Liability insurance (BI&PD)

$1,000,000

Required minimum: $300,000
Cargo cover filed: $5,000

FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026

Broker bond / trust (BMC-84/85)

$75,000

Required: $75,000 · Surety Bond (Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America)

FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026

Vehicle out-of-service rate

43.5%

10 of 23 vehicle inspections · Michigan avg 21.2%

FMCSA inspections · Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026

FMCSA registration age

52 years

USDOT added Jun 1, 1974. Not a founding date.

FMCSA census · Oct 18, 2026

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, (734) 722-9500, not a number from an email or load board.
Check that the MC number you were given is MC98114 or MC278263.
Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load; if it brokers your load, ask for proof of its BMC-84/85 bond or trust instead.

Operating authority

MC98114 FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026

Motor carrier Motor Carrier of Property (Except Household Goods)	Active
Liability insurance on file	$1,000,000 (required: $300,000)

MC278263 FMCSA Motus · Oct 18, 2026

Motor carrier Motor Carrier of Property (Except Household Goods)	Active
Broker Broker of Property (Except Household Goods)	Active
Liability insurance on file	$750,000

Confirm current authority: Motus record for USDOT 173929 ↗

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. Cargo cover filed: $5,000.

Type	Docket	Layer	Insurer	Coverage	Effective	Status
Cargo	MC278263	—	FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE CO. Policy MZI 93003205 · BMC-34	$5,000	Dec 30, 2008	Active
Liability (BI&PD)	MC98114	Primary	ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. Policy CK00208980 · BMC-91X	$1,000,000	Jun 15, 1999	Active
Liability (BI&PD)	MC278263	Primary	Travelers Indemnity Co of Connecticut Policy 1118L490 · BMC-91X	$750,000	Dec 30, 2015	Active
Surety Bond	MC278263	—	Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America Policy 106002473 · 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

36inspections

43.5%vehicle out-of-service
10 of 23 · Michigan avg 21.2%

0.0%driver out-of-service
0 of 35 · Michigan avg 3.9%

81violations written on inspection reports

10 most recent inspections

Date	State	Level	Violations	Out of service
Oct 7, 2026	MI	2	1	Yes
Aug 5, 2026	MI	1	2	Yes
Jul 30, 2026	MI	3	1	No
Jun 4, 2026	MI	3	1	No
Apr 22, 2026	MI	2	1	No
Apr 10, 2026	MI	2	2	Yes
Mar 31, 2026	MI	3	1	No
Mar 12, 2026	MI	2	1	No
Feb 26, 2026	MI	2	2	No
Feb 19, 2026	MI	3	1	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 Michigan average covers 51,399 vehicle and 85,567 driver inspections of all Michigan-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

42 violations counted in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), 13 of them serious enough to put the driver or vehicle out of service.

Why is this different from the 81 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	Michigan share
Vehicle Maintenance	30	13	71.4%	63.8%
Unsafe Driving	10	0	23.8%	19.2%
Driver Fitness	1	0	2.4%	3.5%
Hours-of-Service Compliance	1	0	2.4%	12.5%

10 most frequent violations

Violation	Times	Out of service
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	4	4
Driver - Using a hand-held mobile telephone Phone Call · Unsafe Driving · code 39282DUMT	3	0
Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination Brake Out Of Service · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3963A1BOS	2	2
Metal Coils - Improper securement of coils transported with eyes lengthwise in/on a vehicle with anchor points Improper Load Securement · Vehicle Maintenance · code 393120DCDL	2	2
State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 2 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS2	2	0
Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39353BB	2	0
Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt Brakes Out of Adjustment · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39347E	2	0
Brake - Vacuum hose(s) or line(s) restricted/abraded/chafed through outer cover-to-cord ply crimped/cracked/broken Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345B2BVAC	1	1
Air Brake - Fails air loss rate test Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3963A1BALR	1	1
Suspension - Air spring/bag is missing or is detached at the top or bottom. Suspension · Vehicle Maintenance · code 393207FSASMD	1	1

Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 18, 2026. "Share" is this company's mix of violations; the Michigan column is the mix across all Michigan-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

9crashes

0fatal

2injury

7tow-away

9 most recent crashes

Date	Location	Injuries
Sep 21, 2026	Frenchtown Twp, MI	0
Jan 21, 2026	St Clair Shores, MI	0
Dec 18, 2025	Romulus, MI	1
Dec 16, 2025	Wayne, MI	0
Jul 21, 2025	Huron Twp, MI	2
Apr 4, 2025	Toledo, OH	0
Jan 21, 2025	Handy Twp, MI	0
Jan 21, 2025	Handy Twp, MI	0
Dec 11, 2024	Canton Twp, MI	0

Reportable crashes do not imply the carrier was at fault.

Company details FMCSA census · Oct 18, 2026

USDOT number	173929
MC / docket	MC98114, MC278263
Legal name	AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC
Operation	Interstate
Business type	Corporation
Power units	115
Drivers	113
Annual mileage	2,797,513 (2024)
Hazmat	No
Safety rating	Satisfactory (Jul 25, 2006)
USDOT number added	Jun 1, 1974 · 52 years ago
Last MCS-150 update	Mar 14, 2025

Cargo carried

Metal: Sheets, Coils, RollsBuilding MaterialsMachinery, Large ObjectsConstruction

Questions about AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC

Is AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC a broker or a carrier?

Both. AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC 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 AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC's operating authority allow?

MC98114: Motor carrier (may haul regulated property for hire). MC278263: 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 AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC 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 AMERICAN MOTOR LINES INC?

Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 173929. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (734) 722-9500, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC98114 or MC278263, and ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load; if it brokers your load, ask for proof of its BMC-84/85 bond or trust instead.

Other companies using (734) 722-9500

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
ALCO TRANSPORTATION INC	525677	MC254668	90	Active Current · Motus
STEELPRO LOGISTICS SERVICES INC	2236813	MC567775	0	Last known: Inactive FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026

Other trucking companies in Detroit

All in Detroit →

Largest fleets

Company	USDOT	Docket	Trucks	Authority
VOYAGER EXPRESS INC	1974009	MC698318	400	Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
SFD TRANSPORTATION CORP	2990034	MC18531	308	Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
FCA TRANSPORT LLC	151289	MC143028	292	Active Current · Motus
ALIBABA TRANSPORTATION LLC	3752362	MC1332560	215	Active Current · Motus
RYTE TRANS LLC	4473357	MC1777112	186	Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
CHURCHILL TRANSPORTATION INC	170798	MC147259	103	Active Current · Motus
HAMMAM LOGISTIC LLC	4182179	MC1610408	95	Inactive Current · Motus
PVS- NOLWOOD CHEMICALS INC DBA PVS CHEMISTRY FOR DAILY LIFE	200721	MC279200	94	Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
EMPIRE X-PRESS INC	3397215	MC1092883	90	Active Current · Motus
FIVE CROWNS TRUCKING	3433774	MC1545987	83	Last known: Active FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026

Company details from the FMCSA Company Census File (Oct 18, 2026). Inspections and crashes from FMCSA MCMIS files. About our data · Report an error.