Carrier profile · USDOT 526091 · MC-208662 · Updated Aug 20, 2026

Lightning Express Inc

7 power unitsavg 7.8 yrMulti-region · 12 statesHAM LAKE, MN100/100

CARRIER ACTIVEMC-208662 ACTIVERATED SATISFACTORY

Observed fleet · trailing 24 mo daily

7Power units

9 observed · MCS-150

10Trailers seen

Decoded · vPIC

7.8Avg age (yr)

1997–2024 · vPIC

Call dispatch(763) 754-3434 Email dispatchrenee@lightning-express.com

Click to see how we scored it

Load decision · FMCSA snapshot · Aug 20, 2026

Clear to load

Active authority and a clean federal record. No blocking issues found.

Watch · 0

Nothing flagged.

In good standing · 4

Active operating authorityActive for-hire authority is on file with FMCSA.Insurance on fileBIPD (liability) insurance is on file with FMCSA.Established 33 yearsOperating authority has been on file since 1993.Out-of-service rates below national averageBoth vehicle and driver OOS rates beat the national benchmark across 32 inspections.

USDOT registration

yr registered

Active for-hire

Insurance (BIPD)$750K in force

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24-mo0.0%

▼ 22.26% nat'l

Crashes · fatal

Clean · 24 mo

USDOT registration

yr registered

Active for-hire

Insurance (BIPD)$750K in force

FMCSA L&I

Vehicle OOS · 24-mo0.0%

▼ 22.26% nat'l

Crashes · fatal

Clean · 24 mo

Vektor intelligence · beyond the federal recordProprietary signals computed from VIN-decoded inspections & daily FMCSA snapshots

Fleet typeIdentity

Small fleet

7 power units. Brokers price each fleet type apart.

Fleet age vs peersTypical

7.8 yr

Model years 1997–2024 · peer benchmark unavailable.

Identity stabilityStable

33 yr unchanged

Same registration since 1993 — no chameleon / reincarnation signal.

Safety

19 inspections · 24 mo · vs national benchmarks

Out-of-service rate· 24-mo cumulative · vs national

Vehicle OOS 0.0%24-mo cumulative

050%nat'l 22.26%

Driver OOS 0.0%24-mo cumulative

030%nat'l 6.67%

Every inspection in the window pooled — 6 vehicle and 19 driver inspections over 24 months.

Vehicle OOS rate· vehicle OOS · vehicle-level inspections · 6-month trailing

0.0% · latest 6-mo window▼ Falling

Share of vehicle-level roadside inspections in each trailing six-month window that resulted in a vehicle out-of-service order. Trending down 30.6 pts across the window. The national vehicle benchmark uses the same metric and is shown on the chart.

Roadside inspection history· 24 charted calendar months · vehicle / driver level · any-OOS overlay

18 inspections in the charted months · busiest month Nov '24 · 2

Vehicle-levelDriver-levelAny OOS

Monthly FMCSA roadside inspections across the 24 charted calendar months. Bars show level-qualified vehicle and driver populations; one inspection can qualify for both. The line shows inspections with any out-of-service result.

Inspection coverage· expected vs observed · the fraud signal

Inspection coverage

How heavily FMCSA inspects this fleet for its size — it tells you how much to trust the safety signals above. Thin coverage on a young authority is a fraud signal nobody else surfaces.

Well-monitored

Under-inspected

Expected

Well-monitored

Heavily inspected

≈1.4 / unit·yr

thin signalabundant signal

Within the expected band for a 7-unit fleet — FMCSA has inspected this carrier often enough that the out-of-service and violation signals above are statistically trustworthy.

Registered power units: 7
Inspections · 24 mo: 19
Annualized: ≈10 / yr
Coverage: ≈1.4 inspections / unit · yr

Violation themes· decoded · grouped by BASIC

What this carrier actually gets cited for — FMCSA violation codes decoded into plain English, ranked by frequency.

392.2 State/local traffic law violation (speeding, etc.)Unsafe Driving17 · 0 OOS
396.3 Inspection / repair / maintenance not performedVehicle Maintenance10 · 9 OOS
393.203 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance6 · 0 OOS
393.9 Inoperative required lampsVehicle Maintenance6 · 4 OOS
395.3 Driving beyond hours-of-service limitsHOS Compliance5 · 0 OOS
393.45 Brake tubing / hose defectsVehicle Maintenance5 · 0 OOS
393.207 Parts & accessories (vehicle condition)Vehicle Maintenance4 · 4 OOS
395.24 ELD — record edits / dataHOS Compliance2 · 0 OOS
393.48 Brakes inoperativeVehicle Maintenance2 · 1 OOS
393.78 Windshield wipersVehicle Maintenance1 · 0 OOS

Explore full safety record — inspections, BASICs, crashes

Authority & Insurance

Can they legally + adequately haul your load?

Operating authority· 49 CFR · per type

Operating authority

Common: None
Contract: Active
Broker: None

Insurance & bonds

BIPD / liability$750,000 in force

Cargo filing (census)Not recorded per census

Surety bond (census)Not recorded per census

Insurance adequacy· filed BIPD vs the $750K federal floor

$750K in forcegeneral-freight federal minimum

$750K floor

Filed BIPD coverage of $750K meets or exceeds the $750K federal minimum for general freight (49 CFR 387.9). Some commodities (hazmat, larger vehicles) require $1M–$5M — confirm against your load.

Insurance continuity· insurer · policy · lapses

$750K BIPD last filed ’25 · 9 insurers · 0 lapsesInsurer churn

Redland’95–’00

Great West’04–’08

Maiden Reinsurance’10–’13

State National’13–’16

Aegis Security’16–’22

Sentry Select’22–’25

1993200220112020now

Shorter eras are too brief to label at this scale — all 11 insurers are named in the list below.

BIPD in force — $750,000 · UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY · since Dec 2025

All 11 insurer eras · dates, limits, renewals

Insurer	Period	Limit	Renewals
UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY	Nov 2025 → Dec 2025	$750K	1
SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 2022 → Nov 2025	$750K	2
AEGIS SECURITY INSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 2016 → Nov 2022	$750K	1
STATE NATIONAL INSURANCE CO., INC.	Nov 2013 → Nov 2016	$750K	1
MAIDEN REINSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 2010 → Nov 2013	$750K	1
INTEGON NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY	Nov 2008 → Nov 2010	$750K	2
GREAT WEST CASUALTY CO.	Nov 2004 → Nov 2008	$750K	2
INTEGON NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY	May 2002 → Dec 2004	$750K	2
MGA INSURANCE COMPANY, INC.	Nov 2000 → May 2002	$750K	2
REDLAND INSURANCE CO.	Nov 1995 → Nov 2000	$750K	3
SENTRY SELECT INSURANCE COMPANY	Dec 1993 → Nov 1995	$750K	1

Explore full authority & insurance record

Equipment

VIN-decoded · NHTSA vPIC

Capacity· power units = haulable capacity; trailers are towed

Registered power units (MCS-150): 7
Observed power (24 mo): 9
Trailers (towed): 10

Capacity is power units only — trailers are towed equipment and are never summed into a fleet-size figure.

Fleet age· model years · decoded VINs

7.8 yr

Average age

2024

Newest model yr

1997

Oldest model yr

57.9%

VINs decoded

Explore full fleet — VIN roster, equipment mix, age distribution

Operations & Lanes

Revealed by inspection density across 12 states · 24 mo

Operating footprint· revealed by roadside-inspection geography

Operating radiusMulti-region

revealed

States observed

US states

Inspections · 24 mo

TN busiest

Inspection density by state· each tile = a state · shade = inspections, last 24 mo

Home base

HAM LAKE, MN

14139 LINCOLN STREET NE

Top corridor

TN ⇄ MN

TN 4 · MN 3 · KY 2

Density

fewermore

Shade = roadside inspections, last 24 mo.

See the full operating map — state density, top lanes

Network & Fraud

Affiliated entities & reincarnation signals · for review, not a verdict

No shared-VIN flow in the last 12 months

None of this carrier's trucks were inspected under another USDOT in the last 12 months — any shared equipment is historical, not active.

Show all-time history (4 trucks · 5 carriers)

Across all inspections on record: USDOT 925987 USDOT 3558447 USDOT 1233181 USDOT 609443 USDOT 2533429

Capacity consistency· registered vs roadside-observed power units

Registered (MCS-150)

Observed (24 mo)

Shared w/ other carriers

Registered and roadside-observed capacity are broadly consistent.

Explore the carrier network & VIN cross-links

Identity & Federal

FMCSA census + L&I dossier

Location

Physical address: 14139 LINCOLN STREET NE, HAM LAKE, MN, 55304
Operation: Interstate

Contact

Phone: (763) 754-3434
Email: renee@lightning-express.com
Web domain: lightning-express.com

Registration

Officers: Robert Dickenson · Renee K Dickenson
USDOT / docket: 526091 · MC-208662
First registered: Jun 3, 1993
Last MCS-150: Apr 11, 2025 · 766,210 mi (2024)
FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory · Aug 5, 2010
D-U-N-S: —

Fleet (self-reported · MCS-150)

Power units

Drivers

CDL drivers

766,210

Annual mileage

Open the full identity & federal record

Federal activity

Daily-captured FMCSA licensing & insurance changes — monitored by Vektor

Federal record activity· monitored daily by Vektor

No licensing or insurance changes captured since Vektor began monitoring this carrier (June 2026). Quiet is usually good.

Open the full federal-record activity feed

Reviews

Verified broker, shipper & driver reviews — moderated

Performance ratings only — never the Vektor risk score

No verified reviews yet

Be the first broker or shipper to rate LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC. Reviews cover performance only — on-time delivery, payment speed, communication — and never affect the Vektor risk score.

Leave a review

Open reviews

Verification summaryAuthority, insurance, safety and identity facts for LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC.

LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC (USDOT 526091) has a Vektor safety score of 100/100 and a Clear to load verdict, from the carrier's FMCSA record refreshed Aug 20, 2026.

The carrier holds active contract for-hire operating authority per FMCSA L&I as of Aug 20, 2026.

It has an active BIPD insurance filing with a $750,000 limit in force from UNITED FINANCIAL CASUALTY COMPANY effective Dec 18, 2025 in FMCSA L&I's current snapshot as of Aug 20, 2026.

Its vehicle out-of-service rate was 0.0% over the last 24 months, versus the 22.26% CVSA national average, from FMCSA roadside-inspection data refreshed Aug 20, 2026.

The carrier received 19 roadside inspections in the last 24 months — 6 vehicle-level and 19 driver-level — across 12 states, according to FMCSA roadside-inspection data refreshed Aug 20, 2026.

The carrier has 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months and 1 fatal crash across the full FMCSA crash record available as of Aug 20, 2026.

It reports 7 power units and 7 drivers in its most recent MCS-150 filing dated Apr 11, 2025.

It has an FMCSA safety rating of Satisfactory assigned Aug 5, 2010 in the federal record refreshed Aug 20, 2026.

Frequently asked

What is LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC's USDOT number?

LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC's USDOT number is 526091, and its motor carrier number is MC-208662.

Is LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC authorized to operate?

As of Aug 20, 2026, LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC is active in the FMCSA register with common, contract, broker operating authority on file.

What is LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC's safety record?

LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC has a 0.0% vehicle out-of-service rate (national average 22.26%) across 32 roadside inspections, with 0 reportable crashes in the last 24 months, and an FMCSA "Satisfactory" safety rating. Vektor's computed risk score is 100/100 (tier: clear).

How big is LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC's fleet?

LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC operates 7 power units and 7 drivers per its most recent MCS-150 filing.

Where is LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC based?

LIGHTNING EXPRESS INC is based in HAM LAKE, MN, with roadside inspections recorded across 12 states.

Similar carriers in Minnesota

Comparable carriers operating in Minnesota

Satter Trucking Inc Clear · 100Dent, MN · 10 power units

Teske Trucking Inc Clear · 100Cokato, MN · 10 power units

KTS Express Inc Clear · 100Waseca, MN · 10 power units

Keiser Trucking Inc Clear · 100Spicer, MN · 10 power units

Cottingham & Tavis Transportation LLC Clear · 100Grand Rapids, MN · 10 power units

Ileys Trucking LLC Clear · 100Edina, MN · 10 power units

Minnesota Feed Distributors Inc Clear · 100Granite Falls, MN · 10 power units

Quicksilver Express Courier of Minnesota Inc Clear · 100Saint Paul, MN · 10 power units

More in Minnesota →Top safety in Minnesota →Veteran carriers in Minnesota →

More Minnesota carriers

Other FMCSA-registered carriers near this one in the directory, by USDOT number.

R & R Ready Mix IncClearMiltona · 44 power units Droegemueller Trucking IncFairmont · 1 power unit Cottonwood Truck Services IncClearLilydale · 8 power units Webb Pallet Service IncClearJordan · 36 power units Ninety Four Services IncMonticello · 2 power units Miller Trucking of Buffalo IncClearBuffalo · 22 power units