WILLIAM T GARDNER & SONS INC

DOT# 687044 MC# 1778095 Chester, ME Authorized For-Hire / Private Property
(207) 794-2303 accounts.payable@gardcos.com 16 Access Rd, Chester ME 04457
49 power units · all owned 33 drivers 2.2M mi/yr · ~44k per unit
HazMat
Satisfactory
FRED Score 58.1 / 100
Moderate confidence
29 yrs history · 63 roadside inspections

FMCSA Live Status

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Fleet & equipment

Power units
49
Drivers · CDL
33 · 33
Annual miles
2.2M
Type Own Term Trip Total
Trucks 10 0 0 10
Tractors 35 0 0 35
Trailers 55 0 0 55

Registration

Organization
CORPORATION
Cargo Operation
Interstate
Scope
Interstate (Beyond 100 miles)
Registered
04-25-1997 (29 yrs)
MCS-150 Update
04-21-2026 (Biennial Update)
FRED Score Date
Nov 08, 2026
Officer
THOMAS GARDNER
Officer
TYLER GARDNER

Cargo

61.5
medium risk
Machinery/Large Objects General Freight Logs/Poles/Beams/Lumber Building Materials Other: WOOD CHIPS Construction
High-Risk Cargo
Machinery Large, General Freight

Note: "General Freight" is a catch-all; the actual cargo mix and its risk may differ.

Estimated from the commodity types reported to FMCSA, not from loss history or the true cargo mix.

Expected crash rate is about the same as similar fleets.

Similar fleets: interstate fleets of 20–49 trucks with the same kind of operation, years in business and amount of road activity. Compared using its own crash record and roadside inspections.

This motor carrier 0.96×
ExcellentStrongSatisf.MarginalPoorCritical
▲ Similar fleets 1.0×
Expected crashes, next 12 months
1.7 vs 1.7 for similar fleets
Likely 0–4 crashes
This motor carrier
1.7
Similar fleets
1.7
Chance of a fatal crash, next 12 months
~4%
About typical for similar fleets.
What's driving the grade
Crash history
betterworse
About typical. 3 crashes on the FMCSA record in 24 months (about 1.5 a year), including 2 with injuries; similar fleets have about 1.7 a year.
Roadside inspections
betterworse
Mixed. Out-of-service orders 1.38× and violations 1.37× the rate expected for its inspections, but unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 0.50×. Together they move its crash estimate -3%: roadside results weigh far less than crash history.

Worth a closer look

From the FMCSA record. The grade already counts the safety items; insurance filings and links to other motor carriers are not in it.

  • Injury crashes
    2 crashes with 2 people hurt in 24 months.
    Ask: claim status and driver history for these crashes.
  • Brakes and tires
    Brakes are 21 of 55 violations (38%). Brake or tire defects led to 17 out-of-service orders.
    Ask: the preventive-maintenance schedule and shop records.
  • Vehicle out-of-service rate
    39.5% of vehicle inspections end out of service vs 22.3% nationally (15 of 38). Across all its inspections, out-of-service orders run 1.38× what's expected for where and how it's inspected.
Strengths
  • Driver out-of-service rate 0.0% vs 6.7% national.
  • No FMCSA BASIC alerts.

Track record

FMCSA record, Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 · grade scored on Oct 1, 2023 → Oct 31, 2026
Crashes
3
0 fatalities · 2 injuries · 0 tow-aways
Inspections
63
62% clean (no violations)
Vehicle out-of-service
39.5%
15 of 38
National avg 22.3%
Driver out-of-service
0.0%
0 of 63
National avg 6.7%
Violations
55
18 out-of-service

Inspected about as often as interstate fleets of 20–49 trucks in Maine (about 52 in 24 months would be typical).

Inspections per quarter With an out-of-service order
Q4 '24: 7 inspections, 1 out of service 7 Q4 '24 Q1 '25: 11 inspections, 1 out of service 11 Q1 '25 Q2 '25: 3 inspections, 2 out of service 3 Q2 '25 Q3 '25: 10 inspections, 3 out of service 10 Q3 '25 Q4 '25: 4 inspections, 3 out of service 4 Q4 '25 Q1 '26: 7 inspections, 1 out of service 7 Q1 '26 Q2 '26: 7 inspections, 2 out of service 7 Q2 '26 Q3 '26: 14 inspections, 2 out of service 14 Q3 '26
vs 10,543 peer fleets
This motor carrierPeers
Crashes 0.031 0.029
Inspections 0.99 1.12
Violations 0.56 0.78
Critical violations 0.18 0.15

Yearly rates from the last 24 months. Peers: interstate fleets, 20–49 power units, medium-risk cargo.

What they get cited for

55 violations · 24 months
  • Vehicle maintenance No alert
    49 · 18 OOS
    Brakes 21 · Tires 13 · Lights 10 · Cargo securement 1 · Wheels & hubs 1 · 3 more
  • Unsafe driving No alert
    6 · 0 OOS
    Speeding 4 · Seat belt 1 · Other 1
  • Hours of service No alert
    0
  • Driver fitness No alert
    0
  • Drugs & alcohol No alert
    0
Out-of-service violations “No alert” = under FMCSA's BASIC intervention threshold

Violations by quarter

Tap a category to show or hide it
No violation trend data

Crashes

24 months
  • Jul
    7
    2026
    Maine
    Injury · 1 person hurt
    Dark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
  • Apr
    24
    2026
    Maine
    Property damage only
    Dark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
  • Oct
    8
    2025
    Maine
    Injury · 1 person hurt
    Dusk, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.

Insurance filed with FMCSA

FMCSA record through May 14, 2026 · no change recorded by FMCSA since
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Last on FMCSA's record (May 14, 2026)
$750,000 · FIREMEN'S INSURANCE CO. OF WASHINGTON DC
on record since Nov 18, 2025 · FMCSA minimum $750,000
Cargo filing
not required by FMCSA (household-goods motor carriers only); the cargo policy is not on FMCSA's record
36 months to May 14, 2026
  • One liability insurer throughout
  • No gap in filed liability coverage while liability was required
  • First liability filing on FMCSA's record: Nov 2025

Operating authority active (FMCSA's L&I record of May 14, 2026, status since Dec 11, 2025)

Who insures fleets like this →

FMCSA filings only, not a policy audit. Not part of the FRED grade. Wrong or out of date?

Where it happens

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Inspections by state
  • Maine (HQ) 63

Mostly inspected in its home state (100%).