HaulerCheck · https://haulercheck.com/carrier/681284-first-choice-of-elkhart-inc/ · Checked 2026-10-20 12:54 UTC · Census and inspections Oct 20, 2026 · Authority and insurance: FMCSA Motus · Oct 20, 2026
FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC
Doing business as FIRST CHOICE TRANSPORT
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 average36.4% vs Indiana average 23.1%.
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.
What to verify next
- Confirm authority and insurance on the official Motus record ↗. Safety record: SAFER ↗.
- Call back on the number on file, (269) 483-2010, not a number from an email or load board.
- Check that the MC number you were given is MC246602.
- 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) | MC246602 | Primary | Northland Insurance Company Policy WN413017 · BMC-91X | $1,000,000 | Jan 6, 2026 | Active |
Insurance that ended since 2024 · 3 policies
| Ended | Type | Insurer | Effective | How it ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6, 2026 | Liability (BI&PD) MC246602 | HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY Policy 21UENBH4T4J | Jan 1, 2025 | Replaced |
| Jan 1, 2025 | Liability (BI&PD) MC246602 | NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY Policy WN366107 | Jan 6, 2024 | Replaced |
| Jan 6, 2024 | Liability (BI&PD) MC246602 | WATFORD INSURANCE COMPANY Policy W18AF00311 | Jan 6, 2023 | Cancelled |
"Replaced" means a new filing took over the day the old one ended. "Cancelled" means the insurer or the company ended the policy; if no replacement was filed in time, the company was uninsured with FMCSA in between.
Source: FMCSA Motus · Oct 20, 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 20, 2024 – Oct 20, 2026
4 of 11 · Indiana avg 23.1%
0 of 17 · Indiana avg 5.5%
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 14 states and provinces, 24 months
- IN 3 17.6%
- MI 2 11.8%
- WI 1 5.9%
- AZ 1 5.9%
- VT 1 5.9%
- VA 1 5.9%
Vehicles seen at inspections different VINs, 24 months
Power units: 7
6 tractors · 1 straight trucks
Volvo 6Freightliner 2Kenworth 2Western Star 2
9 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: 7
7 semi-trailers
Includes trailers the company pulled but does not own, such as shipper or leasing trailers.
Shippers named on inspection reports 24 months
Braun Ability 2Fox Factory 1Federal Prison Industries 1Majestic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2026 | KY | 2 | 0 | No |
| Aug 26, 2026 | MI | 2 | 5 | No |
| Aug 18, 2026 | PA | 1 | 7 | Yes |
| Mar 3, 2026 | KS | 2 | 0 | No |
| Feb 19, 2026 | TX | 2 | 0 | No |
| Jan 19, 2026 | NY | 3 | 1 | No |
| Dec 15, 2025 | IN | 3 | 0 | No |
| Dec 1, 2025 | TN | 1 | 1 | No |
| Oct 12, 2025 | IN | 3 | 12 | No |
| Sep 15, 2025 | MA | 3 | 3 | 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 Indiana average covers 61,532 vehicle and 111,150 driver inspections of all Indiana-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
47 violations counted in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS), 7 of them serious enough to put the driver or vehicle out of service.
Why is this different from the 67 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 | Indiana share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Maintenance | 40 | 7 | 85.1% | 58.8% |
| Hours-of-Service Compliance | 4 | 0 | 8.5% | 18.1% |
| Unsafe Driving | 3 | 0 | 6.4% | 19.1% |
10 most frequent violations
| Violation | Times | Out of service |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative Clearance Identification Lamps/Other · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALIL | 3 | 0 |
| Lighting - Tail lamp - Any inoperative Lighting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALRLI | 3 | 0 |
| Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39353BB | 2 | 0 |
| Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt Brakes Out of Adjustment · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39347E | 2 | 0 |
| Lighting - Clearance lamp(s) inoperative Clearance Identification Lamps/Other · Vehicle Maintenance · code 3939ALCL | 2 | 0 |
| Conspicuity Systems - Truck tractor lower rear retro reflective sheeting missing on vehicle manufactured on or after July 1 1997 Reflective Sheeting · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39311A1CSLRR | 2 | 0 |
| Windshield - Damaged or Discolored Windshield/ Glass/ Markings · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39360C | 2 | 0 |
| 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 |
| Air Brake - Hose/tubing damage into the outer reinforcement ply. Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345B2BHTD | 1 | 1 |
| Brake - Vacuum hose(s) or line(s) restricted/abraded/chafed through outer cover-to-cord ply crimped/cracked/broken Brakes All Others · Vehicle Maintenance · code 39345B2BVAC | 1 | 1 |
Source: FMCSA SMS violation file, inspections in the last 24 months, published Oct 20, 2026. "Share" is this company's mix of violations; the Indiana column is the mix across all Indiana-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
2 most recent crashes
| Date | Location | Fatalities | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2025 | Lagrange, IN | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2025 | Rockwall, TX | 0 | 0 |
Reportable crashes do not imply the carrier was at fault.
Company details FMCSA census · Oct 20, 2026
| USDOT number | 681284 |
|---|---|
| MC / docket | MC246602 |
| Legal name | FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC |
| DBA name | FIRST CHOICE TRANSPORT |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | — |
| Power units | 9 |
| Drivers | 9 |
| Annual mileage | 845,609 (2024) |
| Hazmat | No |
| Safety rating | Not rated (no compliance review on record) |
| USDOT number added | Mar 19, 1997 · 29 years ago |
| Last MCS-150 update | Apr 30, 2026 |
| Email domain on file | @gmail.com (free email service) |
Equipment as declared on the MCS-150
| Owned | Term-leased | |
|---|---|---|
| Tractors | 0 | 9 |
| Trailers | 9 | 2 |
Term-leased equipment usually belongs to owner-operators driving under this company's authority.
Cargo carried
General FreightMetal: Sheets, Coils, RollsMotor Vehicles
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 FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC
What does FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC's operating authority allow?
MC246602: Motor carrier (may haul regulated property for hire).
Which information about FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC is old or missing?
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 FIRST CHOICE OF ELKHART INC?
Confirm the authority and insurance on the Motus record for USDOT 681284. Call the company back on the phone number on file, (269) 483-2010, not a number from an email or load board message. Check that the MC number the dispatcher gave you matches MC246602, and ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance naming you as holder, with cargo coverage that fits your load.
Other companies using (269) 483-2010
A shared number is common for related companies, dispatch services and family businesses. It is not proof of fraud, but it is worth knowing which company you are dealing with.
1 company
| Company | Location | USDOT | Docket | Trucks | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHOENIX RYSING LOGISTICS, LLC Review Carrier |
White Pigeon, MI | 5134302 | MC93986832 | 0 | Pending Current · Motus |
Other trucking companies in Elkhart, IN →
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 12:54 UTC.