HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/243805-mel-easton-and-sons-inc/ · Checked 2026-10-21 12:47 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 21, 2026 · Authority and insurance: FMCSA · Oct 21, 2026
Mel Easton and Sons Inc
- AuthorityActive
- Liability insurance$1,000,000
- Out-of-service rate37.5%
Review before booking · 1 signal
How risk signals workFacts from the FMCSA record that call for a closer look. They are not a finding of wrongdoing.
- Vehicle out-of-service rate well above the state average37.5% vs Iowa average 22.1%.
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.
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What to verify next
- Confirm authority and insurance on the official Motus record. Safety record: SAFER.
- Call back on the number on file, (712) 366-4305, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC173948.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liability (BI&PD) | MC173948 | Primary | West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. Policy 1000490894 · BMC-91X | $1,000,000 | Mar 1, 2023 | Active |
Source: FMCSA · Oct 21, 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 21, 2024 – Oct 21, 2026
3 of 8 · Iowa avg 22.1%
0 of 38 · Iowa avg 3.1%
By quarter inspections and vehicle out-of-service rate
Bar height: inspections in the quarter. Percentage: vehicles put out of service, of vehicle inspections (grey when there were fewer than 5). The first and last quarters are partial.
Where it was inspected 8 states, 24 months
Hover or tap a state to see its inspections.
- Iowa 17 44.7%
- Nebraska 9 23.7%
- Illinois 5 13.2%
- South Dakota 2 5.3%
- Minnesota 2 5.3%
- Missouri 1 2.6%
Vehicles seen at inspections different VINs, 24 months
Power units: 28
27 tractors · 1 straight truck
Freightliner 15Peterbilt 12Kenworth 3International 1Volvo 1
40 power units declared on the MCS-150. Inspections see only part of a fleet, so fewer here is normal; many more can mean the registration is out of date.
Trailers: 30
29 semi-trailers · 1 full trailer
Great Dane 22Utility 4Wabash 4
Includes trailers the company pulled but does not own, such as shipper or leasing trailers.
Shippers named on inspection reports 24 months
JBS 1Americold 1Smithfield 1Wholestone Farms 1Frenchman Valley Produce 1Premium Minnesota Pork 1United Natural Foods Inc 1Mountaire Farms of Siler City 1
As written by roadside inspectors, who note the shipper on the bill of lading. Only names that appear on at least three different carriers' reports are shown, so private individuals are never listed. A shipper on a report is not a reference.
10 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | IL | 2 | 0 | No |
| Jul 8, 2026 | IL | 3 | 0 | No |
| Jun 18, 2026 | NE | 3 | 0 | No |
| May 22, 2026 | NE | 3 | 0 | No |
| May 19, 2026 | IA | 2 | 1 | Yes |
| Apr 15, 2026 | IA | 3 | 1 | No |
| Feb 18, 2026 | IA | 3 | 1 | No |
| Feb 16, 2026 | IA | 3 | 0 | No |
| Feb 4, 2026 | MN | 3 | 1 | No |
| Jan 13, 2026 | IA | 1 | 4 | No |
How these rates are calculated
Period: Oct 21, 2024 – Oct 21, 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 Iowa average covers 31,589 vehicle and 64,939 driver inspections of all Iowa-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
29 violations counted in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), 3 of them serious enough to put the driver or vehicle out of service.
Why is this different from the 36 violations above?
The inspections section's number counts every violation written on the inspection reports in our Oct 21, 2024 – Oct 21, 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 | Iowa share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 18 | 3 | 62.1% | 60.1% |
| Unsafe Driving | 9 | 0 | 31.0% | 23.4% |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 2 | 0 | 6.9% | 12.5% |
10 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 2 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS2 | 4 | 0 |
| Inoperable Required Lamp Clearance Identification Lamps/Other · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939 | 3 | 0 |
| Failing to use seat belt while operating a CMV Seat Belt · Unsafe Driving · code 39216 | 2 | 0 |
| Brake hose or tubing chafing and/or kinking Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345B2 | 2 | 0 |
| Wipers - Inoperative / missing / damaged wipers Windshield/ Glass/ Markings · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39378 | 2 | 0 |
| BRAKES OUT OF SERVICE: The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20 percent of the service brakes on the vehicle or combination Brake Out Of Service · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3963A1BOS | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel - Dripping leak. Other Vehicle Defect · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3963A1F | 1 | 1 |
| 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Portable ELD not mounted in a fixed position and visible to driver EOBR Related · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 39522G | 1 | 0 |
| HOS (Form) - Paper Log/Logging Programs Form and Manner Other Log/Form & Manner · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 3958A | 1 | 0 |
Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 21, 2026. "Share" is this company's mix of violations; the Iowa column is the mix across all Iowa-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 21, 2024 – Oct 21, 2026
2 most recent crashes
| Date | Location | Fatalities | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2026 | No City County Crash, IA | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 4, 2025 | Not Reported, NE | 0 | 1 |
Reportable crashes do not imply the carrier was at fault.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 21, 2026
| USDOT number | 243805 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC173948 |
| Legal name | MEL EASTON AND SONS INC |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | Corporation |
| Power units | 40 |
| Drivers | 34 |
| Annual mileage | 1,842,496 (2025) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Satisfactory (Dec 8, 1992) |
| USDOT number added | Mar 16, 1984 · 42 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Mar 26, 2026 |
| Email domain on file | @eastontrucking.com |
Equipment as declared on the MCS-150
| Owned | Term-leased | |
|---|---|---|
| Tractors | 2 | 38 |
| Trailers | 15 | 177 |
Term-leased equipment usually belongs to owner-operators driving under this company's authority.
Cargo carried
General FreightMetal: Sheets, Coils, RollsBuilding MaterialsFresh ProduceGrain, Feed, HayMeatRefrigerated FoodBeveragesPaper ProductsAgricultural/Farm SuppliesConstructionOtherMisc. Product
Change history
No changes to name, contact details, authority or insurance since we started tracking on Oct 18, 2026. We compare every company's FMCSA record each day.
to see it on your watchlist when something changes.
Questions about Mel Easton and Sons Inc
What does Mel Easton and Sons Inc's operating authority allow?
MC173948: Motor carrier (may haul regulated property for hire).
Which information about Mel Easton and Sons 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 Mel Easton and Sons Inc?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 243805. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (712) 366-4305, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC173948, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
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Company details from the FMCSA Company Census File (Oct 21, 2026). Inspections and crashes from FMCSA MCMIS files. About our data · Report an error on this page (how corrections work).
Page generated 2026-10-21 12:47 UTC.