BLACKTOP SPECIALISTS LLC

BLACKTOP SPECIALISTS LLC is a small fleet, operating 6 power units and 3 drivers, based in Chesterton, IN. Across 31 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet's 41.9% out-of-service rate sits above the 19.4% national average, with 2 reportable crashes. An active insurance filing is on record, and no operating authority record was located.

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
Review these
  • OOS rate worse than size peers Driver 13.8% vs peer 0.00% · Vehicle 27.8% vs peer 0.00% Details →
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 — BLACKTOP SPECIALISTS LLC (USDOT 1781980)
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

Blockers:
  (none)

Cautions:
  • OOS rate worse than size peers — Driver 13.8% vs peer 0.00% · Vehicle 27.8% vs peer 0.00%

On file:
  (none)

Source: https://truckcodex.com/usdot/1781980/
As of: Sep 22, 2026
Always confirm on FMCSA SAFER and L&I before tendering — TruckCodex mirrors public filings and can lag by up to a day.
USDOT 1781980 Active PRIVATE PROPERTY Hazmat Company officer: MICHAEL PEARCE Machinery / Large Objects Other (ASPHALT) Based in CHESTERTON, IN

FMCSA census as of Sep 22, 2026 · Sources · Freshness

TruckCodex · filing & peer scorecard

TruckCodex filing & peer scorecard · B

Composite of 3/5 scored components (mean 72/100). Separate from booking triage on this page. Expand for per-signal evidence. Heuristic — not an FMCSA rating or legal advice.

B confidence 60% · 3/5 signals · expand
Authority / census
Active · 100/100

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

Insurance / BIPD
NR

Insurance/BIPD signal not resolved for this carrier.

NR reason: No active policies and no uninsured flag to score against.

OOS vs peers
Riskier than peers · 15/100

Driver OOS 13.8% vs peer median 0% (worse). Vehicle OOS 27.8% vs peer median 0% (worse). n=130935 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 filing & peer scorecard from authority, BIPD, peer OOS, FMCSA safety rating, and insurance-watch signals. Not a booking verdict and not legal advice. See methodology. Booking triage on this page: Caution.

Field change history →
Operating authority

No authority breakdown on file.

Insurance

No active policies on file.

BOC-3 agent

No BOC-3 filing on file.

Company profile

Company details
USDOT 1781980
In FMCSA records since Jun 13, 2008 (~18y)
Company officer MICHAEL PEARCE
Operation PRIVATE PROPERTY
Hazmat Yes (MCS-150)
Cargo carried
Machinery / Large Objects, Other (ASPHALT)
Fleet size 6 units
Drivers 3
Annual mileage 500 mi
Contact & address
Physical
709 PLAZA DR BOX #193
CHESTERTON, IN 46304
Mailing address matches physical.
Registration & safety rating
USDOT 1781980
In FMCSA records since Jun 13, 2008 (~18y)
Operation PRIVATE PROPERTY
Annual mileage (MCS-150) 500 mi
Hazmat Yes (MCS-150)
vs. National Average
Vehicle OOS Rate 27.8% vs 23.4% +4.4 pts
Driver OOS Rate 13.8% vs 6.7% +7.1 pts
Violations per Inspection 2.32 vs 1.80 +0.52
Peer tier (small fleets (≤10 power units)) median OOS rate: 50%
FMCSA cargo filing (BMC-34/83)

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.

Broker bond / trust (BMC-84/85)

No active broker surety bond or trust fund on file.

BMC-84 is a surety bond; BMC-85 is a trust-fund agreement. Required for property brokers / freight forwarders — not motor-carrier BIPD liability insurance.

Fleet details (MCS-150)

Vehicle type Owned Term leased Trip leased
Truck tractors 6 0 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 1 0 1
Tow-away 0 0 1 1
Crash reports 0 1 1 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 46 inspections →
Driver Vehicle Hazmat
Inspections 31 31 0
OOS inspections 6 7 0
OOS percentage 19.35% 22.58%
National average 6.7% 23.4% 4.4%

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
6
Drivers
3
Inspections
46
FMCSA roadside history on file
OOS Rate (peak)
27.8%
driver or vehicle, whichever higher
Crashes (24m)
2
3 all-time
Authorities
0
Carrier analysis & narrative context Status notes, risk intelligence, and safety profiles

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.

Risk intelligence

BLACKTOP SPECIALISTS LLC had 31 roadside inspections over the past 24 months with an out-of-service rate of 41.9%, which is above the national average of 19.4%. Their highest FMCSA BASIC percentile is vehicle_maint at 11.0. 2 reportable crashes occurred in the same 24-month window.

Inspection profile

31 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, concentrated in KS (5) and MI (4).

Violation profile

41.9% out-of-service rate, well above the 19.4% national average; led by Unsafe Driving (0.0% of violations); top code 392.2 (Violation of Local Laws) cited 8 times.

Fleet profile

The fleet comprises 6 power units (small fleet) and 3 drivers; International, Peterbilt, and Kaufman are the most-inspected makes.

Risk Signals

High OOS rate
Peak OOS rate of 27.8% 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 130,935 ACTIVE carriers operating 3–9 power units (±50% of this carrier's 6 unit fleet).

This carrier — Driver OOS
13.8%
Drivers placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 130,935 same-size peers
Verdict
Riskier than peers
Delta +13.8 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
This carrier — Vehicle OOS
27.8%
Vehicles placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 130,935 same-size peers
Verdict
Riskier than peers
Delta +27.8 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map

Monthly Inspection Activity (23 months)

2023-10 2026-09

Activity by State

States this carrier has been inspected in over the past 24 months.
State Inspections OOS OOS % Last Inspection
Kansas (KS) 5 3 60.0% Jun 23, 2026
Michigan (MI) 4 1 25.0% Jul 14, 2026
Florida (FL) 4 0 0.0% Dec 11, 2025
Tennessee (TN) 3 3 100.0% Apr 29, 2026
Oklahoma (OK) 3 1 33.3% Sep 16, 2026
Alabama (AL) 2 0 0.0% Nov 7, 2025
Arkansas (AR) 2 1 50.0% Nov 9, 2025
Louisiana (LA) 2 2 100.0% Nov 18, 2025
Nebraska (NE) 1 0 0.0% Jul 17, 2026
South Carolina (SC) 1 1 100.0% Sep 24, 2024
Georgia (GA) 1 1 100.0% Apr 14, 2025
Iowa (IA) 1 0 0.0% Oct 8, 2025
Mississippi (MS) 1 0 0.0% Apr 7, 2025
North Carolina (NC) 1 0 0.0% Apr 16, 2025
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
Make Model Inspections
International 21
Peterbilt 13
Kaufman 5
Dodge 4
Unknown 3
Econoline 2
Fabc 1
SMS BASIC Scores FMCSA Safety Measurement System per-BASIC scores
BASIC Inspections Serious Measure Percentile Alert As Of
Driver Fitness 3 1.00 1 Sep 21, 2026
Controlled Substances / Alcohol 1 0.20 0 Sep 21, 2026
Hours of Service 7 1.10 1 Sep 21, 2026
Unsafe Driving 3 4.66 5 Sep 21, 2026
Vehicle Maintenance 17 11.38 11 Sep 21, 2026

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

Recent Inspections (46 rows) View all 46 →
Inspection # Date ▼ State Level Station Vehicle Violations Top Codes OOS
89031219 Sep 16, 2026 OK 3 I-35 NB & SE 2ND ST - EDMOND
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
1 391.41A-MCPC No
89009702 Sep 15, 2026 OK 2 I-40 WB & WESTERN
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
1 392.2-SLLMF No
89004695 Sep 15, 2026 OK 2 I40 - CHOCTAW RD
PETERBILT TRUCK TRACTOR
Ticket: Pbt
7 391.41A-MCPVI, 383.23A2-LCDLN, 392.2-SLLEWG2 Yes
88444569 Jul 17, 2026 NE 3
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
1 392.2-SLLEWA2 No
88406564 Jul 14, 2026 MI 2
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
4 393.43DBMA, 393.9A-LSLIWR, 393.9A-LHLI Yes
88236104 Jun 23, 2026 KS 1
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
Ticket: Dodge
5 391.41APC, 391.11B5-LNCDLNVL, 393.60D Yes
87855575 May 13, 2026 KS 2
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
6 393.75A1-TAOBETA, 392.2-SLLSR, 393.95A4-EEUS Yes
87719464 Apr 29, 2026 TN 1 KNOXVILLE TN
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
2 100B-C, 8E-HOSPD Yes
86558380 Dec 11, 2025 FL 3 PUNTA GORDA FL
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
Ticket: Dodge
3 396.17C-PI, 392.2-SLLIRP No
86496491 Dec 4, 2025 FL 2 PUNTA GORDA FL
PETERBILT STRAIGHT TRUCK
2 393.78A-WS, 392.2-SLLIRP No
86368980 Nov 18, 2025 LA 2 LENA LA
PETERBILT STRAIGHT TRUCK
4 393.130B-CHVE, 393.9A-LSLIWR, 392.2-SLLEQP Yes
86348705 Nov 18, 2025 LA 2 PORT ALLEN LA
PETERBILT STRAIGHT TRUCK
1 393.207A-STCB Yes
86293050 Nov 9, 2025 AR 3 PLUMERVILLE AR
PETERBILT STRAIGHT TRUCK
2 395.8A1-HOSP, 392.2-SLLIRP Yes
86262432 Nov 7, 2025 AL 2 ENTERPRISE AL
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
6 392.2-SLLEWA2, 396.17C-PI, 395.22H4-ELDBRODS No
86022640 Oct 8, 2025 IA 2 ia-10---i35-nb-mm-30-osceola
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
4 393.75A4, 396.17C, 393.9TS No
85856237 Sep 22, 2025 KS 2 ks-crawford-county---037
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
6 393.75G-TFWETL, 392.2-SLLEWA1, 392.2-SLLEWA2 Yes
85840499 Sep 19, 2025 KS 3 ks-montgomery-county---125
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
3 392.2-SLLEWA2, 392.2-SLLEWG3, 392.2-SLLEWA1 No
85222706 Jul 14, 2025 MI 2
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
4 393.11A1-CSLRR, 392.2-SLLTL, 392.2-SLLMF No
85189339 Jul 11, 2025 MI 1 WB I-94 REST AREA
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
4 392.2-SLLEWG3, 392.2-SLLMF, 392.2-SLLEWA3 No
85189263 Jul 9, 2025 MI 2 mi-grass-lake-scale-e/b
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
2 392.2-SLLTL No
84834143 May 30, 2025 TN 1 MONTEAGLE TN
RAM STRAIGHT TRUCK
Ticket: Dodge
6 383.23A2-LCDLN, 395.8A1-HOSP, 396.17C-PI Yes
84683199 May 13, 2025 KS 2 ks-crawford-county---037
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
7 392.2-SLLEWA2, 392.2-SLLEWG3, 392.2-SLLIFTA No
84560111 Apr 27, 2025 AR 3 BENTON AR
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
1 396.17C-PI No
84534236 Apr 25, 2025 TN 2 KNOXVILLE TN
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
7 393.100B-C, 393.130B-CHVE, 393.9A-LTSI Yes
84429338 Apr 16, 2025 NC 2 I-40
INTERNATIONAL STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
Recent Crashes (3 rows)
Report # Date ▼ State Fatalities Injuries Tow Hazmat Severity
FL2694562506 Jan 17, 2026 FL 0 1 No No Injury
TX71PBHQE1Q7 Dec 6, 2024 TX 0 0 Yes No Tow
IN0901459086 Jun 25, 2010 IN 0 3 Yes No Injury
Top Stations & Violation Codes Where this carrier gets inspected and what they get cited for

Most-Inspected Stations

Station State Inspections OOS
PUNTA GORDA FL FL 2 0
I-40 NC 2 1
KNOXVILLE TN TN 2 2
ENTERPRISE AL AL 1 0
ROADSIDE AL 1 1
RS AL 1 0
BENTON AR AR 1 0
GASSVILLE AR AR 1 0
LOCKESBURG AR AR 1 0
MOUNTAIN HOME AR AR 1 0

Top Violation Codes Cited

Code Description Category Cited OOS
392.2 Violation of Local Laws Unsafe Driving 8 0
393.104(f)(3) Loose or unfastened tiedown. Vehicle Maintenance 3 1
393.95(a) No/discharged/unsecured fire extinguisher Vehicle Maintenance 3 0
393.9(a) Inoperable required lamps Vehicle Maintenance 3 0
395.8(a)(1) Not using the appropriate method to record hours of service Hours of Service 2 1
383.23(a)(2) Operating a CMV without a CDL Driver Fitness 1 1
390.3(e) Prohibited from performing safety sensitive functions per 382.501(a) in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Controlled Substances/Alcohol 1 1
391.41(a)(1) 391.41(a)(1) Driver Fitness 1 0
393.43 No/improper breakaway or emergency braking 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

Related Records

All cross-references Authority, BOC-3, explainers, and more
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