KV EXPRESS INC
USDOT 2160937MC-Docket MC750989HAWTHORN WOODS, IL
Review before tendering22 power units
KV EXPRESS INC (USDOT 2160937) in HAWTHORN WOODS, IL — has findings to review before tendering. FMCSA authority, fleet size, BASIC safety measures, crash and inspection history.
- Has active operating authority that's tenderable today (common or contract).
- No pending authority revocation.
- Not under an uncleared federal out-of-service or safety action.
- BIPD on file is $750,000 — below your $1,000,000 floor (federal general-freight minimum is $750,000).
- No cargo insurance on file. Required for many shipper contracts.
- 1 prior insurance lapse(s) on record, most recent began 2012-10-16 — the carrier let required coverage lapse before.
- Current BIPD policy (UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CO.) was filed 29 day(s) after the last involuntary revocation (2026-01-21) — a refile-to-reinstate pattern worth a closer look.
- Unrated by FMCSA. Most carriers are unrated — unrated is not the same as unsafe.
- No BASIC alerts in any of the five public SMS categories.
- Vehicle out-of-service rate is above the national roadside average.
- No preventable crashes in the last 24 months; recordable crash rate 0 not elevated.
- No fatal crashes in the last 24 months.
- No link to a prior revoked authority.
- Authority involuntarily revoked 12 times, most recent 2026-01-21 — recurring instability (typically insurance-lapse / reinstate cycles).
- Crash Indicator and Hazmat Compliance BASICs are statutorily withheld from public SMS under the FAST Act — their absence is not a clean record; use the crash-risk signals above instead.
Built from FMCSA's public Safety Management System data — guidance, not legal advice. Verify directly with the carrier and your cargo policy before tendering.
Authority
- Common authority
- Active
- Contract authority
- Not applicable
Safety & BASIC scorecard
BASIC safety measures
Unsafe driving
No alert
measure 4.38
Hours of service
No alert
measure 1.54
Driver fitness
No alert
measure 0.26
Controlled substance
No alert
measure 0
Vehicle maintenance
No alert
measure 10.4
Under the FAST Act, FMCSA publishes an absolute per-category measure (not a 0–100 percentile) for these five BASICs — the alert flag, not the raw number, is the risk signal. The Crash Indicator and Hazmat Compliance BASICs are statutorily withheld from public view.
Last 24 months
0
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Crashes
52
Inspections
9
OOS inspections
11
OOS violations
Insurance
- BIPD on file
- $750,000 below $1M baseline
- Cargo insurance
- No
- Bond on file
- No
Fleet
- Power units
- 22
- Total drivers
- 22
- Years in business
- 15
- Hazmat authority
- No
Crash risk
- Preventable crashes (24 mo)
- 0 of 0 total crash(es)
- Recordable crash rate
- 0
- Driver OOS rate
- 3.6%
- Vehicle OOS rate
- 31.8%Above national
The official Crash Indicator BASIC is withheld from public SMS under the FAST Act — these derived signals stand in for it; their absence is not a clean record.
Compliance & history
- Reincarnation / chameleon
- No prior revoked authority
- Involuntary revocations
- 12 times last 2026-01-21
- Physical address
- No address flags
- Federal OOS / safety action
- None on file
- MCS-150 self-report
- 2026-03-28
- Insurance lapse history
- 1 lapse(s) most recent 2012-10-16
- Last compliance review
- None on file
Inspection history (all-time)
87
Inspections
12
OOS inspections
118
Violations
15
OOS violations
0
Post-accident
Record spans 2023-06-08 → 2026-05-19.
Crash history (last 24 months)
No crashes recorded in the last 24 months.
Violation pattern (all-time, by area)
| Area (49 CFR part) | Violations | Out of service | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
Vehicle parts & maintenance 393
|
50 | 7 | 2026-04-14 |
Unsafe driving 392
|
28 | 0 | 2026-03-11 |
Hours of service 395
|
20 | 2 | 2026-03-11 |
Vehicle inspection & repair 396
|
10 | 6 | 2026-04-14 |
Operating authority / leasing 376
|
2 | 0 | 2024-03-05 |
CDL standards 383
|
1 | 0 | 2026-02-26 |
Driver qualifications 391
|
1 | 0 | 2026-03-26 |
Recent violations (last 24 months, worst first)
| Date | Category | Violation | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | Vehicle Maintenance | Emergency Equipment - Fire Extinguishers - not readily accessible or filled | — |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Headlamp(s) - Any inoperative | — |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Fails air loss rate test | OOS |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Hose/tubing damage into the outer reinforcement ply. | OOS |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Drum Brake - Inoperative other than a steering axle | — |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1 1998 | — |
| 2026-04-14 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination | OOS |
| 2026-03-26 | Driver Fitness | Qualifications - Operating a CMV without proper training/experience | — |
| 2026-03-26 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Truck-tractor manufactured on or after March 1 1997 not equipped with an ABS system. System does not functio | — |
| 2026-03-26 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Any leak from a brake valve | — |
| 2026-03-11 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Passenger) - Driver produces a false record of duty status that concealed an HOS limitation violation after the las | OOS |
| 2026-03-11 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g. safety official signal sign l | — |
| 2026-02-26 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | Driving beyond 14 hour duty period (Property carrying vehicle) | — |
| 2026-02-26 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | Driving beyond 11 hour driving limit. (Property Carrying Vehicle) | — |
| 2026-02-26 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | False report of drivers record of duty status | — |
| 2026-02-26 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | Drivers record of duty status not current | — |
| 2026-02-26 | Driver Fitness | License (CDL) - CDL or CLP holder possesses a valid medical certificate but is not on file with the issuing state driver | — |
| 2026-02-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS | OOS |
| 2026-02-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others leaking in tread area with inflation more than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire equipped | — |
| 2026-02-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt | — |
| 2026-02-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate | — |
| 2026-02-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination | OOS |
| 2026-01-20 | Vehicle Maintenance | No Lower rear retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflective materials as required for vehicles manufactured after Decemb | — |
| 2025-12-21 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Suspension - Leaking 3 PSI in 5 minutes | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Steering - Power steering leaking anywhere. | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Drum Brake - Cracked/loose/missing lining/pad | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - CMV manufactured on or after 10/20/1994 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Truck-tractor manufactured on or after March 1 1997 not equipped with an ABS system. System does not functio | — |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake - Defective brake(s) are equal to or greater than 20% of the service brakes on the vehicle/combination | OOS |
| 2025-12-02 | Vehicle Maintenance | Cargo - Cargo not secured against shifting | — |
| 2025-11-23 | Unsafe Driving | Driver- Inattentive or Distracted Driving | — |
| 2025-11-19 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding work/construction zone | — |
| 2025-11-19 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Property) - Driver produces a false record of duty status that concealed an HOS limitation violation after the last | — |
| 2025-11-17 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Lamps improper color height location. | — |
| 2025-11-17 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g. safety official signal sign l | — |
| 2025-10-07 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain | — |
| 2025-10-07 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (ELD) - Driver failing to manually input location description when prompted by the ELD | — |
| 2025-09-30 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g. safety official signal sign l | — |
| 2025-07-27 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others - Exposed ply or belt material in tread or sidewall area | — |
| 2025-06-11 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection | — |
| 2025-06-11 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Side marker lamp(s) inoperative | — |
| 2025-06-03 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Truck-tractor manufactured on or after March 1 1997 not equipped with an ABS system. System does not functio | — |
| 2025-06-03 | Vehicle Maintenance | Windshield - Damaged or Discolored | — |
| 2025-05-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt | — |
| 2025-05-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | CMV manufactured after 10/19/94 has an automatic airbrake adjustment system that fails to compensate for wear | — |
| 2025-05-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | Inoperable Required Lamp | — |
| 2025-05-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | BRAKES OUT OF SERVICE: The number of defective brakes is equal to or greater than 20 percent of the service brakes on th | OOS |
| 2025-05-15 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake Out of Adjustment - Roto Clamp (Short & Long) DD-3 or Bolt | — |
Recent inspections (with violations, newest first)
Showing the 25 most-recent inspections that had violations. Clean inspections aren't listed here — they're counted in the all-time inspection totals above.
2026-04-14 9 viols· 3 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-BOS | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 45B2-BHTD | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 48A-BIBD | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-BALR | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 55E-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9A-LHLI | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 48A-BIBD | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 48A-BIBD | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 48A-BIBD | — | — |
2026-03-26 3 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 55C1-B | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-ALBV | — | — |
| Driver qualifications 391 | 11B3-Q | — | — |
2026-03-11 9 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTCD | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | OOS | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E1-HOSPVIDOOS | — | — |
2026-02-26 6 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8F01 | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E | — | — |
| CDL standards 383 | 71H | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 3A2-PROP | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 3A3-PROP | — | — |
2026-02-20 7 viols· 2 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-ATIS | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOL | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 53B-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-BOS | OOS | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
2026-01-20 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLS1 | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 11LR | — | — |
2025-12-21 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLS3 | — | — |
2025-12-04 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLDL | — | — |
2025-12-02 11 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-BOS | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 209E-SPSLA | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 53B-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 55C1-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47A-BCLMBD | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 207F-SLAS | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47A-BCLMBD | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 100C-C | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
2025-11-23 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-INAT | — | — |
2025-11-19 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8E-HOSPDOOS | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLSWZ | — | — |
2025-11-17 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 11A1-LCHL | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTCD | — | — |
2025-10-24 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 17C-PI | — | — |
2025-10-07 3 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8E-HOSPD | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8E-HOSPD | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 24C1II-ELDDLD | — | — |
2025-09-30 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTCD | — | — |
2025-09-25 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLED | — | — |
2025-07-27 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A1-TEPBM | — | — |
2025-06-11 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 45D-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9A-LSML | — | — |
2025-06-03 4 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 55C1-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOL | OOS | Not Guilty/Dismissed |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLIFTA | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 60C | — | — |
2025-05-30 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2C | — | Not Guilty/Dismissed |
2025-05-29 6 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9 | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9 | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1BOS | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 53B | — | — |
2025-05-15 5 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 53B-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 47E | — | — |
| Vehicle inspection & repair 396 | 3A1-BOS | OOS | — |
2025-04-16 3 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 22A-D | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 22B-DFPWD | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
2025-04-01 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWA3 | — | — |
2024-12-03 1 viol· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOL | OOS | — |
Verify on FMCSA
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