KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD

USDOT 1033744 Active CORPORATION AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE CORPORATION Company officer: BRENT WILLIAMSON General Freight Building Materials Based in BELLEFONTAINE, OH Grade A · 85
Brokers & shippers · booking check

Book with caution — review signals below

No hard OOS / revoked / uninsured blocker, but elevated risk signals need a human look before booking.

Caution
Policy effective · Jun 26, 2020
Review these
  • OOS rate worse than size peers Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median.
On file
  • 1 active operating authority
  • Insurance on file · $750,000 AUTO OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY · 91X Details →
  • BOC-3 process agent on file PROCESS AGENT SERVICE COMPANY, INC. Details →
Org: CORPORATION
Company officer: BRENT WILLIAMSON
Cargo: General Freight, Building Materials
Built for brokers and shippers deciding whether to tender. Always confirm on FMCSA SAFER and L&I before booking — TruckCodex mirrors public filings and can lag by up to a day.
Plain-text risk summary (print / paste)
TruckCodex risk summary — KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD (USDOT 1033744)
Verdict: CAUTION
Book with caution — review signals below
No hard OOS / revoked / uninsured blocker, but elevated risk signals need a human look before booking.

Authority / census status: Active
Active BIPD limit: $750,000
Officer(s): BRENT WILLIAMSON (Company officer)
Organization: CORPORATION

Blockers:
  (none)

Cautions:
  • OOS rate worse than size peers — Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median.

On file:
  • 1 active operating authority
  • Insurance on file · $750,000 — AUTO OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY · 91X
  • BOC-3 process agent on file — PROCESS AGENT SERVICE COMPANY, INC.

Source: https://truckcodex.com/usdot/1033744/
As of: Jul 18, 2026
Always confirm on FMCSA SAFER and L&I before tendering — TruckCodex mirrors public filings and can lag by up to a day.
TruckCodex · compliance grade

Compliance grade A

Composite of 4/5 scored components (mean 85/100). Expand for per-signal evidence. Heuristic — not an FMCSA rating or legal advice.

A confidence 80% · 4/5 signals
Authority / census
Active · 100/100

Active census status with no OOS order or revoked authority on file.

Insurance / BIPD
BIPD active · 100/100

Active BIPD/Primary-like policy on file in our insurance history.

OOS vs peers
Mixed vs peers · 40/100

Driver OOS 0% vs peer median 0% (neutral). Vehicle OOS 33.3% vs peer median 14.3% (worse). n=54010 same-size ACTIVE peers.

FMCSA safety rating
Unrated

FMCSA has not assigned this carrier a formal safety rating. We do not invent one.

NR reason: No published FMCSA safety_rating.

Insurance-watch tier
Not on watch · 100/100

No BMC-91 insurance-lapse watch classification on file for this USDOT.

TruckCodex compliance grade from authority, BIPD, peer OOS, FMCSA safety rating, and insurance-watch signals. Not legal advice. See methodology. Booking triage on this page: Caution.

Operating authority
Insurance

AUTO OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY · 91X · $750,000

1 active policy

Company profile

Company details
USDOT 1033744
In FMCSA records since Jun 10, 2002 (~24y)
MC / docket MC438283
Entity CORPORATION
Business org CORPORATION
Company officer BRENT WILLIAMSON
Operation AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Cargo carried
General Freight, Building Materials
Fleet size 19 units
Drivers 18
Annual mileage 919,682 mi
Contact & address
Physical
2681 STATE ROUTE 47 EAST
BELLEFONTAINE, OH 43311
Mailing address matches physical.
Registration & safety rating
USDOT 1033744
In FMCSA records since Jun 10, 2002 (~24y)
Entity CORPORATION
Operation AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Annual mileage (MCS-150) 919,682 mi
vs. National Average
Vehicle OOS Rate 33.3% vs 23.4% +9.9 pts
Driver OOS Rate 0.0% vs 6.7% -6.7 pts
Violations per Inspection 0.82 vs 1.80 -0.98
Peer tier (mid-sized fleets (11-100 power units)) median OOS rate: 27.3%
Active insurance
Related filings

Fleet details (MCS-150)

Vehicle type Owned Term leased Trip leased
Truck tractors 0 11 8
Trailers 0 14 0

Self-reported on the carrier’s Form MCS-150 (FMCSA Company Census).

Accident reports (24 months)

All 3 crashes →
Last 6 months 6–12 months 12–24 months Total
Fatalities 0 0 0 0
Injuries 0 0 1 1
Tow-away 0 0 2 2
Crash reports 0 0 2 2

Reportable crashes from FMCSA MCMIS for the trailing 24 months. Counts may differ slightly from SAFER due to reporting lag.

Inspections (24 months)

All 59 inspections →
Driver Vehicle Hazmat
Inspections 39 39 0
OOS inspections 0 9 0
OOS percentage 0% 23.08%
National average 6.67% 22.26% 4.44%

Roadside inspections in the last 24 months. National averages are FMCSA MCSAP reference rates (driver ~6.7%, vehicle ~23.4%, hazmat ~4.4%).

Power Units
19
Drivers
18
Inspections
59
FMCSA roadside history
OOS Rate (peak)
33.3%
driver or vehicle, whichever higher
Crashes (24m)
2
3 all-time
Authorities
1
1 active
Carrier analysis & narrative context SEO summary, status notes, AI overview, and safety profiles

KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD is a corporation based in BELLEFONTAINE, OH, registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 1033744. The carrier is currently active in FMCSA's records, and has not yet received a formal FMCSA safety rating. MCS-150 self-reporting puts the fleet at 19 power units and 18 drivers, with 59 roadside inspections on file and a peak out-of-service rate of 33.3%. Use this page to verify the carrier's authority and insurance, review its inspection and crash history, and cross-reference live data on FMCSA SAFER before booking a load or onboarding a partner.

Carrier is unrated

FMCSA has not assigned this carrier a formal safety rating. Use the inspection history and BASIC scores below to assess on-road performance.

Carrier overview

KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD is a mid-sized fleet, operating 19 power units and 18 drivers, organized as a corporation, based in Bellefontaine, OH. Across 40 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet recorded a 20.0% out-of-service rate, with 2 reportable crashes. BIPD/Primary insurance is on file with NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY, and operating authority is active for common.

Inspection profile

40 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, up 167% versus the prior 24 months, concentrated in OH (18) and IN (10), with Level 3 inspections the most common.

Violation profile

20.0% out-of-service rate; led by Vehicle Maintenance (65.0% of violations); top code 393.75A3-TAOL (Tires - All others leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS) cited 5 times, 5 of them OOS.

Fleet profile

The fleet comprises 19 power units (mid-sized fleet) and 18 drivers; Freightliner, Van guard, and Vanr are the most-inspected makes.

Risk Signals

High OOS rate
Peak OOS rate of 33.3% is well above FMCSA MCSAP national averages (driver ~6.7%, vehicle ~23.4%).

Out-of-Service rate vs same-size peers FMCSA roadside inspections, % placed out-of-service

Compared against 54,010 ACTIVE carriers operating 9–29 power units (±50% of this carrier's 19 unit fleet).

This carrier — Driver OOS
0%
Drivers placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 54,010 same-size peers
Verdict
On par with peers
Delta 0 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
This carrier — Vehicle OOS
33.3%
Vehicles placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
14.3%
Median across 54,010 same-size peers
Verdict
Riskier than peers
Delta +19 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map

Monthly Inspection Activity (24 months)

2024-08 2026-07

Violations by BASIC Category

Federal BASIC buckets for every citation issued against this carrier over the past 24 months.

Activity by State

States this carrier has been inspected in over the past 24 months.
State Inspections OOS OOS % Last Inspection
Ohio (OH) 16 1 6.3% Mar 16, 2026
Kentucky (KY) 9 6 66.7% Nov 21, 2025
Indiana (IN) 9 2 22.2% Jul 13, 2026
Tennessee (TN) 2 0 0.0% Jun 11, 2026
Maryland (MD) 1 0 0.0% Jun 18, 2026
Alabama (AL) 1 0 0.0% Nov 20, 2025
Michigan (MI) 1 0 0.0% Oct 16, 2024
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
Make Model Inspections
Freightliner 37
Vanguard 30
Hyundai Translead 9
Wabash National 6
Great Dane 4
International 4
Kenworth 4
SMS BASIC Scores FMCSA Safety Measurement System per-BASIC scores
BASIC Inspections Serious Measure Percentile Alert As Of
Driver Fitness 0 0.00 0 Jul 13, 2026
Controlled Substances / Alcohol 0 0.00 0 Jul 13, 2026
Hours of Service 1 0.19 0 Jul 13, 2026
Unsafe Driving 8 3.78 4 Jul 13, 2026
Vehicle Maintenance 11 5.94 6 Jul 13, 2026

Higher percentiles indicate worse performance relative to peer carriers. Carriers at or above the FMCSA intervention threshold are marked ALERT.

Recent Inspections (59 rows) View all 59 →
Inspection # Date ▼ State Level Station Vehicle Violations Top Codes OOS
88406185 Jul 13, 2026 IN 2
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
2 393.75A3-TAOL, 393.55D2-B Yes
88188452 Jun 18, 2026 MD 2
PETERBILT TRUCK TRACTOR
2 393.9A-LHWS, 393.9A-LFTSI No
88136364 Jun 11, 2026 TN 3
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
87965652 May 26, 2026 TN 1
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
87319446 Mar 16, 2026 OH 3 BOWLING GREEN OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
87299466 Mar 11, 2026 IN 3 DUNREITH IN
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 392.2-SLLS2 No
87024449 Feb 10, 2026 OH 2 VAN WERT OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
86986038 Feb 6, 2026 OH 3 FINDLAY OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
86972487 Feb 4, 2026 OH 2 XENIA OH
KENWORTH TRUCK TRACTOR
1 393.75A3-TAOLTIS Yes
86815799 Jan 14, 2026 IN 3 WEST HARRISON IN
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
86764709 Jan 9, 2026 IN 3 DUNREITH IN
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 392.2-SLLS3 No
86620891 Dec 18, 2025 OH 3 FINDLAY OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
86499314 Dec 5, 2025 OH 2 PIQUA OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 393.55C1-B No
86514649 Dec 3, 2025 IN 3 KNIGHTSTOWN IN
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
1 392.16-D No
86383006 Nov 21, 2025 KY 1 LONDON
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 393.75A3-TAOL Yes
86369447 Nov 20, 2025 AL 2 COLLINSVILLE AL
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
86361582 Nov 19, 2025 KY 1 GEORGETOWN
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 393.75C-TAOTD-LT1/32 Yes
86243397 Nov 4, 2025 KY 2 LONDON
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
2 393.75A3-TAOL, 395.8E-HOSPD Yes
86009772 Oct 8, 2025 OH 1 HARRISON OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
85923728 Sep 29, 2025 OH 3 MILFORD OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
85879431 Sep 25, 2025 KY 1 LONDON
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
3 396.3A1-BALR, 393.75A3-TAOL, 393.75A2-TAOBB Yes
85795665 Sep 15, 2025 OH 2 HARRISON OH
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
85812358 Sep 12, 2025 IN 2 RICHMOND IN
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
0 No
85646473 Aug 25, 2025 IN 1 RICHMOND IN
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
1 392.2-SLLIRP No
85345518 Jul 23, 2025 IN 1 GAS CITY IN
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
2 393.75A3-TAOL, 396.5B-L Yes
Recent Crashes (3 rows)
Report # Date ▼ State Fatalities Injuries Tow Hazmat Severity
OH0255070133 Apr 17, 2025 OH 0 1 Yes No Injury
KY0073105958 Oct 17, 2024 KY 0 0 Yes No Tow
KY0072800391 Sep 1, 2022 KY 0 0 Yes No Tow
Authority Records (1 docket)
Insurance Coverage Timeline (11 rows)

Every insurance policy on file, newest effective date first. Amber rows mark BIPD/Primary coverage gaps.

Insurer Policy # Type Limit Effective Cancel Status
AUTO OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY 50-749141-01 91X $750,000 Jun 26, 2020 On file ACTIVE
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN503062 CARGO Jun 26, 2006 May 21, 2011 CANCELLED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN503062 BIPD/Primary Jun 26, 2006 Jun 26, 2020 REPLACED
EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. CL930046 CARGO Jun 26, 2005 Jun 26, 2006 CANCELLED
EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO. CL930046 BIPD/Primary Jun 26, 2005 Jun 26, 2006 CANCELLED
CANAL INSURANCE CO. 448437 BIPD/Primary Sep 30, 2004 Sep 30, 2004 REPLACED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN362409 BIPD/Primary Sep 30, 2004 Jun 26, 2005 REPLACED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN362409 BIPD/Primary Sep 30, 2004 Jul 28, 2005 CANCELLED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN362409 CARGO Jun 26, 2002 Jul 28, 2005 CANCELLED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN362409 CARGO Jun 26, 2002 Jun 26, 2005 REPLACED
NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY TN362409 BIPD/Primary Jun 26, 2002 Sep 30, 2004 REPLACED
Compliance Timeline Merged authority / insurance / enforcement events
  1. Jun 26, 2020
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
  2. May 21, 2011
    insurance
    CANCEL — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
  3. Jun 26, 2006
    insurance
    CANCEL — EMPIRE FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE CO.
  4. Jun 22, 2006
    authority
    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION — COMMON
    Details →
  5. Jul 28, 2005
    insurance
    TERM/CANCL — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
  6. Jun 26, 2005
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
  7. Sep 30, 2004
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — CANAL INSURANCE CO.
  8. Sep 30, 2004
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — NORTHLAND INSURANCE COMPANY
  9. Aug 16, 2002
    authority
    GRANTED — MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER
    Details →
Top Stations & Violation Codes Where this carrier gets inspected and what they get cited for

Most-Inspected Stations

Station State Inspections OOS
ROADSIDE OH 9 1
LONDON KY 8 4
FINDLAY OH OH 3 0
DUNREITH IN IN 2 0
RICHMOND IN IN 2 0
NORTH CORBIN KY 2 0
HARRISON OH OH 2 0
COLLINSVILLE AL AL 1 0
AUBURN IN IN 1 0
GAS CITY IN IN 1 1

Top Violation Codes Cited

Code Description Category Cited OOS
392.2 Violation of Local Laws - Explain: Unsafe Driving 7 0
392.16(a) Failing to use seat belt (49 CFR) Unsafe Driving 5 0
393.9(a) Inoperable required lamps Vehicle Maintenance 4 1
393.11(a)(1) Lighting devices/reflectors Vehicle Maintenance 2 0
393.47(a) Inadequate brakes for safe stopping - Brake Lining condition Vehicle Maintenance 2 2
396.17(c) Operating a CMV without proof of a periodic inspection Vehicle Maintenance 2 0
376.11(d)(1) Lease or Rental Agreement not on board leased or rented CMV Unknown 1 0
393.45(b)(2) Brake hose or tubing chafing and/or kinking Vehicle Maintenance 1 1
393.55(d)(1) CMV not equipped with ABS malfunction circuit or signal (Truck-Tractor mfg on/after 3/1/1997; Straight Truck mfg on/after 3/1/1998) Vehicle Maintenance 1 0
393.55(d)(3) No or Defective ABS Malfunction Indicator for towed vehicles on vehicles manufactured after February 2001 Vehicle Maintenance 1 0
Related Records Cross-references to every adjacent page
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Authority Records
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Process Agent (BOC-3)
Carrier Records
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Explainers

How to verify KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD

  1. Verify USDOT and MC numbers match the carrier's documents. Compare the USDOT number and MC docket on this page to the numbers on the carrier's invoice, rate confirmation, or load-board listing. A mismatch between the carrier's claimed numbers and the registered legal name is the single most common red flag.
  2. Check active operating authority and insurance status. Confirm the Authority Records show at least one ACTIVE docket for the type of operation you're booking, and that the Active Insurance card lists a current BIPD/Primary policy. A revoked authority or uninsured carrier cannot legally operate.
  3. Review safety rating and SMS BASIC scores. Check the carrier's FMCSA safety rating (if any) and the SMS BASIC table. A high percentile in any BASIC category — especially Unsafe Driving, HOS, or Vehicle Maintenance — is worth investigating before tendering a load.
  4. Examine inspection and crash history. Open the Inspection History and Crash History subpages for the full record. Look for patterns: repeat OOS findings on the same unit, multiple crashes in a short window, or violations clustered in one BASIC category.
  5. Cross-reference real-time data with FMCSA SAFER. For the most current snapshot — within 24 hours of any insurer filing or authority change — click through to the FMCSA SAFER lookup. TruckCodex mirrors SAFER and L&I daily; SAFER itself reflects filings within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions about KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD

Is KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD an active motor carrier?
Yes. KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD is registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 1033744 and is currently shown as Active in the agency's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). Active status means the carrier may legally operate, contingent on continuous insurance and authority filings.
What is KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD's safety rating?
KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD is unrated. FMCSA assigns formal safety ratings only after a compliance review, and the agency has not yet completed one for this carrier. Being unrated is not by itself a red flag — most active carriers in the database are unrated. Review the inspection and BASIC data below to assess on-road performance.
How many inspections has KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD had?
59 roadside inspections are on file for KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD in FMCSA's MCMIS database. Each inspection is summarized in the Inspection History section below — sortable by date, state, level, and out-of-service result. Newer inspections are pulled from the FMCSA SMS data feed daily.
What is KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD's out-of-service rate?
KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD's peak out-of-service rate is 33.3% (whichever is higher of driver-OOS or vehicle-OOS, computed from FMCSA roadside inspection data). The national averages are roughly 6.7% for drivers and 23.4% for vehicles — see the peer-context card on this page for a side-by-side comparison.
Where is KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD based?
KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD reports its physical address to the FMCSA as 2681 STATE ROUTE 47 EAST, BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio 43311. Carriers must file a Form MCS-150 every two years to keep their address current; an outdated address is a common compliance flag.
Does KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD have valid operating authority?
Yes. KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD holds 1 active FMCSA operating authority (MC438283). Each docket appears in the Authority Records section below with its full event history. Active authority means the carrier may legally operate as a for-hire carrier, contingent on current insurance and BOC-3 process-agent filings.
How many trucks and drivers does KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD operate?
KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD self-reports 19 power units and 18 drivers on its most recent FMCSA Form MCS-150 filing. Power-unit and driver counts come from the carrier directly and are required to be updated every two years; very large fluctuations between filings can indicate fleet changes worth investigating.
Has KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD had any crashes?
3 FMCSA-reportable crashes are on file for KNUCKLEHEAD CHOOCHOO EXPRESS LTD in MCMIS. A reportable crash is one resulting in a fatality, an injury requiring transport for medical attention, or a vehicle disabled and towed from the scene. The full crash log is on the Crashes subpage with date, state, and outcome details.

About FMCSA carrier records

Every commercial motor carrier operating in the United States is required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and obtain a USDOT number. The USDOT number is a permanent, unique identifier — once assigned, it stays with the carrier for life and is never reissued to another company. Carriers must update their registration every two years on Form MCS-150 to keep their address, fleet size, and operating data current.

Carrier safety data lives in FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS): roadside inspections, crashes, out-of-service findings, and the seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) that make up the SMS scoring methodology. For-hire carriers must also hold operating authority — an MC, FF, or MX docket number — which is separate from the USDOT number and requires continuous insurance and BOC-3 process-agent filings to remain active.

TruckCodex mirrors FMCSA's public SAFER and L&I systems on a daily refresh cycle. Every record on this page reflects what FMCSA has on file. We do not edit or modify carrier data — for real-time confirmation immediately before a transaction, click through to the FMCSA SAFER lookup linked in the related records section above. Safety ratings, when present, come from formal compliance reviews; most active carriers have not been reviewed and are correctly listed as unrated.

Data sources & freshness

TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.

Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.

Refreshed daily.

Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).

Refreshed daily.
EIA

Retail diesel and gasoline price history and state fuel-tax tables.

Refreshed weekly.

Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.

Refreshed weekly.

TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.