UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC
LAREDO, TX
Book with caution — review signals below
No hard OOS / revoked / uninsured blocker, but elevated risk signals need a human look before booking.
- Vehicle OOS Rate above national average 83.3% vs 23.4% national (+59.9 pts).
- 1 fatality on crash record 2 FMCSA-reportable crashes on file. Details →
Plain-text risk summary (print / paste)
TruckCodex risk summary — UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC (USDOT 2414012) 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): MAURICIO K MENDEZ (Company officer); FRANCISCO MATA (Company officer 2) Blockers: (none) Cautions: • Vehicle OOS Rate above national average — 83.3% vs 23.4% national (+59.9 pts). • 1 fatality on crash record — 2 FMCSA-reportable crashes on file. On file: (none) Source: https://truckcodex.com/usdot/2414012/ 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 2/5 scored components (mean 100/100). Expand for per-signal evidence. Heuristic — not an FMCSA rating or legal advice.
A
confidence 40% · 2/5 signals
Compliance grade A
Composite of 2/5 scored components (mean 100/100). 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.
Insurance/BIPD signal not resolved for this carrier.
NR reason: No active policies and no uninsured flag to score against.
Peer OOS benchmark unavailable (missing power units, OOS rates, or fewer than 5 same-size peers).
NR reason: getCarrierPeerSafety returned null.
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.
No authority breakdown on file.
No active policies on file.
No BOC-3 filing on file.
Company profile
Fleet details (MCS-150)
| Vehicle type | Owned | Term leased | Trip leased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck tractors | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Self-reported on the carrier’s Form MCS-150 (FMCSA Company Census).
Inspections (24 months)
All 7 inspections →| Driver | Vehicle | Hazmat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| OOS inspections | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| OOS percentage | 0% | 66.67% | — |
| 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
UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC is a motor carrier based in LAREDO, TX, registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 2414012. 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 3 power units and 3 drivers, with 7 roadside inspections on file and a peak out-of-service rate of 83.3%. 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.
UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC is a small fleet, operating 3 power units and 3 drivers, based in Laredo, TX. Across 4 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet recorded a 75.0% out-of-service rate, with no reportable crashes on file. no operating authority record was located.
4 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, up 33% versus the prior 24 months, most heavily in TX (4 stops), with Level 2 inspections the most common.
75.0% out-of-service rate; led by Vehicle Maintenance (88.6% of violations); top code 393.9 (Inoperable Required Lamp) cited 5 times.
The fleet comprises 3 power units (small fleet) and 3 drivers; Freightliner, International, and Lufk are the most-inspected makes.
Risk Signals
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map
Monthly Inspection Activity (24 months)
Violations by BASIC Category
Activity by State
| State | Inspections | OOS | OOS % | Last Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas (TX) | 3 | 2 | 66.7% | Dec 10, 2025 |
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
| Make | Model | Inspections |
|---|---|---|
| Freightliner | 4 | |
| International | 3 | |
| Lufk | 3 | |
| Wecr | 2 | |
| Ranc | 1 | |
| Ranh | 1 |
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 | 0 | — | 0.00 | 0 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Unsafe Driving | 0 | — | 0.00 | 0 | — | Jul 13, 2026 |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | — | 27.20 | 27 | — | 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 (7 rows) View all 7 →
| Inspection # | Date ▼ | State | Level | Station | Vehicle | Violations | Top Codes | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86582960 | Dec 10, 2025 | TX | 2 | FM1472 SB |
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
|
13 | 393.9, 393.9T, 393.75A1 | No |
| 85726548 | Sep 4, 2025 | TX | 2 | SH255 / FM1472 |
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
|
8 | 393.100(a), 393.78, 393.9TS | Yes |
| 84865163 | May 29, 2025 | TX | 2 | tx-sh255-/-fm1472 |
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
|
11 | 392.9A1, 392.2W, 393.48A | Yes |
| 81797965 | May 31, 2024 | TX | 2 | — |
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
|
12 | 393.45(a), 396.3(a)(1), 393.9(a) | Yes |
| 81165616 | Mar 19, 2024 | TX | 1 | tx-lat:27---42-29.52n |
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
|
13 | 396.3(a)(1), 393.75(a)(3), 393.9(a) | Yes |
| 81108637 | Mar 8, 2024 | TX | 2 | FM1472 MM 426 SB |
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK TRACTOR
|
7 | 393.75(a)(3), 392.2, 393.9(a) | Yes |
| 80696802 | Jan 20, 2024 | TX | 3 | US59 MM 808 WB |
FREIGHTLINER TRUCK TRACTOR
|
4 | 393.100(a), 392.2 | Yes |
Recent Crashes (2 rows)
| Report # | Date ▼ | State | Fatalities | Injuries | Tow | Hazmat | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX68X7HQE1C6 | Feb 16, 2022 | TX | 0 | 0 | Yes | No | Tow |
| TX4FZ8HQE1EH | Sep 11, 2015 | TX | 1 | 0 | Yes | No | Fatal |
MC Certificate Documents (1 PDF)
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2013 | MC830928-C | CPL | REVOCATION | CPL → |
Compliance Timeline Merged authority / insurance / enforcement events
-
May 3, 2022enforcementEnforcement case TX-2018-1079-US0737 — $5,120
Top Stations & Violation Codes Where this carrier gets inspected and what they get cited for
Most-Inspected Stations
| Station | State | Inspections | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| FM1472 MM 426 SB | TX | 1 | 1 |
| FM1472 SB | TX | 1 | 0 |
| SH255 / FM1472 | TX | 1 | 1 |
| US59 MM 808 WB | TX | 1 | 1 |
Top Violation Codes Cited
| Code | Description | Category | Cited | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 393.9(a) | Inoperable required lamps | Vehicle Maintenance | 8 | 0 |
| 392.2 | Violation of Local Laws - Explain: | Unsafe Driving | 7 | 0 |
| 393.9 | Inoperable Required Lamp | Vehicle Maintenance | 5 | 0 |
| 396.3(a)(1) | Inspection, repair and maintenance of parts and accessories | Vehicle Maintenance | 5 | 2 |
| 393.75(a)(3) | Tire-flat and/or audible air leak | Vehicle Maintenance | 4 | 2 |
| 393.45(b)(2) | Brake hose or tubing chafing and/or kinking | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 0 |
| 393.78 | Wipers - Inoperative / missing / damaged wipers. | Vehicle Maintenance | 3 | 0 |
| 393.100(a) | No or improper load securement | Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 2 |
| 393.45(a) | Brake tubing/hoses inadequate | Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 1 |
| 393.83(g) | Exhaust - Discharging at a point forward or directly below the driver or sleeper compartment. | Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 0 |
Related Records Cross-references to every adjacent page
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Where this carrier might be inspected
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7 inspections
Full roadside inspection history
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2 reportable crashes
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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Certificate lookup
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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 UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC
- 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 UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC
Is UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC an active motor carrier? ▾
What is UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC's safety rating? ▾
How many inspections has UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC had? ▾
What is UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC's out-of-service rate? ▾
Where is UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC based? ▾
Does UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC have valid operating authority? ▾
How many trucks and drivers does UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC operate? ▾
Has UNIVERSAL CARRIERS LLC 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.