TruckCodex

THE MERRILL COMPANY

USDOT 172153 Active PARTNERSHIP Based in SPENCER, IA

THE MERRILL COMPANY is a partnership based in SPENCER, IA, registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 172153. The carrier is currently active in FMCSA's records, with a safety rating of C. MCS-150 self-reporting puts the fleet at 17 power units and 14 drivers, with 23 roadside inspections on file. 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 Overview

THE MERRILL COMPANY is a mid-sized fleet, operating 17 power units and 14 drivers, organized as a partnership, based in Spencer, IA. Across 16 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet recorded a 0.0% out-of-service rate, with no reportable crashes on file. The carrier currently has no active BIPD/Primary coverage on file, and no operating authority record was located.

Power Units
17
Drivers
14
Inspections
23
last 24 months included
OOS Rate (peak)
—
Crashes (24m)
0
5 all-time
Authorities
0

Safety Snapshot

Inspection Profile

16 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, up 300% versus the prior 24 months, concentrated in IA (14) and US (1), with Level 1 inspections the most common.

Violation Profile

0.0% out-of-service rate; led by Vehicle Maintenance (45.5% of violations); top code 392.2-SLLSWZ (Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued) cited 2 times.

Fleet Profile

The fleet comprises 17 power units (mid-sized fleet) and 14 drivers; Chevrolet, Ford, and Great Dane are the most-inspected makes.

Compliance

Active Insurance
No active policies on file.
vs. National Average
Vehicle OOS Rate 0.0% vs 23.4% -23.4 pts
Driver OOS Rate 0.0% vs 6.7% -6.7 pts
Violations per Inspection 0.61 vs 1.80 -1.19
Location & Contact
601 1ST AVE SW
SPENCER, IA 51301
Phone: 7122621141
Registration
USDOT 172153
Entity PARTNERSHIP
Operation A
MCS-150 mileage 546,640 mi
Safety Rating C

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

Compared against 60,523 ACTIVE carriers operating 9–26 power units (±50% of this carrier's 17 unit fleet).

This carrier — Driver OOS
0%
Drivers placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 60,523 same-size peers
Verdict
On par with peers
Delta 0 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
This carrier — Vehicle OOS
0%
Vehicles placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
20%
Median across 60,523 same-size peers
Verdict
Safer than peers
Delta -20 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map

Monthly Inspection Activity (24 months)

2024-06 2026-05

Violations by BASIC Category

Federal BASIC buckets for every citation issued against this carrier over the past 24 months.
Vehicle Maintenance
5 violations
Unsafe Driving
4 violations
Hazardous Materials
2 violations

Activity by State

States this carrier has been inspected in over the past 24 months.
State Inspections OOS OOS % Last Inspection
Iowa (IA) 14 0 0.0% Apr 21, 2026
Nebraska (NE) 3 1 33.3% May 7, 2026
US (US) 1 0 0.0% Jun 27, 2024
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
Make Model Inspections
Chevrolet 8
Ford 5
International 4
Great Dane 3
Ram 3
Freightliner 2
Volvo 1
SMS BASIC Scores FMCSA Safety Measurement System per-BASIC scores

SMS data not available

FMCSA's Safety Measurement System has not published per-BASIC scores for this carrier yet. This typically means the carrier doesn't meet minimum exposure thresholds (inspections/power units), or their SMS snapshot hasn't been ingested.

Recent Inspections (23 rows) View all 23 →
Inspection # Date ▼ State Level Station Vehicle Violations Top Codes OOS
87785108 May 7, 2026 NE 3 —
FREIGHTLIN STRAIGHT TRUCK
NE ATZ209 · 3ALACWFC4RDVJ5723
0 — No
87646573 Apr 22, 2026 NE 1 WAVERLY NE
INTERNATIO STRAIGHT TRUCK
IN 3829827 · 1HTMMMML7KH584826
3 3A1-BOS, 47E, 3A1-BALAC Yes
87649425 Apr 21, 2026 IA 1 02 - I80 EB MM 115 VAN METER
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA PNN628 · 1HTKHPVM4RH647458
0 — No
87140086 Feb 24, 2026 NE 3 —
FRHT STRAIGHT TRUCK
NE ATZ209 · 3ALACWFC4RDVJ5723
1 392.2-SLLS3 No
86507346 Nov 15, 2025 IA 1 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA PNN628 · 1HTKHPVM4RH647458
0 — No
85655220 Aug 29, 2025 IA 1 ia-44---jct-hwy-71/20-early
INTL TRUCK TRACTOR
IA LE1460 · 3HSDZAPR7SN799021
1 393.45B2 No
84393254 Apr 10, 2025 IA 1 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA OYJ092 · 1FDUF5GT9MED56092
1 392.2RG No
84295156 Mar 28, 2025 IA 1 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA PKB654 · 3C7WRNDL4RG229729
0 — No
83840825 Feb 8, 2025 IA 2 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA OSE235 · 3C7WRNDL3RG228605
3 393.95A, 177.817E, 172.602A No
83799268 Feb 3, 2025 IA 1 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEVROLET STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
0 — No
83600964 Jan 13, 2025 IA 2 ia-44---jct-hwy-71/20-early
INTL TRUCK TRACTOR
IA LE1442 · 3HCDZAPR9KL580746
1 393.9T No
83487678 Dec 24, 2024 IA 3 —
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
2 392.2-SLLSWZ No
83183592 Nov 16, 2024 IA 1 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
0 — No
82558192 Aug 30, 2024 IA 1 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA OSE235 · 3C7WRNDL3RG228605
0 — No
82459664 Aug 21, 2024 IA 2 ia-44---jct-hwy-71/20-early
INTL TRUCK TRACTOR
IA GY0926 · 3HCDZAPR6LL857113
0 — No
82192469 Jul 19, 2024 IA 2 ia-44---jct-hwy-71/20-early
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NUE787 · 1FDUF4GT7EEB25039
2 396.17(c), 393.95(a) No
81980488 Jun 27, 2024 US 1 ADEL IA
VOLV TRUCK TRACTOR
SD PR43828 · 4V4WC9EHXNN307095
0 — No
81913516 Jun 18, 2024 IA 1 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA MGM414 · 1FDUF5GT2NDA15995
0 — No
81446251 Apr 24, 2024 IA 1 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
0 — No
81240929 Mar 30, 2024 IA 1 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
1 393.9(a) No
80288118 Nov 17, 2023 IA 1 ia-37---i29-sb-mm-132-salix
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA MGM414 · 1FDUF5GT2NDA15995
0 — No
79862500 Oct 6, 2023 IA 3 —
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA MGM414 · 1FDUF5GT2NDA15995
1 392.2 No
79267849 Jul 26, 2023 IA 2 ia-02---i80-eb-mm-115-van-meter
CHEV STRAIGHT TRUCK
IA NLW496 · 1HTKHPVK2MH363642
0 — No
Recent Crashes (5 rows)
Report # Date ▼ State Fatalities Injuries Tow Hazmat Severity
IA1500881268 Sep 30, 2015 IA 0 2 Yes Yes Injury
IA1400797943 May 2, 2014 IA 0 0 Yes Yes Tow
IA2003004913 Jan 27, 2003 IA 0 2 Yes Yes Injury
IA2002005276 Feb 2, 2002 IA 0 1 Yes Yes Injury
IA008064284A Nov 2, 1998 IA 0 0 Yes Yes Tow
Top Stations & Violation Codes Where this carrier gets inspected and what they get cited for

Most-Inspected Stations

Station State Inspections OOS
02 - I80 EB MM 115 VAN METER IA 1 0
WAVERLY NE NE 1 1
ADEL IA US 1 0

Top Violation Codes Cited

Code Description Category Cited OOS
392.2 Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued Unsafe Driving 1 0
393.95(a) Emergency equipment - fire extinguisher missing/defective Vehicle Maintenance 1 0
393.9(a) Inoperable required lamps Vehicle Maintenance 1 0
396.17(c) No proof of periodic inspection Vehicle Maintenance 1 0
Related Records Cross-references to every adjacent page
Directory
Carrier Records
Discover

How to verify THE MERRILL COMPANY

  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 THE MERRILL COMPANY

Is THE MERRILL COMPANY an active motor carrier? ▾
Yes. THE MERRILL COMPANY is registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 172153 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 THE MERRILL COMPANY's safety rating? ▾
THE MERRILL COMPANY's FMCSA safety rating is C. Safety ratings are assigned only after a formal compliance review; most carriers in the FMCSA database are unrated.
How many inspections has THE MERRILL COMPANY had? ▾
23 roadside inspections are on file for THE MERRILL COMPANY 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 THE MERRILL COMPANY's out-of-service rate? ▾
THE MERRILL COMPANY has no out-of-service findings on its inspection record. Across 23 inspections, no driver or vehicle has been placed out of service — a clean record relative to the national averages of roughly 6.7% (driver) and 23.4% (vehicle).
Where is THE MERRILL COMPANY based? ▾
THE MERRILL COMPANY reports its physical address to the FMCSA as 601 1ST AVE SW, SPENCER, Iowa 51301. Carriers must file a Form MCS-150 every two years to keep their address current; an outdated address is a common compliance flag.
Does THE MERRILL COMPANY have valid operating authority? ▾
THE MERRILL COMPANY does not have any FMCSA for-hire operating authority (MC, FF, or MX docket) on file. This is normal for private carriers — companies that haul their own goods need only a USDOT number, not an MC number. For-hire carriers (those hauling for compensation) must hold operating authority in addition to a USDOT number.
How many trucks and drivers does THE MERRILL COMPANY operate? ▾
THE MERRILL COMPANY self-reports 17 power units and 14 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 THE MERRILL COMPANY had any crashes? ▾
5 FMCSA-reportable crashes are on file for THE MERRILL COMPANY 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.

FMCSA

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

Refreshed daily.
NHTSA

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.
Transport Canada

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.