HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/2844073-tom-nichols/ · Checked 2026-10-19 12:22 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 18, 2026 · Authority and insurance: Last known · FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
TOM NICHOLS
Doing business as PROBINS LLC
Do not book until these are resolved · 2 signals
How risk signals workAt least one fact in the FMCSA record should stop a booking until it is cleared up. Confirm the current record on Motus first; it is not a finding of wrongdoing. Authority and insurance are last known from May 14, 2026.
- Operating authority is not authorized (last known)Without active authority the company may not haul or broker interstate freight for hire.
- Vehicle out-of-service rate well above the state average40.0% vs Maryland average 20.7%.
- Registration (MCS-150) last updated 2 years agoFleet size and contact details on the registration may be out of date.
No cargo cover filed with FMCSA
Not a live check. FMCSA has not published a Motus record for this carrier, so authority and insurance show the last known status from May 14, 2026. Confirm on Motus ↗ before booking.
What to verify next
- Confirm authority and insurance on the official Motus record ↗: our copy is the last known status from May 14, 2026. Safety record: SAFER ↗.
- Call back on the number on file, (443) 324-6033, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC953130.
- Ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Insurance on file
No insurance filings were found in the public FMCSA data for this carrier.
Roadside inspections Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026
2 of 5 · Maryland avg 20.7%
0 of 5 · Maryland avg 9.4%
5 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 2026 | MD | 2 | 2 | Yes |
| Oct 20, 2025 | MD | 1 | 1 | No |
| Jul 17, 2025 | MD | 2 | 0 | No |
| Apr 22, 2025 | MD | 1 | 0 | No |
| Feb 17, 2025 | MD | 1 | 3 | Yes |
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 Maryland average covers 42,318 vehicle and 51,664 driver inspections of all Maryland-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
5 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 6 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 | Maryland share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 5 | 3 | 100.0% | 71.4% |
5 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Brake - Inoperative or missing parking/emergency brake on power unit Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39340FBNPB | 1 | 1 |
| Steering - Ball and socket joint has movement greater than 1/8 inch measured with hand pressure Steering Mechanism · Vehicle Maintenance · code 393209DSTBSP | 1 | 1 |
| Hydraulic/Electric Brake - Rotor (disc) metal to metal contact Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39347D2BRMMCHE | 1 | 0 |
| Tires - Less than 1/32 inch tread depth at 3 locations/2 adjacent tread grooves Tires · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39375CTAOTDLT132 | 1 | 0 |
Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 18, 2026. "Share" is this company's mix of violations; the Maryland column is the mix across all Maryland-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
No reportable crashes in this period.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 18, 2026
| USDOT number | 2844073 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC953130 |
| Legal name | TOM NICHOLS |
| DBA name | PROBINS LLC |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | — |
| Power units | 2 |
| Drivers | 8 |
| Annual mileage | 18,000 (2020) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Not rated (no compliance review on record) |
| USDOT number added | Feb 1, 2016 · 10 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | May 9, 2024 |
Cargo carried
General FreightLogs, Poles, Beams, LumberBuilding MaterialsGarbage/RefuseConstruction
Questions about TOM NICHOLS
What does TOM NICHOLS's operating authority allow?
FMCSA records show no active operating authority for TOM NICHOLS (MC953130), so it may not haul regulated interstate freight for hire or broker loads under these dockets.
Which information about TOM NICHOLS is old or missing?
Operating authority is the last known status from the FMCSA snapshot of May 14, 2026, not a current check. No insurance filings were found in the public data. FMCSA has not issued a safety rating, which means no compliance review is on record, not that the carrier is unsafe. The MCS-150 was last updated May 9, 2024, so fleet size and contact details may be out of date.
What should I verify before booking TOM NICHOLS?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 2844073. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (443) 324-6033, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC953130, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Other trucking companies in Taneytown, MD →
Company details from the FMCSA Company Census File (Oct 18, 2026). Inspections and crashes from FMCSA MCMIS files. About our data · Report an error on this page (how corrections work).
Page generated 2026-10-19 12:22 UTC.