NORTON TRANSPORT INC
(706) 530-1276
rdearing@nortontransport.com
2 N Commerce Dr, Ringgold GA 30736-8401
2,400
power units · all owned
1,500 drivers
Strong
FRED Score 90.0 / 100
High confidence
26 yrs history · 1,200 roadside inspections
Upside capped
FMCSA Live Status
Checking FMCSA…
Fleet & equipment
- Power units
- 2,400
- Drivers · CDL
- 1,500 · 1,500
- Annual miles
- 47M unreliable
| Type | Own | Term | Trip | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trucks | 200 | 0 | 0 | 200 |
| Tractors | 1000 | 0 | 0 | 1000 |
| Trailers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Registration
- Organization
- CORPORATION
- FMCSA Rating
- Satisfactory (02-06-2018) · 8 yr old
- Registered
- 12-28-2000 (26 yrs)
- MCS-150 Update
- 09-25-2026 (Biennial Update)
- FRED Score Date
- Nov 07, 2026
- Officer
- RENEA DEARING
- Officer
- CALVIN NORTON
Cargo
75.2
high risk
Motor Vehicles
Drive/Tow Away
General Freight
- High-Risk Cargo
- Motor Vehicles, Drive/Tow Away, 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.
Upside Withheld
Its risk relativity (0.44× similar fleets) would put it in Excellent; these rules hold it at Strong:
- Excellent withheld: a fatal crash inside the window
- Excellent withheld: driver-behaviour relativity above 1.0×
The downside is never capped.
Mileage Unreliable
MCS-150 annual mileage appears too low for fleet size given observed activity. The per-100k-mile rate benchmarks on this page are excluded; the FRED grade does not use mileage (crash exposure is power-unit-years, violation exposure is inspection counts).
Expected crash rate is about half that of similar fleets.
Similar fleets: for-hire fleets of 500+ 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 0.44×
ExcellentStrongSatisf.SatisfactoryMarginalPoorCritical
▲ Similar fleets 1.0×
Expected crashes, next 12 months
26.3 vs 59.5 for similar fleets
Likely 17–37 crashes
This motor carrier
26.3
Similar fleets
59.5
Chance of a fatal crash, next 12 months
~50%
Below similar fleets.
What's driving the grade
Crash history
betterworse
Much better than peers. 53 crashes on the FMCSA record in 24 months (about 26 a year), including 1 fatal (1 death) and 17 with injuries; similar fleets have about 60 a year. The grade counts 80 crashes in its 36-month scoring window, recent ones weighted most.
Roadside inspections
betterworse
Better than peers. Out-of-service orders 0.44× and violations 0.45× the rate expected for its inspections. Together they move its crash estimate -11%: 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.
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Fatal crash1 crash with 1 fatality in 24 months (most recent Aug 10, 2026).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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Injury crashes17 crashes with 28 people hurt in 24 months.Ask: claim status and driver history for these crashes.
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Drivers put out of service25 out-of-service violations against drivers: 13 hours of service, 9 no valid CDL, 2 medical certificate (Dec 2024 – Aug 2026).Ask: driver supervision and dispatch practices.
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Lights and brakesLights are 74 of 407 violations (18%). Light or brake defects led to 51 out-of-service orders.Ask: the preventive-maintenance schedule and shop records.
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Falsified logs27 false-log violations in 24 months.Ask: how hours are audited against ELD and fuel records.
Strengths
- Vehicle out-of-service rate 9.8% vs 22.3% national; driver 2.3% vs 6.7%.
- No FMCSA BASIC alerts.
- 76% of inspections found no violations.
Data flags
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Dangerous driving: 47
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Excessive speeding: 18
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Substance violations: 6
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Unreliable reported mileageThe motor carrier's self-reported annual mileage (MCS-150) looks implausible, so exposure- and mileage-based figures may be distorted.
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Estimated mileageNo usable mileage was reported, so exposure was estimated from similar motor carriers. Mileage-based metrics here are approximate.
Track record
FMCSA record, Sep 2024 – Sep 2026
· grade scored on Sep 1, 2023 → Sep 30, 2026
Crashes
53
1 fatality · 28 injuries · 0 tow-aways
Inspections
1,200
76% clean (no violations)
Vehicle out-of-service
9.8%
67 of 687
National avg 22.3%
Driver out-of-service
2.3%
27 of 1,199
National avg 6.7%
Violations
407
105 out-of-service
Inspections per quarter
With an out-of-service order
Sep 25–30, 2024 isn't charted (too little of that quarter is on file); the 24-month totals include its 11 inspections.
vs 43 peer fleets
| This motor carrier | Peers | |
|---|---|---|
| Crashes | 0.011 | 0.014 |
| Inspections | 0.38 | 0.41 |
| Violations | 0.09 | 0.16 |
| Critical violations | 0.02 | 0.04 |
Yearly rates from the last 24 months. Peers: 500+ power units, high-risk cargo.
What they get cited for
407 violations · 24 months-
Vehicle maintenance No alert203 · 80 OOSLights 74 · Brakes 46 · Tires 21 · Wheels & hubs 17 · Cargo securement 7 · 38 more
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Unsafe driving No alert121 · 0 OOSReckless / lane 45 · Speeding 24 · Phone use 16 · Seat belt 10 · Other 26
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Hours of service No alert66 · 13 OOSFalse log 27 · Logbook / ELD paperwork 25 · No log 7 · Over hours limit 7
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Driver fitness No alert17 · 12 OOSNo valid CDL 9 · Medical certificate 7 · Other qualification 1
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Drugs & alcohol No alert0
Out-of-service violations
“No alert” = under FMCSA's BASIC intervention threshold
Violations by quarter
Tap a category to show or hide itNo violation trend data
Crashes
24 months-
Sep22026North CarolinaProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Aug102026FloridaFatal · 1 deathDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Aug22026ArkansasInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Jul282026North CarolinaProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Jul22026PennsylvaniaProperty damage onlyDaylight.
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Apr212026AlabamaProperty damage onlyDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Apr212026TexasProperty damage onlyWet road, daylight, rain, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Apr82026IndianaProperty damage onlyDaylight.
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Mar32026North CarolinaInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Feb162026TexasInjury · 2 people hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Jan212026IndianaInjury · 1 person hurtDark - lighted. FMCSA: not preventable.
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Nov302025IndianaInjury · 2 people hurtDark - lighted. FMCSA: not preventable.
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Nov172025IndianaInjury · 2 people hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Nov112025ArizonaInjury · 2 people hurtDark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median. Citation issued.
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Oct72025OhioInjury · 4 people hurtWet road, daylight, one-way trafficway not divided.
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Aug122025FloridaInjury · 4 people hurtWet road, daylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Aug92025IllinoisInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Jun142025KansasInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Mar302025CaliforniaInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Feb62025VirginiaInjury · 1 person hurtDark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided unprotected median.
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Feb42025South CarolinaInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided positive barrier.
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Jan242025MassachusettsInjury · 1 person hurtDaylight, two-way trafficway divided positive barrier.
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Nov192024LouisianaInjury · 2 people hurtDark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided positive barrier. Citation issued.
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Sep302024WashingtonInjury · 1 person hurtDark - not lighted, two-way trafficway divided positive barrier. FMCSA: not preventable.
45 more in the FMCSA records below.
1 of the 53 crashes was fatal.
17 of the 53 crashes hurt someone but killed no one.
Insurance filed with FMCSA
FMCSA record through Nov 2, 2026Today · live FMCSA check
Checking FMCSA…
- Liability (BIPD)
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$1,000,000 · Clear Blue Insurance Companyon record since Mar 7, 2026 · FMCSA minimum $750,000 · no gap on FMCSA's record since Mar 2007
- Cargo filing
- not required by FMCSA (household-goods motor carriers only); the cargo policy is not on FMCSA's record
36 months to Nov 2, 2026
- 3 liability insurers on FMCSA's record, 2 changes: OBSIDIAN INSURANCE COMPANY → Clear Blue Insurance Company (Mar 2026); CANAL INSURANCE CO. → OBSIDIAN INSURANCE COMPANY (Mar 2025)
- 1 cancellation notice filed by an insurer; 1 took effect (the last Mar 7, 2025, replaced the same day)
- No gap in filed liability coverage while liability was required
Authority
- FMCSA notice resolved in time: 1
Operating authority active (FMCSA's new registration system, status since Mar 13, 2007)
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
26 filings and 13 authority events since 2000 · FMCSA record through Nov 2, 2026
Every insurance filing on the FMCSA record
26 filings and 13 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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Mar 7, 2026Clear Blue Insurance CompanyLiability · $1,000,000 · on fileFMCSA's new system
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Mar 7, 2025OBSIDIAN INSURANCE COMPANYLiability · $1,000,000 · ended Mar 7, 2026 · replaced by another insurer12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 10, 2025FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 3, 2025opened after CANAL INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2025)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2024CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $1,000,000 · ended Mar 7, 2025 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jul 25, 2019CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2024 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)55 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Jun 25, 2019CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $1,000,000 · ended Jul 25, 2019 · superseded by the same policy1 month in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2019CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Jun 25, 2019 · superseded by the same policy4 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2018CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2019 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2017CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2018 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2016CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2017 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2015CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2016 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2014CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2015 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2013CANAL INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2014 · replaced by the same insurer (renewal)12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 8, 2013FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 7, 2013opened after AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2013)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2012AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2013 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 9, 2012FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 7, 2012opened after AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2012)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2011AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2012 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 8, 2011FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 7, 2011opened after AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2011)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2010AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2011 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 8, 2010FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 3, 2010opened after AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2010)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2009AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2010 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 9, 2009FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 3, 2009opened after AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2009)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Mar 7, 2008AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2009 · cancellation notice took effect12 months in forceL&I to May 14, 2026
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Feb 11, 2008FMCSA revocation notice for the operating authority, dropped Mar 7, 2008opened after CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. filed a cancellation notice (effective Mar 7, 2008)L&I to May 14, 2026
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Apr 23, 2007CAROLINA CASUALTY INSURANCE CO.Liability · $750,000 · ended Mar 7, 2008 · cancellation notice took effect10 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
Loading map data…
Inspections by state
- Tennessee 150
- New Mexico 76
- California 65
- North Carolina 61
- Georgia (HQ) 59
- Texas 53
- Montana 50
- South Dakota 50
Runs well beyond its home state: 59 of 1,200 inspections were in Georgia.
How this grade is calculated
The model, its inputs, the window it scored and its confidence. For actuaries and anyone checking the work.
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 (2400 power units: 2400 filed, 1257 seen roadside in 24 months).
Crash Outlook vs Peer Fleet
crashes per year · same scale
Average peer fleet
59.5
Actual, per year in window
26.7
Projected, next 12 mo
26.3
0
35
70
We'd expect a typical fleet of 2400 power units this active to have about 59.5 crashes a year. This motor carrier recorded 80 in its scoring window (Sep 1, 2023 → Aug 31, 2026, about 26.7 a year) — fewer than a typical fleet. Factoring in its inspection and violation record inside that window and the credibility of its own experience, the model projects about 26.3 over the next 12 — below a typical fleet. When this motor carrier does crash, those crashes tend to be substantially more severe than average — roughly 3.2× the injury/fatal weight of a typical crash.
Fatal-crash risk: about 50% chance in the next 12 months
Modeled fatal-crash rate is below that of similar fleets (likelihood of at least one fatal crash, from its exposure and safety profile).
Track Record Used
Crashes Sep 1, 2023 → Aug 31, 2026 · inspections Oct 1, 2024 → Sep 30, 2026 · data as of Oct 29, 2026
Inside that window:
1193 inspections
and 80 crashes.
The FMCSA record tables now hold 1189 inspections and 52 crashes in that window — the SMS data moved after this grade was computed.
Outside the scoring window
on the FMCSA record · not in this grade
Aged out — crashes before Sep 1, 2023, inspections before Oct 1, 2024
- 11 inspections with no out-of-service result
Not yet scored — crashes after Aug 31, 2026, inspections after Sep 30, 2026
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 2, 2026 · NC · 0 injuries, 0 fatalities · engine severity weight 1
Confidence: High · Z = 0.98
Strong — 0.44x its class rate (cuts: Excellent <0.60, Strong <0.76, Satisfactory <1.06, Marginal <1.57, Poor <2.11). Class rate 0.025 crashes per power-unit-year for a 2400-unit for-hire fleet (pu500p). Violations 0.89x (driver behaviour 1.17x, out-of-service 0.44x, all violations 0.45x; 1193 inspections). Experience 0.49x: 39.7 decayed crashes against 82.2 expected over 36 months (credibility 0.98, a 1.88). 80% range 0.34–0.55x. Excellent withheld: fatal crash inside the window. Excellent withheld: driver-behaviour relativity above 1.0. Last change: no change since the last run.
No change since the previous weekly run.
Scoring flags
MCS-150 mileage unreliable (mileage is not in the grade)
(informational — no grade effect)
What Drives This Score
1.00× = this motor carrier's class rate
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.
Class rate
2.5 crashes per 100 power-unit-years
2400 power units · 59.52 expected crashes a year
Violation relativity
0.89×
1193 inspections in window
Crash experience
0.49×
39.7 decayed crashes vs 82.2 expected · credibility 0.98
Driver behaviour
Out-of-service rate
All violations
0×1× class2×+
Each sub-relativity is shrunk toward its cohort rate when the record is thin (Bühlmann credibility), so a short record reads close to 1.00×.
Relativity to class 0.44× (80% range 0.34–0.55×)
· band Excellent → displayed Strong
· cuts: Excellent <0.60, Strong <0.76, Satisfactory <1.06, Marginal <1.57, Poor <2.11, Critical above
- Excellent withheld: a fatal crash inside the window
- Excellent withheld: driver-behaviour relativity above 1.0×
FMCSA records
BASIC measures and every inspection, violation and crash, sortable and filterable.
FMCSA records
BASIC measures and every inspection, violation and crash, sortable and filterable.
FMCSA BASIC Scores
AB PropertyTotal Inspections
1,200
Driver Insp
1,199
Driver OOS
27
Vehicle Insp
687
Vehicle OOS
67
| BASIC | Insp w/ Viol | Measure | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe Driving | 111 | 0.42 | |
| HOS Compliance | 56 | 0.30 | |
| Driver Fitness | 15 | 0.08 | |
| Controlled Substances | 5 | 0.05 | |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 135 | 1.53 |
SMS record data is sourced from FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (01-APR-25 – 31-OCT-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.