COLUMBIAN DISTRIBUTION SERVICES INC
DBA: COLUMBIAN DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
FMCSA Live Status
Fleet & equipment
- Power units
- 11
- Drivers · CDL
- 11 · 11
- Annual miles
- 862k
| Type | Own | Term | Trip | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trucks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tractors | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Trailers | 34 | 1 | 0 | 35 |
Registration
- Organization
- CORPORATION
- Cargo Operation
- Interstate
- Scope
- Interstate (Within 100 miles)
- FMCSA Rating
- Satisfactory (07-30-1996) · 30 yr old
- Registered
- 06-01-1974 (52 yrs)
- MCS-150 Update
- 01-14-2026 (Address Change)
- FRED Score Date
- Nov 07, 2026
- Officer
- Mark VanMalsen
- Officer
- ROBERT CHRISTIAN
Cargo
- High-Risk Cargo
- General Freight, Household Goods, Refrigerated Food, Meat
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 probably higher than similar fleets (about a 60% chance), but the record is too thin to say by how much.
Similar fleets: for-hire fleets of 10–19 trucks with the same kind of operation, years in business and amount of road activity. Compared using its own crash record and roadside inspections.
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.
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Injury crashes1 crash with 1 person hurt in 24 months.Ask: claim status and driver history for these crashes.
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Brakes and lightsBrakes are 5 of 15 violations (33%). Brake or light defects led to 1 out-of-service order.Ask: the preventive-maintenance schedule and shop records.
- Driver out-of-service rate 0.0% vs 6.7% national.
- No FMCSA BASIC alerts.
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Dangerous driving: 1
Track record
| This motor carrier | Peers | |
|---|---|---|
| Crashes | 0.091 | 0.031 |
| Inspections | 0.73 | 1.11 |
| Violations | 0.68 | 0.89 |
| Critical violations | 0.00 | 0.17 |
Yearly rates from the last 24 months. Peers: 10–19 power units, medium-risk cargo.
What they get cited for
15 violations · 24 months-
Vehicle maintenance No alert10 · 2 OOSBrakes 5 · Lights 3 · Cargo securement 2
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Unsafe driving No alert5 · 0 OOSSpeeding 3 · Reckless / lane 2
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Hours of service No alert0
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Driver fitness No alert0
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Drugs & alcohol No alert0
Violations by quarter
Tap a category to show or hide itCrashes
24 months-
Nov172025MichiganProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. FMCSA: not preventable.
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Jan202025MichiganProperty damage onlySnow road, daylight, snow, one-way trafficway not divided. FMCSA: not preventable.
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Oct152024IllinoisInjury · 1 person hurtWet road, daylight, rain, two-way trafficway not divided.
1 of the 3 crashes hurt someone but killed no one.
Insurance filed with FMCSA
FMCSA record through Nov 2, 2026- Liability (BIPD)
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$1,000,000 · ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANYon record since Sep 1, 2007 · FMCSA minimum $1,000,000 · no gap on FMCSA's record since Sep 2002
- Cargo filing
- on file · Frankenmuth Insurance Company since Jan 1, 2009
- One liability insurer throughout
- No gap in filed liability coverage while liability was required
Operating authority active (FMCSA's new registration system, status since Oct 17, 2002)
FMCSA filings only, not a policy audit. Not part of the FRED grade. Wrong or out of date?
Every insurance filing on the FMCSA record
17 filings and 12 authority events since 1981 · FMCSA record through Nov 2, 2026
Newest first. Insurer names as filed. FMCSA does not publish why a filing was cancelled.
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Jan 1, 2009Frankenmuth Insurance CompanyCargo · on file · on fileFMCSA's new system
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Sep 1, 2007ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $1,000,000 · on fileFMCSA's new system
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Aug 31, 2007FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Sep 10, 2007cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Sep 1, 2005ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Sep 1, 2007 · superseded by the same policy24 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Aug 5, 2005FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Aug 29, 2005opened after DISCOVER PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Sep 1, 2005)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 3, 2005FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Jan 4, 2005cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 1, 2005FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE CO.Cargo · ended Jan 1, 2009 · replaced by another insurera cancellation notice effective Feb 7, 2009 came after the replacement; 48 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 1, 2004NORTH RIVER INSURANCE CO.Cargo · ended Jan 1, 2005 · replaced by another insurera cancellation notice effective Jan 30, 2005 came after the replacement; 12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 1, 2003LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANYCargo · ended Jan 1, 2004 · replaced by another insurer12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Oct 17, 2002Operating authority reinstatedL&I to May 14, 2026
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Sep 1, 2002DISCOVER PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE CO.Liability · $1,000,000 · ended Sep 1, 2005 · cancellation notice took effect36 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 26, 2002FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE CO.Cargo · ended Jan 1, 2003 · replaced by another insurera cancellation notice effective Apr 2, 2003 came after the replacement; 10 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 1, 2002LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANYCargo · ended Feb 26, 2002 · replaced by another insurer2 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Aug 17, 1998Operating authority revoked (cause not stated)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 29, 1997FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Jan 27, 1998cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 29, 1997FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Feb 2, 1998cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Nov 5, 1997Operating authority grantedL&I to May 14, 2026
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Oct 16, 1997Operating authority reinstatedL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 24, 1997Operating authority revoked (cause not stated)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 7, 1997NATIONAL SURETY CORPORATIONCargo · ended Aug 28, 1998 · cancellation notice took effect14 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 1, 1997NATIONAL SURETY CORPORATIONCargo · ended Sep 19, 1997 · insurer name change3 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jun 1, 1997UNITED STATES FIDELITY & GUARANTY CO.Cargo · ended Nov 30, 1997 · transferred6 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jun 1, 1997UNITED STATES FIDELITY & GUARANTY CO.Liability · $1,000,000 · ended Nov 30, 1997 · transferreda cancellation notice effective Jun 1, 1998 came after the replacement; 6 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 5, 1995FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Aug 21, 1995cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jun 1, 1995UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO.Cargo · ended Jul 1, 1997 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)25 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
What the terms mean
- Liability filing (BIPD):
- The insurer's certificate (form BMC-91 or 91X) that the motor carrier carries bodily-injury and property-damage liability at or above FMCSA's minimum. A BMC-82 is the same promise made by a surety bond.
- FMCSA minimum:
- $750,000 for general freight in vehicles of 10,001 lb or more; $300,000 under 10,001 lb; $1,000,000 for oil and some hazardous materials; $5,000,000 for bulk hazardous materials (49 CFR 387.9).
- Primary / excess:
- An excess filing sits on top of a primary one; together they make the total filed limit.
- Replaced:
- A new filing took over from this one. Replaced the same day is an ordinary change of insurer or renewal.
- Cancellation notice:
- Form BMC-35 (insurance) or BMC-36 (bond): the insurer tells FMCSA the filing ends in 30 days. The insurer files it whether the insurer or the motor carrier ended the policy; FMCSA does not publish the reason.
- Cancellation processed by FMCSA:
- FMCSA itself ended the filing, for example when the authority was revoked.
- Lapse:
- Time with no liability filing on FMCSA's record while the authority required one. A filing received later can be back-dated, which closes a lapse after the fact.
- Suspended for insurance:
- FMCSA suspended the operating authority because no filing meeting the minimum was on file. FMCSA's records state this reason only since May 14, 2026; before then they show a revocation notice without a cause.
- FMCSA notice resolved in time:
- Before May 14, 2026, FMCSA served a revocation notice when a required filing lapsed and dropped it when the filing was restored. The notice does not say which filing lapsed.
- Suspension notice:
- Since May 14, 2026, FMCSA serves a notice that the authority will be suspended on a date unless the missing filing is restored. The notice does not say which filing.
- Cargo filing:
- Form BMC-34. FMCSA has required it only of household-goods motor carriers and forwarders since 2011, so most motor carriers' cargo policies are not on FMCSA's record.
- Broker bond / trust fund:
- Form BMC-84 (surety bond) or BMC-85 (trust fund): the $75,000 security a broker or freight forwarder must keep on file.
- Self-insurance authority:
- FMCSA lets a few large motor carriers carry their own liability; it appears as a filing by "Self-Insured".
- Risk retention group:
- An insurer owned by its policyholders (often trucking groups). It is not covered by state insurance guaranty funds.
- FMCSA record through:
- The date of the FMCSA file this section was built from. Dockets FMCSA's new system has not yet published are shown from the legacy record, frozen on May 14, 2026.
FMCSA's record of the insurance filed for this motor carrier's operating authority (forms BMC-91/91X liability, BMC-34 cargo, BMC-84/85 broker bond or trust), not the motor carrier's full insurance program. Only for-hire motor carriers with operating authority file with FMCSA; private and intrastate-only motor carriers keep proof of insurance at their place of business, so no filing does not mean no insurance. A filed limit is the amount the insurer certified to FMCSA, which can be below the policy's full limits; cargo and bond filings are shown as on file or not because FMCSA records the federal minimum rather than the policy amount. FMCSA's new registration system (May 14, 2026) publishes a partial set of dockets; a docket not yet in it is shown from the legacy record, frozen on that date, and the live check above is today's reading. Not part of the FRED grade. Wrong or out of date?
Where it happens
- Michigan (HQ) 7
- Indiana 2
- Ohio 1
How this grade is calculated
The model, its inputs, the window it scored and its confidence. For actuaries and anyone checking the work.
Forward 12-Month Risk Outlook
The FRED Score predicts this motor carrier's crash risk over the next 12 months — how often they're likely to crash and how severe those crashes tend to be — versus a typical fleet of its size (11 power units: 11 filed, 10 seen roadside in 24 months).
We'd expect a typical fleet of 11 power units this active to have about 0.4 crashes a year. This motor carrier recorded 3 in its scoring window (Sep 1, 2023 → Aug 31, 2026, about 1.0 a year) — about 2.3× a typical fleet. Factoring in its inspection and violation record inside that window and the credibility of its own experience, the model projects about 0.6 over the next 12 — about 1.3× the typical fleet. When this motor carrier does crash, those crashes tend to be substantially more severe than average — roughly 3.4× the injury/fatal weight of a typical crash.
FRED multiplies three factors: the class rate a fleet of this size, class and activity is expected to run, a violation relativity from its roadside record, and its own crash experience over 36 months weighted by how much exposure stands behind it. The grade is the band of the resulting relativity to class, then the screens.
FMCSA records
BASIC measures and every inspection, violation and crash, sortable and filterable.
FMCSA BASIC Scores
AB Property| BASIC | Insp w/ Viol | Measure | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe Driving | 5 | 2.45 | |
| HOS Compliance | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Driver Fitness | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Controlled Substances | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 2 | 15.00 |
SMS record data is sourced from FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (02-JUL-25 – 19-JUN-26) and may cover a different time window than the scoring window used for the FRED grade (Sep 1, 2023 → Sep 30, 2026). Counts here may differ from the grade's in-window counts.