HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/3876200-smg-communications-inc/ · Checked 2026-10-19 10:36 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 18, 2026 · Authority and insurance: Last known · FMCSA snapshot May 14, 2026
SMG COMMUNICATIONS INC
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. Authority and insurance are last known from May 14, 2026.
- Vehicle out-of-service rate well above the state average38.9% vs California average 19.8%.
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, (530) 619-9155, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC1420658.
- 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) | MC1420658 | Primary | UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY Policy CA973829635 · 91X | $1,000,000 | Nov 26, 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
7 of 18 · California avg 19.8%
2 of 16 · California avg 6.3%
10 most recent inspections
| Date | State | Level | Violations | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | CA | 1 | 5 | Yes |
| Jun 30, 2026 | OR | 2 | 3 | Yes |
| Jun 22, 2026 | CA | 1 | 8 | No |
| May 6, 2026 | CA | 5 | 0 | No |
| May 6, 2026 | CA | 5 | 0 | No |
| May 6, 2026 | CA | 5 | 0 | No |
| Mar 25, 2026 | OR | 3 | 2 | No |
| Mar 16, 2026 | CA | 2 | 9 | Yes |
| Mar 5, 2026 | WA | 2 | 9 | Yes |
| Sep 22, 2025 | CA | 1 | 4 | 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 California average covers 398,428 vehicle and 509,934 driver inspections of all California-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
31 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 74 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 | California share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 28 | 11 | 90.3% | 71.7% |
| Driver Fitness | 3 | 2 | 9.7% | 3.2% |
10 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| Brake - Missing or inoperable breakaway braking system on a trailer(s) or converter dolly Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39343DB | 2 | 2 |
| Cargo - Vehicle components or dunnage not secured General Securement · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3929A2C | 2 | 2 |
| Driver cannot satisfy the English language proficiency requirements of 391.11(b)(2) in accordance with the current corresponding FMCSA enforcement guidance (391. General Driver Qualification · Driver Fitness · code 39111B2Q | 2 | 1 |
| Lighting - Tail lamp - Any inoperative Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALRLI | 2 | 1 |
| Emergency Equipment - Stopped vehicle warning devices missing or improper Emergency Equipment · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39395F | 2 | 0 |
| Battery - Not protected Other Vehicle Defect · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39330B | 2 | 0 |
| License (CDL) - Operate a CMV and does not possess a valid CDL License-related: High · Driver Fitness · code 38323A2LCDLN | 1 | 1 |
| Cargo - Cargo not secured to prevent leaking/spilling/blowing/falling from CMV Improper Load Securement · Vehicle Maintenance · code 393100BC | 1 | 1 |
| Lighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALSLIWR | 1 | 1 |
| Lighting - Stop lamps - Both obscured when required to be on. Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939BLSLOWR | 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 California column is the mix across all California-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 | 3876200 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC1420658 |
| Legal name | SMG COMMUNICATIONS INC |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | — |
| Power units | 9 |
| Drivers | 12 |
| Annual mileage | 1 (2024) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Not rated (no compliance review on record) |
| USDOT number added | May 3, 2022 · 4 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Mar 17, 2025 |
Cargo carried
General FreightMotor VehiclesLogs, Poles, Beams, LumberBuilding MaterialsMachinery, Large ObjectsConstructionOtherSwimming Pools
Questions about SMG COMMUNICATIONS INC
What does SMG COMMUNICATIONS INC's operating authority allow?
MC1420658: Common carrier (may haul regulated property for hire for the general public).
Which information about SMG COMMUNICATIONS 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 SMG COMMUNICATIONS INC?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 3876200. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (530) 619-9155, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC1420658, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Other trucking companies in Colusa, CA →
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 10:36 UTC.