What Verdica's 819 score means for KELLER TRANSPORTATION INC
Keller Transportation Inc's composite score of 819 out of 850 places the company in Verdica's "excellent" band (800–850). This score reflects a strong compliance posture across the three dimensions Verdica measures: regulatory authority and insurance standing, safety record, and inspection history.
A score in this range signals that the carrier has met or exceeded most federal and state regulatory requirements, maintains appropriate licensing and insurance credentials, and has demonstrated solid performance in FMCSA safety audits. For a business owner, shipper, or consumer evaluating trucking providers, an 819 score suggests lower regulatory risk compared to carriers scoring in the elevated or acceptable bands.
However, readers should note one important caveat: while the compliance score is strong, independent customer reviews average 2.7 out of 5 stars across 75 indexed reviews. This gap between regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction warrants attention. A high compliance score does not guarantee service quality, responsiveness, or operational reliability as experienced by individual customers. The low review average suggests potential disconnects between meeting regulatory baselines and delivering the service experience customers expect. Anyone considering this carrier should review those customer comments directly and cross-reference them with the compliance data before making a final decision.
How the sub-scores break down
Authority & Insurance (850/850): This perfect score indicates that Keller Transportation holds all required operating authority licenses and maintains current, adequate insurance coverage as mandated by federal and state regulations. In the trucking industry, lapses or deficiencies in these areas represent fundamental compliance failures; carriers cannot legally operate without them. A score of 850 means no red flags in this category.
Safety Record (845/850): This sub-score reflects Keller's FMCSA BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) scores, which measure safety outcomes across driver conduct, vehicle maintenance, and crash history. A score of 845 is very strong and suggests the carrier has maintained low rates of safety violations and crashes relative to industry benchmarks. Small deviations from a perfect score may reflect isolated minor infractions or borderline metrics that do not rise to the level of enforcement action.
Inspection History (735/850): This sub-score is notably lower than the other two and warrants explanation. It reflects findings from FMCSA roadside inspections and compliance reviews. A score of 735 is still in the acceptable-to-strong range but represents the weakest of Keller's three dimensions. This could indicate that inspectors have identified some non-critical violations—such as documentation discrepancies, minor vehicle maintenance issues, or recordkeeping deficiencies—during audits. These types of findings do not necessarily signal unsafe operations but do suggest room for improvement in administrative or procedural compliance.
What regulators in MD track for trucking providers
The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) oversees interstate and intrastate trucking safety across all states, including Maryland. Regulators measure two primary data streams:
BASIC Scores track driver fitness (hours-of-service violations, licensing issues), vehicle maintenance (brake defects, tire failures), unsafe driving (speeding, reckless operation), and crash involvement. High BASIC scores correlate with increased enforcement risk.
Safety Inspection Findings document violations observed during roadside or facility inspections, ranging from critical safety defects (brake failure, hazmat violations) to administrative issues (logbook errors, permit irregularities). Inspectors assign severity levels; repeated or critical violations trigger escalated enforcement.
Authority and Insurance records verify that a carrier holds an active USDOT number, appropriate operating authority, and proof of insurance at or above federal minimums. These are mandatory, non-negotiable requirements.
Maryland-based carriers must also comply with state-specific regulations, though federal standards typically set the floor.
Bottom line
Keller Transportation Inc presents a strong regulatory profile with an 819 composite score, indicating solid compliance with federal and state safety and licensing requirements. However, the 2.7-star customer review average is a material red flag that suggests operational or service issues not captured by compliance metrics. Anyone considering this carrier should review specific customer complaints, verify current insurance and operating authority independently, and assess whether their particular transportation needs align with reported customer experiences.