PINNACLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS INC
DBA: PINNACLE
FMCSA Live Status
Fleet & equipment
- Power units
- 86
- Drivers · CDL
- 80 · 80
- Annual miles
- 4.7M
| Type | Own | Term | Trip | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trucks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tractors | 6 | 80 | 0 | 86 |
| Trailers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Registration
- Organization
- CORPORATION
- FMCSA Rating
- Satisfactory (10-18-2005) · 21 yr old
- Registered
- 02-22-2000 (26 yrs)
- MCS-150 Update
- 03-20-2025 (Address Change)
- FRED Score Date
- Nov 07, 2026
- Officer
- D'ARCY CHANDLER
- Officer
- MARK HERMAN
Cargo
- High-Risk Cargo
- Motor Vehicles, Drive/Tow Away, Mobile Homes, Machinery Large, Oilfield Equipment, General Freight, Household Goods
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: interstate fleets of 50–99 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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Fatal crash1 crash with 1 fatality in 24 months (most recent Aug 26, 2025).Ask: the accident register and loss runs for these crashes.
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New since the grade was set1 crash after Aug 31, 2026. Not in the grade yet.
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Drivers put out of service2 out-of-service violations against drivers: 1 no valid CDL, 1 hours of service (Mar 2026 – Apr 2026).Ask: driver supervision and dispatch practices.
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Brakes and lightsBrakes are 38 of 141 violations (27%). Brake or light defects led to 25 out-of-service orders.Ask: the preventive-maintenance schedule and shop records.
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Vehicle out-of-service rate50.7% of vehicle inspections end out of service vs 22.3% nationally (35 of 69). Across all its inspections, out-of-service orders run 1.54× what's expected for where and how it's inspected.
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Falsified logs2 false-log violations in 24 months.Ask: how hours are audited against ELD and fuel records.
- Driver out-of-service rate 1.8% vs 6.7% national.
- No FMCSA BASIC alerts.
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Dangerous driving: 5
Track record
Inspected about as often as interstate fleets of 50–99 trucks in Indiana (about 85 in 24 months would be typical).
| This motor carrier | Peers | |
|---|---|---|
| Crashes | 0.052 | 0.026 |
| Inspections | 0.95 | 0.97 |
| Violations | 0.82 | 0.56 |
| Critical violations | 0.11 | 0.11 |
Yearly rates from the last 24 months. Peers: interstate fleets, 50–99 power units, medium-risk cargo.
What they get cited for
141 violations · 24 months-
Vehicle maintenance No alert118 · 44 OOSBrakes 38 · Lights 31 · Cargo securement 12 · Tires 11 · Wheels & hubs 6 · 20 more
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Unsafe driving No alert12 · 0 OOSReckless / lane 5 · Speeding 3 · Other 4
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Hours of service No alert9 · 1 OOSLogbook / ELD paperwork 5 · False log 2 · No log 2
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Driver fitness No alert2 · 1 OOSNo valid CDL 2
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Drugs & alcohol No alert0
Violations by quarter
Tap a category to show or hide itCrashes
24 months-
Sep82026VirginiaProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Jun242026TexasProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Mar172026MontanaProperty damage onlyDaylight, severe crosswinds, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Nov62025IndianaProperty damage onlyDark - lighted, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Aug262025MinnesotaFatal · 1 deathDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.In the newsSemi-truck driver killed in Highway 42 crash in Wabasha County - Post BulletinPost Bulletin · Aug 26, 2025
Why this link: FMCSA crash report MN0252380169 (State Patrol: Rochester) lists PINNACLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS INC’s truck in this crash. This third-party news report covers a crash with the same date, place and number of deaths, matched automatically. It may not name PINNACLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS INC and doesn't establish fault. Wrong article?
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Jul252025WyomingProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Jun112025WyomingProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Jun82025MontanaProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
About “In the news”: these links go to third-party news reports that FRED Score matched automatically to FMCSA crash records — same date and place, with a truck or bus involved, and the same number of deaths or, for a crash that released hazardous materials, the release — and checked a second time before showing. A link doesn't mean this motor carrier caused the crash: FMCSA crash reports don't assign fault, and news coverage can be incomplete or wrong. FRED Score doesn't verify or endorse what the articles say.
1 more in the FMCSA records below.
1 of the 9 crashes was fatal.
Insurance filed with FMCSA
FMCSA record through Nov 2, 2026- Liability (BIPD)
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$1,000,000 · Clear Blue Insurance Companyon record since Jun 1, 2026 · FMCSA minimum $750,000 · no gap on FMCSA's record since Feb 20001 other liability filing also on file
- Cargo filing
- not required by FMCSA (household-goods motor carriers only); the cargo policy is not on FMCSA's record
- 3 liability insurers on FMCSA's record, 2 changes: Obsidian Insurance Company → Clear Blue Insurance Company (Jun 2026); CANAL INSURANCE CO. → Obsidian Insurance Company (Jun 2024)
- 1 cancellation notice filed by an insurer; 1 took effect (the last Jul 1, 2026, replaced 9 days later)
- No gap in filed liability coverage while liability was required
- 1 liability filing received late (the last received Jul 10, 2026 for an effective date of Jun 1, 2026); FMCSA had no filing on record in between
- FMCSA notice resolved in time: 1
Operating authority active (FMCSA's new registration system, status since Aug 23, 2012)
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
40 filings and 23 authority events since 2000 · 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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Jul 10, 2026Clear Blue Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · ended, date not stated · ended, date not stated4 months in forceFMCSA's new system
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Jun 1, 2026Clear Blue Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · ended Jul 1, 2026 · cancellation notice took effect1 month in forceFMCSA's new system
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Jun 1, 2026Clear Blue Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · ended Jul 10, 2026 · coverage dates not published1 month in forceFMCSA's new system
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Jun 1, 2026Clear Blue Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · on filereceived Jul 10, 2026 for an effective date of Jun 1, 2026FMCSA's new system
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Jun 1, 2026FMCSA suspension notice for the operating authority, effective Jul 1, 2026the authority stayed activeFMCSA's new system
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Jun 20, 2024Obsidian Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · on fileFMCSA's new system
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Jan 30, 2024CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Jun 20, 2024 · replaced by another insurer5 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 30, 2021CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Jan 30, 2024 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)36 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 4, 2021FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Jan 28, 2021opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Jan 30, 2021)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 6, 2020SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Jan 30, 2021 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jan 10, 2020FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Jan 28, 2020opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Feb 6, 2020)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 31, 2017SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Feb 6, 2020 · cancellation notice took effect25 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 4, 2017FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Dec 29, 2017opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Dec 31, 2017)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 31, 2016SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Dec 31, 2017 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 31, 2015SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Dec 31, 2016 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 4, 2015FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Dec 31, 2015opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Dec 31, 2015)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 31, 2014SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Dec 31, 2015 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 4, 2014FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Dec 22, 2014opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Dec 31, 2014)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Aug 2, 2014UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYDS LONDONCargo · ended Aug 2, 2015 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 7, 2014FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Aug 4, 2014cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 31, 2013SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Dec 31, 2014 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Dec 4, 2013FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Dec 17, 2013opened after SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANY filed a cancellation notice (effective Dec 31, 2013)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Aug 2, 2013UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYDS LONDONCargo · ended Aug 2, 2014 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 18, 2013SCOTTSDALE INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $750,000 · ended Dec 31, 2013 · cancellation notice took effect5 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 8, 2013FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Aug 1, 2013cause not stated in FMCSA's older recordsL&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 12
- Indiana (HQ) 9
- New York 8
- Texas 8
- Colorado 7
- North Carolina 6
- New Mexico 6
- Pennsylvania 4
Runs well beyond its home state: 9 of 113 inspections were in Indiana.
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 (86 power units: 86 filed, 75 seen roadside in 24 months).
We'd expect a typical fleet of 86 power units this active to have about 2.8 crashes a year. This motor carrier recorded 11 in its scoring window (Sep 1, 2023 → Aug 31, 2026, about 3.7 a year) — about 1.3× a typical fleet. Factoring in its inspection and violation record inside that window and the credibility of its own experience, the model projects about 3.3 over the next 12 — about 1.2× the typical fleet. When this motor carrier does crash, those crashes tend to be substantially more severe than average — roughly 3.3× the injury/fatal weight of a typical crash.
Inspections count through the end of the latest full month of FMCSA data. Crash reports reach FMCSA weeks late, so crashes wait 1 month more. Both enter the grade as the window moves forward each month.
- Crash Sep 8, 2026 · VA · 0 injuries, 0 fatalities · engine severity weight 1
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 | 11 | 0.80 | |
| HOS Compliance | 7 | 0.23 | |
| Driver Fitness | 2 | 0.09 | |
| Controlled Substances | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 48 | 8.12 |
SMS record data is sourced from FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (01-JUL-26 – 30-SEP-25) 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.