RTL EQUIPMENT INC
Book with caution — review signals below
No hard OOS / revoked / uninsured blocker, but elevated risk signals need a human look before booking.
- OOS rate worse than size peers Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median.
- 1 fatality on crash record 1 FMCSA-reportable crash on file. Details →
Plain-text risk summary (print / paste)
TruckCodex risk summary — RTL EQUIPMENT INC (USDOT 1449756) 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 Officer(s): DAVID KUTCHER (Company officer); WAYNE KEMPF (Company officer 2) Blockers: (none) Cautions: • OOS rate worse than size peers — Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median. • 1 fatality on crash record — 1 FMCSA-reportable crash on file. On file: • 1 active operating authority • Active insurance on file — GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE CO. · 84 • BOC-3 process agent on file — TRUCKERS NATIONWIDE INC • OOS rate better than size peers Source: https://truckcodex.com/usdot/1449756/ As of: Jul 19, 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
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.
Active census status with no OOS order or revoked authority on file.
Active BIPD/Primary-like policy on file in our insurance history.
Driver OOS 11.8% vs peer median 0% (worse). Vehicle OOS 9.1% vs peer median 16.1% (better). n=25385 same-size ACTIVE peers.
FMCSA has not assigned this carrier a formal safety rating. We do not invent one.
NR reason: No published FMCSA safety_rating.
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.
2 active liability policies
Company profile
No active FMCSA cargo filing on file.
FMCSA L&I filing evidence — not a shipper certificate of insurance (COI). Cargo (BMC-34) is primarily an HHG / household-goods requirement; general freight carriers often have none.
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InsuranceGREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE CO.Policy effective Sep 1, 2021
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Process AgentTRUCKERS NATIONWIDE INCBOC-3 on file
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Operating AuthorityMC1274787ACTIVE
Fleet details (MCS-150)
| Vehicle type | Owned | Term leased | Trip leased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trailers | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Trucks | 41 | 0 | 0 |
Self-reported on the carrier’s Form MCS-150 (FMCSA Company Census).
Inspections (24 months)
All 21 inspections →| Driver | Vehicle | Hazmat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| OOS inspections | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| OOS percentage | 12.5% | 6.25% | — |
| 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%).
Carrier analysis & narrative context SEO summary, status notes, AI overview, and safety profiles
RTL EQUIPMENT INC is a motor carrier based in GRIMES, IA, registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 1449756. 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 41 power units and 39 drivers, with 21 roadside inspections on file and a peak out-of-service rate of 11.8%. 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.
RTL EQUIPMENT INC is a mid-sized fleet, operating 41 power units and 39 drivers, based in Grimes, IA. Across 18 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet recorded an 11.1% out-of-service rate, with no reportable crashes on file. Operating authority is active for common and broker.
18 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, up 500% versus the prior 24 months, concentrated in IA (9) and MN (7), with Level 1 inspections the most common.
11.1% out-of-service rate; led by Vehicle Maintenance (54.5% of violations); top code 392.2RG (Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued) cited 3 times.
The fleet comprises 41 power units (mid-sized fleet) and 39 drivers; Ford, Unknown, and Cusm are the most-inspected makes.
Risk Signals
Out-of-Service rate vs same-size peers FMCSA roadside inspections, % placed out-of-service
Compared against 25,385 ACTIVE carriers operating 20–62 power units (±50% of this carrier's 41 unit fleet).
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map
Monthly Inspection Activity (24 months)
Violations by BASIC Category
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
SMS BASIC Scores FMCSA Safety Measurement System per-BASIC scores
| BASIC | Inspections | Serious | Measure | Percentile | Alert | As Of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver Fitness | 2 | — | 0.70 | 1 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Controlled Substances / Alcohol | 0 | — | 0.00 | 0 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Hours of Service | 1 | — | 0.27 | 0 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Unsafe Driving | 2 | — | 0.67 | 1 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 8 | — | 5.24 | 5 | — | 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 (21 rows) View all 21 →
| Inspection # | Date ▼ | State | Level | Station | Vehicle | Violations | Top Codes | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87371107 | Mar 22, 2026 | IA | 1 | ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 87181389 | Mar 2, 2026 | NE | 2 | — |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
1 | 393.9A-LHLI | No |
| 86479807 | Dec 4, 2025 | NE | 3 | — |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
1 | 395.8F1-HOSM | No |
| 86217080 | Oct 27, 2025 | MN | 1 | ERSKINE MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 86069697 | Oct 15, 2025 | IA | 1 | — |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 86089242 | Oct 13, 2025 | MN | 3 | ERSKINE MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
2 | 383.23A2-LCDLN, 396.17C-PI | Yes |
| 85938781 | Sep 30, 2025 | IA | 3 | — |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
2 | 392.2RG | No |
| 85772638 | Sep 8, 2025 | MN | 1 | PINE RIVER MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
7 | 393.100B-C, 393.43D-B, 391.41APC | Yes |
| 84913205 | Jun 9, 2025 | IA | 1 | ia-39---i35-sb-mm-212-northwood |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 84682289 | May 14, 2025 | IA | 1 | ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter |
FORD TRUCK TRACTOR
|
0 | — | No |
| 84603032 | May 5, 2025 | IA | 1 | ia-39---i35-sb-mm-212-northwood |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 84091684 | Mar 10, 2025 | IA | 1 | — |
FORD TRUCK TRACTOR
|
0 | — | No |
| 83733903 | Jan 23, 2025 | MN | 3 | RAMSEY MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
1 | 392.2-SLLSR | No |
| 83566402 | Jan 8, 2025 | IA | 2 | ia-39---i35-sb-mm-212-northwood |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
2 | 392.2RG, 396.17C | No |
| 83383131 | Dec 6, 2024 | MN | 3 | PIERZ MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 82336409 | Aug 7, 2024 | IA | 1 | ia-16---i380-sb-mm-53-brandon |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
3 | 393.95(f), 393.95(a), 393.81 | No |
| 82171918 | Jul 16, 2024 | MN | 1 | BRAINERD MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
2 | 393.95(k), 393.95(a)(4) | No |
| 82030458 | Jun 27, 2024 | MN | 2 | BRAINERD MN |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
1 | 392.2 | No |
| 81386608 | Apr 16, 2024 | IA | 3 | ia-16---i380-sb-mm-53-brandon |
KENWORTH TRUCK TRACTOR
|
3 | 392.2 | No |
| 79234806 | Jul 25, 2023 | MN | 1 | BRAINERD |
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
|
0 | — | No |
| 78341980 | Apr 11, 2023 | IA | 1 | ia-01---i80-wb-mm-151-mitchellvil | — | 0 | — | No |
Recent Crashes (1 row)
| Report # | Date ▼ | State | Fatalities | Injuries | Tow | Hazmat | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IA1200687809 | May 24, 2012 | IA | 1 | 0 | Yes | No | Fatal |
Authority Records (2 dockets)
Revocations & Inactive Status
Authority actions other than active status — revocations, voluntary surrenders, and dormant dockets.
| Date | Docket | Authority | Status | Applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | FF049971 | common | N | — |
MC Certificate Documents (2 PDFs)
Authority Records (above) are FMCSA docket status and lifecycle events. MC Certificate Documents here are the archived PDF letters for each action — grants, reinstatements, revocations, name changes, and transfers. They are related but not the same dataset: one row per PDF letter, not one file per docket.
Click a row to open that specific letter. Multiple letters per docket are listed separately by action type and date.
| Date | Docket | Action | Authority | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2021 | MC1274787-B | CPL | REVOCATION | CPL → |
| Jul 29, 2021 | MC1274787-C | CPL | REVOCATION | CPL → |
Insurance Coverage Timeline (2 rows)
Every insurance policy on file, newest effective date first. Amber rows mark BIPD/Primary coverage gaps.
| Insurer | Policy # | Type | Limit | Effective | Cancel | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE CO. | E704015 | 84 | — | Sep 1, 2021 | On file | ACTIVE |
| NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. CO. OF PITSBGH. PA | 3326225 | 91X | $1,000,000 | Jun 1, 2021 | On file | ACTIVE |
Compliance Timeline Merged authority / insurance / enforcement events
Top Stations & Violation Codes Where this carrier gets inspected and what they get cited for
Most-Inspected Stations
| Station | State | Inspections | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRAINERD MN | MN | 2 | 0 |
| ERSKINE MN | MN | 2 | 1 |
| BRAINERD | MN | 1 | 0 |
| PIERZ MN | MN | 1 | 0 |
| PINE RIVER MN | MN | 1 | 1 |
| RAMSEY MN | MN | 1 | 0 |
Top Violation Codes Cited
| Code | Description | Category | Cited | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 392.2 | Violation of Local Laws - Explain: | Unsafe Driving | 4 | 0 |
| 393.81 | Horn inoperative | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 0 |
| 393.95(a) | No/discharged/unsecured fire extinguisher | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 0 |
| 393.95(a)(4) | 393.95(a)(4) | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 0 |
| 393.95(f) | Emergency Equipment - Stopped vehicle warning devices missing or improper. | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 0 |
| 393.95(k) | 393.95(k) | Vehicle Maintenance | 1 | 0 |
Related Records Cross-references to every adjacent page
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Iowa carriers
All carriers based in Iowa
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Grimes carriers
Carriers based in Grimes, IA
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Stations in Iowa
Where this carrier might be inspected
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Docket MC1274787
common · ACTIVE · MC
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Docket FF049971
common · N · FF
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GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE CO.
84 policy on file
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NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. CO. OF PITSBGH. PA
91X policy on file
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TRUCKERS NATIONWIDE INC
BOC-3 process agent · 40,617 carriers served
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21 inspections
Full roadside inspection history
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1 reportable crash
FMCSA MCMIS crash log
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Fleet recall search
NHTSA recalls covering this fleet's vehicle years/makes
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File a complaint
Open the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint form for this carrier
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Carrier comparison tool
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Insurance-lapse watch
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How FMCSA safety ratings work
BASIC percentiles and compliance review context
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BOC-3 process agents explained
Why every interstate carrier must file a process agent
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FMCSA compliance filings guide
MCS-150, insurance, and authority filing requirements
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Roadside inspection rights
What drivers and carriers can expect during a stop
How to verify RTL EQUIPMENT INC
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 RTL EQUIPMENT INC
Is RTL EQUIPMENT INC an active motor carrier? ▾
What is RTL EQUIPMENT INC's safety rating? ▾
How many inspections has RTL EQUIPMENT INC had? ▾
What is RTL EQUIPMENT INC's out-of-service rate? ▾
Where is RTL EQUIPMENT INC based? ▾
Does RTL EQUIPMENT INC have valid operating authority? ▾
How many trucks and drivers does RTL EQUIPMENT INC operate? ▾
Has RTL EQUIPMENT INC had any crashes? ▾
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.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
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.