Analyzing trucking safety: crash trends by fleet size

The FMCSA records reveal marked differences in crash rates based on fleet size.

The digital outlet FreightWaves, in collaboration with a data partner, analyzed crash analytics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with the aim of identifying the trucking companies with the highest number of accidents per driver. The data were analyzed through November 30 to provide a snapshot of what 2025 represented for the industry in terms of safety.

According to the analysis, FMCSA records reveal marked differences in accident rates based on fleet size; mid-sized fleets show significantly higher incident rates per driver compared with larger operators.

For decades, the FMCSA has maintained a crash database compiled by states from police crash reports, known as the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). This database has become more accessible through tools such as the Safety Measurement System (SMS) and the Analysis & Information (A&I) online portals. Using this information, FreightWaves was able to identify crash trends among highway motor carrier fleets.

Crash trends in mid-sized and large fleet companies

MCMIS data are generated when law enforcement officers respond to a crash scene and record the details, which are then submitted to state agencies and uploaded to the FMCSA database. However, data integrity remains a concern. According to the information reviewed, national underreporting rates may reach 30–40%, varying by state, and not all crashes are recorded consistently.

Another factor affecting accuracy is that the driver counts used for normalization come from carriers’ biennial MCS-150 updates. This means that if a carrier reports an outdated or lower-than-actual number of drivers, its crash rate may be artificially inflated, distorting statistics and trends.

The analysis of trucking company crash rates measures the frequency of year-to-date crashes per driver, expressed as a percentage. The study focuses on carriers with at least 250 drivers, divided into large fleets (more than 500 drivers) and mid-sized fleets (250–500 drivers), taking the top ten in each group, FreightWaves explains.

Based on this percentage, among large carriers the highest rates are around 5–6%, with the following standing out:

Transdev Services Inc. – 6.56%, 61 crashes and 1 fatality.
Western Express Inc. – 6.15%, 270 crashes and 4 fatalities.

Overall, large fleets tend to maintain crash rates near or below 5%.

By contrast, mid-sized carriers post significantly higher rates, above 7% and in some cases exceeding 11%. Notable examples in this category include:

AD Express Trucking LLC – 11.87%, 33 crashes and 1 fatality.
Hogan Truck Leasing Inc. and HMD Trucking Inc. – both at 9.85%.

Conclusions

The differences identified in the FreightWaves analysis suggest that mid-sized carriers face a higher risk of crashes per driver than larger fleets, likely due to fewer resources for training, safety programs, regulatory compliance, and technology.

Through the Safety Measurement System (SMS), the FMCSA evaluates motor carriers across seven categories, known as BASICs, which consider violations and crashes weighted by severity, time, and level of exposure. However, the Crash Indicator BASIC, while important, is not public, and carriers may exclude non-preventable crashes through formal reviews.

In conclusion, although the total number of crashes has grown along with the industry, per-driver rates provide a fairer view of safety performance. Keeping data up to date and correcting errors is essential for equitable evaluations, and greater transparency could help lead to safer roads.