HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/3415943-nichols-equipment-llc/ · Checked 2026-10-20 15:32 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 20, 2026 · Authority and insurance: Last known · FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
Nichols Equipment LLC
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.
Cargo cover filed: amount not published
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, (515) 280-7600, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC1124603.
- 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. Cargo cover filed: amount not published.
| Type | Docket | Layer | Insurer | Coverage | Effective | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo | MC1124603 | — | United Fire & Casualty Co. Policy 60506201 · BMC-34 | — | Jul 16, 2020 | Active |
| Liability (BI&PD) | MC1124603 | — | United Fire & Casualty Co. Policy 60506201 · BMC-91X | $1,000,000 | Jul 16, 2020 | 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 20, 2024 – Oct 20, 2026
0 of 2 · Iowa avg 22.1%
1 of 4 · 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. The first and last quarters are partial.
Where it was inspected 2 states and provinces, 24 months
- IA 3 75.0%
- SD 1 25.0%
Vehicles seen at inspections different VINs, 24 months
Power units: 4
2 straight trucks · 2 tractors
Chevrolet/GMC 1Freightliner 1Kenworth 1Peterbilt 1
4 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: 3
3 semi-trailers
Includes trailers the company pulled but does not own, such as shipper or leasing trailers.
4 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2026 | SD | 1 | 6 | Yes |
| Feb 24, 2026 | IA | 2 | 2 | No |
| Dec 3, 2024 | IA | 3 | 3 | No |
| Oct 21, 2024 | IA | 3 | 1 | No |
How these rates are calculated
Period: Oct 20, 2024 – Oct 20, 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 31,580 vehicle and 64,940 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
9 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 12 violations above?
The inspections section's number counts every violation written on the inspection reports in our Oct 20, 2024 – Oct 20, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver Fitness | 3 | 2 | 33.3% | 3.2% |
| Unsafe Driving | 3 | 0 | 33.3% | 23.4% |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 0 | 22.2% | 60.1% |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 1 | 1 | 11.1% | 12.5% |
9 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| License (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL License-related: High · Driver Fitness · code 38323A2LCDLN | 1 | 1 |
| Medical (Certificate) - Operating a property-carrying vehicle without a valid medical certificate in possession or on file with the state drivers licensing… Medical Certificate · Driver Fitness · code 39141APC | 1 | 1 |
| 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 |
| License (CDL) - CDL or CLP holder possesses a valid medical certificate but is not on file with the issuing state driver's licensing agency as required Medical Certificate · Driver Fitness · code 38371H | 1 | 0 |
| Driver - Using a hand-held mobile telephone Phone Call · Unsafe Driving · code 39282DUMT | 1 | 0 |
| State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 2 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS2 | 1 | 0 |
| State/Local Laws - Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit Speeding 4 · Unsafe Driving · code 3922SLLS4 | 1 | 0 |
| Emergency Equipment - Fire Extinguishers - no fire extinguisher present or not properly rated. Emergency Equipment · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39395A1 | 1 | 0 |
| Operating a CMV without documentation of a periodic inspection Inspection Reports · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39617CPI | 1 | 0 |
Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 20, 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 20, 2024 – Oct 20, 2026
No reportable crashes in this period.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 20, 2026
| USDOT number | 3415943 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC1124603 |
| Legal name | NICHOLS EQUIPMENT LLC |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | — |
| Power units | 4 |
| Drivers | 3 |
| Annual mileage | 71,000 (2025) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Not rated (no compliance review on record) |
| USDOT number added | Apr 7, 2020 · 6 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Email domain on file | @nicholsequip.com |
Equipment as declared on the MCS-150
| Owned | Term-leased | |
|---|---|---|
| Tractors | 4 | 0 |
| Trailers | 8 | 0 |
Term-leased equipment usually belongs to owner-operators driving under this company's authority.
Cargo carried
General FreightBuilding MaterialsMachinery, Large ObjectsGrain, Feed, HayCommodities Dry BulkAgricultural/Farm SuppliesConstruction
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 Nichols Equipment LLC
What does Nichols Equipment LLC's operating authority allow?
MC1124603: Common carrier (may haul regulated property for hire for the general public); Contract carrier (may haul regulated property for hire under continuing contracts with specific shippers).
Which information about Nichols Equipment LLC 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. There are too few vehicle inspections in the last 24 months to judge the out-of-service rate. 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 Nichols Equipment LLC?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 3415943. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (515) 280-7600, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC1124603, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Other trucking companies in Des Moines, IA →
Company details from the FMCSA Company Census File (Oct 20, 2026). Inspections and crashes from FMCSA MCMIS files. About our data · Report an error on this page (how corrections work).
Page generated 2026-10-20 15:32 UTC.