A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC

USDOT 3282719 Active AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE Hazmat Company officer: STEVEN BAKER Company officer 2: MILLIE J RICE Motor Vehicles Driveaway / Towaway Building Materials Other (BUILDING MATERIALS) Based in FIVE POINTS, AL 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
Coverage resumed · Nov 1, 2020
Coverage resumed · Dec 13, 2022
Common (Property) reinstated · Dec 23, 2022
Policy effective · Jul 13, 2024
Review these
  • Prior insurance gap · 299 days Jan 7, 2020 → Nov 1, 2020
  • Prior insurance gap · 43 days Oct 31, 2022 → Dec 13, 2022
  • Common (Property) gap · 53 days Inactive Oct 31, 2022 → reinstated Dec 23, 2022
  • OOS rate worse than size peers Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median.
  • 2 fatalities on crash record 3 FMCSA-reportable crashes on file. Details →
On file
  • 1 active operating authority
  • Insurance on file · $1,000,000 ACADIA INSURANCE COMPANY · 91X Details →
  • BOC-3 process agent on file US COMPLIANCE SERVICES Details →
Company officer: STEVEN BAKER
Company officer 2: MILLIE J RICE
Cargo: Motor Vehicles, Driveaway / Towaway, Building Materials, Other (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 — A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC (USDOT 3282719)
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: $1,000,000
Officer(s): STEVEN BAKER (Company officer); MILLIE J RICE (Company officer 2)

Blockers:
  (none)

Cautions:
  • Prior insurance gap · 299 days — Jan 7, 2020 → Nov 1, 2020
  • Prior insurance gap · 43 days — Oct 31, 2022 → Dec 13, 2022
  • Common (Property) gap · 53 days — Inactive Oct 31, 2022 → reinstated Dec 23, 2022
  • OOS rate worse than size peers — Driver and/or vehicle out-of-service rate is above the peer median.
  • 2 fatalities on crash record — 3 FMCSA-reportable crashes on file.

On file:
  • 1 active operating authority
  • Insurance on file · $1,000,000 — ACADIA INSURANCE COMPANY · 91X
  • BOC-3 process agent on file — US COMPLIANCE SERVICES

Source: https://truckcodex.com/usdot/3282719/
As of: Jul 21, 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 11.1% vs peer median 0% (worse). Vehicle OOS 0% vs peer median 0% (neutral). n=331356 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

1 active liability policy

Company profile

Company details
USDOT 3282719
In FMCSA records since May 4, 2019 (~7y)
MC / docket MC1041335
Company officer STEVEN BAKER
Company officer 2 MILLIE J RICE
Operation AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Hazmat Yes (MCS-150)
Cargo carried
Motor Vehicles, Driveaway / Towaway, Building Materials, Other (BUILDING MATERIALS)
Fleet size 3 units
Drivers 3
Annual mileage 20,000 mi
Contact & address
Physical
3512 COUNTRY RD 278
FIVE POINTS, AL 36855
Mailing address matches physical.
Registration & safety rating
USDOT 3282719
In FMCSA records since May 4, 2019 (~7y)
Operation AUTHORIZED FOR HIRE
Annual mileage (MCS-150) 20,000 mi
Hazmat Yes (MCS-150)
vs. National Average
Vehicle OOS Rate 0.0% vs 23.4% -23.4 pts
Driver OOS Rate 11.1% vs 6.7% +4.4 pts
Violations per Inspection 0.67 vs 1.80 -1.13
Peer tier (small fleets (≤10 power units)) median OOS rate: 50%
Active liability insurance
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.

Related filings

Fleet details (MCS-150)

Vehicle type Owned Term leased Trip leased
Trucks 3 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 0 0 0
Tow-away 0 0 1 1
Crash reports 0 0 1 1

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

Inspections (24 months)

All 12 inspections →
Driver Vehicle Hazmat
Inspections 9 9 0
OOS inspections 1 1 0
OOS percentage 11.11% 11.11%
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
3
Drivers
3
Inspections
12
FMCSA roadside history on file
OOS Rate (peak)
11.1%
driver or vehicle, whichever higher
Crashes (24m)
1
3 all-time
Authorities
1
1 active
Carrier analysis & narrative context SEO summary, status notes, AI overview, and safety profiles

A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC is a motor carrier based in FIVE POINTS, AL, registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 3282719. 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 12 roadside inspections on file and a peak out-of-service rate of 11.1%. 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

A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC is a small fleet, operating 3 power units and 3 drivers, based in Five Points, AL. Across 9 roadside inspections in the last 24 months, the fleet recorded a 22.2% out-of-service rate, with 1 reportable crash. Operating authority is active for common.

Inspection profile

9 roadside inspections over the last 24 months, up 200% versus the prior 24 months, most heavily in GA (9 stops), with Level 1 inspections the most common.

Violation profile

22.2% out-of-service rate; led by Vehicle Maintenance (50.0% of violations); top code 393.60D (Glazing/window obstructions) cited 2 times.

Fleet profile

The fleet comprises 3 power units (small fleet) and 3 drivers; Ford and Chevrolet are the most-inspected makes.

Risk Signals

Elevated OOS rate
Peak OOS rate of 11.1% is above the driver national average (~6.7%); vehicle national average is ~23.4%.
Authority revoked
1 revocation on record.

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

Compared against 331,356 ACTIVE carriers operating 1–5 power units (±50% of this carrier's 3 unit fleet).

This carrier — Driver OOS
11.1%
Drivers placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 331,356 same-size peers
Verdict
Riskier than peers
Delta +11.1 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)
This carrier — Vehicle OOS
0%
Vehicles placed out-of-service at roadside inspections
Peer median
0%
Median across 331,356 same-size peers
Verdict
On par with peers
Delta 0 pts vs peer median (lower is safer)

Authority gap detected (1)

  • Common (Property) authority was inactive from Oct 31, 2022 to Dec 23, 2022 (53 days)

Historical coverage gaps detected (2)

  • No active BIPD/Primary insurance from Jan 7, 2020 to Nov 1, 2020 (299 days)
  • No active BIPD/Primary insurance from Oct 31, 2022 to Dec 13, 2022 (43 days)
Inspection Analytics Monthly activity · BASIC mix · state map

Monthly Inspection Activity (24 months)

2024-09 2025-11

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
Georgia (GA) 9 2 22.2% Nov 12, 2025
Vehicle Fleet Top makes and models observed in roadside inspections
Make Model Inspections
Ford 10
Chevrolet 2
SMS BASIC Scores FMCSA Safety Measurement System per-BASIC scores
BASIC Inspections Serious Measure Percentile Alert As Of
Driver Fitness 1 0.23 0 Jul 20, 2026
Controlled Substances / Alcohol 0 0.00 0 Jul 20, 2026
Hours of Service 0 0.00 0 Jul 20, 2026
Unsafe Driving 0 0.00 0 Jul 20, 2026
Vehicle Maintenance 2 1.00 1 Jul 20, 2026

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

Recent Inspections (12 rows) View all 12 →
Inspection # Date ▼ State Level Station Vehicle Violations Top Codes OOS
86331995 Nov 12, 2025 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
86331991 Nov 12, 2025 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
CHEVROLET STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
86331513 Nov 12, 2025 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
86331509 Nov 12, 2025 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
2 393.60D, 396.9D2-FTF No
84676379 May 8, 2025 GA 3 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
1 391.41APC Yes
83901817 Feb 12, 2025 GA 2 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
1 393.60D No
83109721 Nov 1, 2024 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
83109686 Nov 1, 2024 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
82665068 Sep 9, 2024 GA 3 LAGRANGE GA
CHEVROLET STRAIGHT TRUCK
2 392.9b(a), 390.21T(b)(1) Yes
81442779 Dec 4, 2023 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
81442483 Dec 4, 2023 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
80431831 Dec 4, 2023 GA 1 LAGRANGE GA
FORD STRAIGHT TRUCK
0 No
Recent Crashes (3 rows)
Report # Date ▼ State Fatalities Injuries Tow Hazmat Severity
GA0009592392 Sep 13, 2024 GA 0 0 Yes No Tow
GA0008738853 Oct 4, 2022 GA 0 1 Yes No Injury
AL0001736294 Nov 22, 2021 AL 2 0 Yes No Fatal
Authority Records (1 docket)
MC Certificate Documents (4 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 PDF
Dec 23, 2022 MC1041335-C REI REINSTATEMENT REI →
Nov 2, 2022 MC1041335 NC REVOCATION NC →
Sep 27, 2022 MC1041335 NC REVOCATION NC →
Apr 30, 2021 MC1041335-C CPL REVOCATION CPL →
Insurance Coverage Timeline (14 rows)

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

Insurer Policy # Type Limit Effective Cancel Status
ACADIA INSURANCE COMPANY 4551597 BIPD/Primary $1,000,000 Jul 13, 2024 Jun 5, 2026 CANCELLED
ACADIA INSURANCE COMPANY 4551597 91X $1,000,000 Jul 13, 2024 On file ACTIVE
CONTINENTAL WESTERN INSURANCE CO. 4551597 BIPD/Primary Jul 13, 2023 Jul 13, 2024 REPLACED
PROGRESSIVE SPECIALTY INS. CO. CA962814185 BIPD/Primary Jun 29, 2023 Jul 13, 2023 CANCELLED
PROGRESSIVE SPECIALTY INS. CO. CA962814185 BIPD/Primary Dec 13, 2022 Jun 29, 2023 CANCELLED
Coverage gap — 43 days without BIPD/Primary coverage from Oct 31, 2022 to Dec 13, 2022
CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA) 03TRM035793-03 BIPD/Primary Nov 1, 2021 Oct 31, 2022 NAME CHANGED
CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA) 03TRM035793-02 BIPD/Primary Nov 1, 2020 Nov 1, 2021 CANCELLED
Coverage gap — 299 days without BIPD/Primary coverage from Jan 7, 2020 to Nov 1, 2020
CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA) 03TRM035793-01 BIPD/Primary Nov 1, 2019 Oct 5, 2019 REPLACED
HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. TP2019AL0004 BIPD/Primary Oct 5, 2019 Nov 1, 2019 REPLACED
HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. TP2019AL0004 BIPD/Primary Oct 5, 2019 Jan 7, 2020 CANCELLED
HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. TP2019AL0004 BIPD/Primary May 28, 2019 Oct 29, 2019 CANCELLED
HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. TP2019AL0004 BIPD/Primary May 28, 2019 Oct 5, 2019 REPLACED
Compliance Timeline Merged authority / insurance / enforcement events
  1. Jul 13, 2024
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — CONTINENTAL WESTERN INSURANCE CO.
  2. Jul 14, 2023
    authority
    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION — COMMON
    Details →
  3. Jul 13, 2023
    insurance
    CANCEL — PROGRESSIVE SPECIALTY INS. CO.
  4. Jun 29, 2023
    insurance
    CANCEL — PROGRESSIVE SPECIALTY INS. CO.
  5. Jun 9, 2023
    authority
    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION — COMMON
    Details →
  6. Dec 23, 2022
    authority
    REINSTATED — MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER
    Details →
  7. Oct 31, 2022
    authority
    REVOKED — MOTOR PROPERTY COMMON CARRIER
    Details →
  8. Oct 31, 2022
    insurance
    NAMECHG — CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA)
  9. Oct 31, 2022
    authority
    Authority revoked — INVOLUNTARY REVOCATION
  10. Oct 31, 2022
    insurance gap
    Coverage gap: 43 days without BIPD/Primary insurance (through Dec 13, 2022)
  11. Oct 31, 2022
    authority gap
    Common (Property) authority inactive: 53 days (through Dec 23, 2022)
  12. Nov 1, 2021
    insurance
    CANCEL — CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA)
  13. Oct 27, 2021
    authority
    DISCONTINUED REVOCATION — COMMON
    Details →
  14. Jan 7, 2020
    insurance
    CANCEL — HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.
  15. Jan 7, 2020
    insurance gap
    Coverage gap: 299 days without BIPD/Primary insurance (through Nov 1, 2020)
  16. Nov 1, 2019
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.
  17. Oct 29, 2019
    insurance
    TERM/CANCL — HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.
  18. Oct 5, 2019
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY (CA)
  19. Oct 5, 2019
    insurance
    TERM/REPL — HAULERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.
  20. Jun 27, 2019
    authority
    DISMISSED — 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
LAGRANGE GA GA 12 2
Related Records Cross-references to every adjacent page
Directory
Authority Records
Insurance Carriers
Process Agent (BOC-3)
Carrier Records
Discover
Explainers

How to verify A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC

  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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC

Is A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC an active motor carrier?
Yes. A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC is registered with the FMCSA under USDOT 3282719 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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC's safety rating?
A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC 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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC had?
12 roadside inspections are on file for A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC 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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC's out-of-service rate?
A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC's peak out-of-service rate is 11.1% (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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC based?
A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC reports its physical address to the FMCSA as 3512 COUNTRY RD 278, FIVE POINTS, Alabama 36855. Carriers must file a Form MCS-150 every two years to keep their address current; an outdated address is a common compliance flag.
Does A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC have valid operating authority?
Yes. A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC holds 1 active FMCSA operating authority (MC1041335). 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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC operate?
A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC self-reports 3 power units and 3 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 A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC had any crashes?
3 FMCSA-reportable crashes are on file for A BETTER WAY AUTOMOTIVE LLC 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.