CHRIS HELMS TRANSPORTATION INC
USDOT 1796126MC-Docket MC653932HOUGHTON LAKE, MI
Review before tendering46 power units
CHRIS HELMS TRANSPORTATION INC (USDOT 1796126) in HOUGHTON LAKE, MI — 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.
- No history of insurance lapses.
- Satisfactory safety rating.
- No BASIC alerts in any of the five public SMS categories.
- Vehicle out-of-service rate is above the national roadside average.
- 6 preventable crash(es) in the last 24 months; recordable crash rate 0.
- No fatal crashes in the last 24 months.
- No link to a prior revoked authority.
- FMCSA compliance review on file dated 2023-04-18 (C).
- 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
- Not applicable
- Contract authority
- Active
Safety & BASIC scorecard
BASIC safety measures
Unsafe driving
No alert
measure 1.78
Hours of service
No alert
measure 0.71
Driver fitness
No alert
measure 0
Controlled substance
No alert
measure 0
Vehicle maintenance
No alert
measure 4.5
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
5
Injuries
6
Crashes
52
Inspections
11
OOS inspections
12
OOS violations
Insurance
- BIPD on file
- $750,000 below $1M baseline
- Cargo insurance
- No
- Bond on file
- No
Fleet
- Power units
- 46
- Total drivers
- 46
- Years in business
- 18
- Hazmat authority
- No
Crash risk
- Preventable crashes (24 mo)
- 6 of 6 total crash(es)
- Recordable crash rate
- 0
- Driver OOS rate
- 3.4%
- Vehicle OOS rate
- 30.3%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
- None on file
- Physical address
- No address flags
- Federal OOS / safety action
- None on file
- MCS-150 self-report
- 2025-10-07
- Insurance lapse history
- No lapses on record
- Last compliance review
- 2023-04-18 · C
Inspection history (all-time)
100
Inspections
19
OOS inspections
177
Violations
24
OOS violations
2
Post-accident
Record spans 2023-06-21 → 2026-06-10.
Crash history (last 24 months)
2026-03-26
OH
1 injuredTow-away
2025-10-02
MI
3 injuredTow-away
2025-08-03
MI
1 injuredTow-away
2025-07-08
FL
Tow-away
2024-09-19
MI
Tow-away
2024-07-16
KY
Tow-away
2024-05-23
PA
Tow-away
2024-04-30
IN
Tow-away
Violation pattern (all-time, by area)
| Area (49 CFR part) | Violations | Out of service | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
Vehicle parts & maintenance 393
|
73 | 20 | 2026-04-16 |
Unsafe driving 392
|
71 | 1 | 2026-06-10 |
Hours of service 395
|
26 | 2 | 2026-05-13 |
Vehicle inspection & repair 396
|
6 | 2 | 2025-01-17 |
CDL standards 383
|
1 | 1 | 2023-07-05 |
Recent violations (last 24 months, worst first)
| Date | Category | Violation | OOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Property) - No driver may make a false report in connection with a duty status. Explain | — |
| 2026-05-13 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failure to maintain lane | — |
| 2026-04-16 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failure to maintain lane | — |
| 2026-04-09 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Stop lamps - Both inoperative when required to be on | OOS |
| 2026-04-09 | Vehicle Maintenance | Emergency Equipment - Fire Extinguishers - unsecured | — |
| 2026-04-09 | Vehicle Maintenance | State/Local Laws - Wheel (mud) flaps missing or defective | — |
| 2025-12-08 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit | — |
| 2025-11-07 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Property) - Failing to have in possession RODS for the previous seven consecutive days and available for inspection | OOS |
| 2025-11-04 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Stop lamps - Both missing when required to be on. | OOS |
| 2025-11-04 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Property) - Failing to have a record of duty status using the method prescribed | OOS |
| 2025-10-23 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Tail lamp - Both lamps on rearmost vehicle inoperative when required to be on | OOS |
| 2025-10-08 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection | — |
| 2025-10-08 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1 1998 | — |
| 2025-08-22 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS | OOS |
| 2025-07-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure on tire not equipped with ATIS | OOS |
| 2025-07-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Stop lamps - Any inoperative. | — |
| 2025-07-29 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Turn signal -Any inoperative on a unit that is not the rearmost unit | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (Form) - Paper Log/Logging Programs Form and Manner | — |
| 2025-06-24 | Unsafe Driving | Driver - Using a hand-held mobile telephone | — |
| 2025-04-23 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - Audible air leak at a proper connection | — |
| 2025-02-24 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Failed to obey a traffic control device - Permanent or Temporary - e.g. safety official signal sign l | — |
| 2025-01-28 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (ELD) - On request by an authorized safety official a driver must produce and transfer from an ELD the driver's hour | — |
| 2025-01-17 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake - Audible air leak from a brake chamber | — |
| 2025-01-17 | Vehicle Maintenance | Windshield - Damaged or Discolored | — |
| 2025-01-16 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - Less than 2/32 inch tread depth | — |
| 2025-01-16 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - All electrical systems on towed vehicle(s) inoperative due to no electrical connection (e.g. unplugged or loo | OOS |
| 2025-01-07 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Tail lamp - Any inoperative | — |
| 2025-01-07 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake - Non-manufactured hole or crack in the spring brake housing section of a parking brake | OOS |
| 2025-01-07 | Vehicle Maintenance | Failing to correct the violation(s)/defect(s) noted on the roadside inspection report | — |
| 2025-01-07 | Vehicle Maintenance | Conspicuity Systems - Truck tractor upper rear retro reflective sheeting missing on vehicle manufactured on or after Jul | — |
| 2025-01-07 | Vehicle Maintenance | Windshield / Windows - Tinting permits less than 70% of light transmittance | — |
| 2024-12-30 | Vehicle Maintenance | Windshield / Windows - Tinting permits less than 70% of light transmittance | — |
| 2024-12-02 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS (ELD) - On request by an authorized safety official a driver must produce and transfer from an ELD the driver's hour | — |
| 2024-11-19 | Vehicle Maintenance | Air Brake - ABS malfunction lamp defective on trailers manufactured on or after March 1 1998 | — |
| 2024-11-19 | Vehicle Maintenance | Lighting - Identification lamp(s) inoperative | — |
| 2024-11-15 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tire-flat and/or audible air leak | OOS |
| 2024-10-21 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit | — |
| 2024-10-09 | Vehicle Maintenance | Tires - All others weight carried exceeds tire load limit | OOS |
| 2024-10-03 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit | — |
| 2024-09-27 | Vehicle Maintenance | Brake Connections with Leaks Under Vehicle | — |
| 2024-09-27 | Vehicle Maintenance | No or Defective ABS Malfunction Indicator Lamp for trailer manufactured after 03/01/1998 | — |
| 2024-09-27 | Vehicle Maintenance | Emergency Equipment - Stopped vehicle warning devices missing or improper | — |
| 2024-09-27 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | Driver not adequately trained in the operation of the automatic on-board recording device | — |
| 2024-09-23 | Hours-of-Service Compliance | HOS - False record of duty status driver improper use of Personal Conveyance - Not OOS | — |
| 2024-07-11 | Vehicle Maintenance | Truck-Tractor lower rear mud flaps retroreflective sheeting / reflex reflective material requirements for vehicles manuf | — |
| 2024-07-10 | Vehicle Maintenance | Improper securement of metal coil transported with eye lengthwise | OOS |
| 2024-07-10 | Vehicle Maintenance | No or Defective ABS Malfunction Indicator Lamp for trailer manufactured after 03/01/1998 | — |
| 2024-06-26 | Unsafe Driving | Failing to use seat belt while operating a CMV | — |
| 2024-06-19 | Unsafe Driving | State/Local Laws - Speeding 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit | — |
| 2024-05-01 | Vehicle Maintenance | Wipers - Inoperative / missing / damaged wipers | — |
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.
2026-06-10 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLS2 | — | — |
2026-05-13 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8E-HOSPD | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLML | — | — |
2026-05-08 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWG1 | — | — |
2026-05-03 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
2026-04-23 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEQP | — | — |
2026-04-16 3 violsPost-accident
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 205A-WRLR | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOLTIS | OOS | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLML | — | — |
2026-04-09 3 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLMF | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9A-LSLIWR | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 95A4-EEUS | — | — |
2026-03-02 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWG3 | — | — |
2026-02-03 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWG3 | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLIRP | — | — |
2025-12-08 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLS2 | — | — |
2025-11-07 2 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLIFTA | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8K2-HOSP | OOS | — |
2025-11-04 3 viols· 2 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
| Hours of service 395 | 8A1-HOSP | OOS | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 11A1-LSLMWR | OOS | — |
2025-10-23 1 viol· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9B-LRLIWR | OOS | — |
2025-10-09 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
2025-10-08 4 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 45D-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 45D-B | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 55E-B | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWG3 | — | — |
2025-10-01 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWA1 | — | — |
2025-09-22 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWG3 | — | — |
2025-09-04 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLTL | — | — |
2025-08-22 1 viol· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOL | OOS | — |
2025-08-01 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWA2 | — | — |
2025-07-29 3 viols· 1 OOS
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9A-LSLI | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 9A-LTSIR | — | — |
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 75A3-TAOL | OOS | — |
2025-07-11 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8A | — | — |
2025-06-24 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsafe driving 392 | 82DUMT | — | — |
2025-05-01 2 viols
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of service 395 | 8D2-HOSF | — | — |
| Unsafe driving 392 | 2-SLLEWPB | — | — |
2025-04-23 1 viol
| Area (part) | Section | OOS | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle parts & maintenance 393 | 45D-B | — | — |
Verify on FMCSA
FMCSA is the system of record. One click through to the official source.