HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/3132603-buds-express-inc/ · Checked 2026-10-19 08:19 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 18, 2026 · Authority and insurance: Last known · FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
BUDS EXPRESS INC
No risk signals in the last-known data
How risk signals workNothing in the FMCSA record matched our risk signals. That is not a guarantee, and it does not confirm who you are talking to; follow the checks below. Authority and insurance are last known from May 14, 2026.
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.
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, (224) 612-2082, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC93971.
- 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) | MC93971 | Primary | NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY Policy WF013308 · 91X | $750,000 | May 18, 2024 | Active |
Source: Last known · FMCSA snapshot May 14, 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.
Last known filings. Insurance for this carrier comes from the FMCSA snapshot of May 14, 2026. Policies may have been cancelled or replaced since. Confirm current filings: Motus record ↗ and ask the insurer for a certificate naming you as holder.
Roadside inspections Oct 18, 2024 – Oct 18, 2026
1 of 6 · Illinois avg 24.1%
1 of 10 · Illinois avg 4.4%
10 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | IN | 1 | 2 | No |
| Jul 6, 2026 | WI | 2 | 2 | No |
| May 15, 2026 | IL | 3 | 1 | No |
| May 11, 2026 | WI | 3 | 0 | No |
| Feb 24, 2026 | IN | 3 | 2 | Yes |
| Feb 20, 2026 | IN | 2 | 0 | No |
| Feb 17, 2026 | IN | 3 | 1 | No |
| Dec 26, 2025 | WI | 2 | 3 | No |
| Dec 9, 2024 | IN | 1 | 2 | Yes |
| Nov 8, 2024 | IN | 1 | 0 | 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 Illinois average covers 195,261 vehicle and 387,726 driver inspections of all Illinois-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
10 violations counted in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), 2 of them serious enough to put the driver or vehicle out of service.
Why is this different from the 13 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 | Illinois share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 5 | 1 | 50.0% | 60.9% |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 3 | 1 | 30.0% | 14.8% |
| Unsafe Driving | 2 | 0 | 20.0% | 19.8% |
10 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| HOS (Property) - Failing to have a record of duty status using the method prescribed Incomplete/Wrong Log · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 3958A1HOSP | 1 | 1 |
| Air Brake - Audible air leak at other than a proper connection Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345DBAAL | 1 | 1 |
| HOS (ELD) - A portable ELD is not mounted in a fixed position and visible to the driver when seated in the normal driving position. EOBR Related · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 39522GELDMFV | 1 | 0 |
| HOS (Property) - Driving more than 11 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty during the current 8 consecutive day period. Date and Time Hours · Hours-of-Service Compliance · code 3953A1HOSPD | 1 | 0 |
| State/Local Laws - Following too closely Dangerous Driving · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLFC | 1 | 0 |
| State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 4 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS4 | 1 | 0 |
| Drum Brake - Inoperative other than a steering axle Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39348ABIBD | 1 | 0 |
| Lighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALHLI | 1 | 0 |
| Lighting - Tail lamp - Any inoperative Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALRLI | 1 | 0 |
| Lighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative. Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALSLI | 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 Illinois column is the mix across all Illinois-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
Crash details
| Date | Location | Fatalities | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2025 | Manitowoc Rapids, WI | 0 | 0 |
Reportable crashes do not imply the carrier was at fault.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 18, 2026
| USDOT number | 3132603 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC93971 |
| Legal name | BUDS EXPRESS INC |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | — |
| Power units | 10 |
| Drivers | 10 |
| Annual mileage | 438,992 (2025) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Not rated (no compliance review on record) |
| USDOT number added | May 4, 2018 · 8 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Mar 26, 2026 |
Cargo carried
General FreightIntermodal Containers
Questions about BUDS EXPRESS INC
What does BUDS EXPRESS INC's operating authority allow?
MC93971: Common carrier (may haul regulated property for hire for the general public).
Which information about BUDS EXPRESS INC is old or missing?
Operating authority is the last known status from the FMCSA snapshot of May 14, 2026, not a current check. Insurance filings are from the same May 14, 2026 snapshot. FMCSA has not issued a safety rating, which means no compliance review is on record, not that the carrier is unsafe.
What should I verify before booking BUDS EXPRESS INC?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 3132603. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (224) 612-2082, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC93971, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Other trucking companies in Melrose Park, IL →
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 08:19 UTC.