What Verdica's 812 score means for LITCHFIELD SHIPPING INC
Litchfield Shipping Inc's composite score of 812 out of 850 places it in the "excellent" band (800–850), indicating strong overall compliance standing with federal trucking regulators. This score reflects a company that meets or exceeds baseline safety and operational standards tracked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Readers should understand that a score in this range signals lower regulatory risk compared to the broader trucking industry. The company has demonstrated consistent adherence to licensing, insurance, and safety inspection requirements. However, an 812 is not a perfect score—the 38-point gap to the maximum reflects areas where minor improvements or historical inspection findings may exist. For business owners or shippers evaluating carriers, this score suggests Litchfield Shipping is a credible option, though it's worth reviewing the breakdown of sub-scores to understand where that gap lies and whether those factors matter for your specific use case.
How the sub-scores break down
Authority & Insurance (850/850): This perfect sub-score means Litchfield Shipping maintains valid operating authority with the FMCSA and carries the required insurance coverage. In practical terms, the company is legally licensed to operate and financially protected against liability claims. This is a table-stakes metric—carriers without valid authority or insurance cannot legally operate.
Safety Record (835/850): This high score reflects the company's historical performance in safety-related metrics tracked by regulators, such as accident involvement, unsafe driving violations, or hazmat compliance issues. A score of 835 indicates few or minor safety violations on record. This does not mean the company has a perfect safety history, but rather that any issues documented are either minimal or have been resolved.
Inspection History (720/850): This is the lowest of the three sub-scores, though still in the acceptable-to-strong range. Inspection history measures outcomes from roadside safety inspections or FMCSA audits—findings such as vehicle maintenance defects, driver logbook violations, or equipment failures. A score of 720 suggests the company has had some inspection findings over time. This could reflect older violations that have been corrected, a higher inspection frequency, or findings that were relatively minor in nature. This sub-score is where much of the gap from a perfect 850 originates.
What regulators in MN track for trucking providers
The FMCSA maintains several inspection and scoring systems that feed into Verdica's composite analysis. BASIC scores (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) track violations across dimensions like unsafe driving, hours-of-service compliance, vehicle maintenance, hazmat handling, and driver fitness. Each category is scored independently, and a carrier's profile is updated as inspections occur.
Safety inspections can be roadside checks of individual vehicles and drivers, or comprehensive audits of a carrier's operations and record-keeping. Inspectors document violations—ranging from critical safety issues (e.g., brake failure) to administrative problems (e.g., incomplete logs). Over time, violation patterns are aggregated into the BASIC and composite scores.
In Minnesota specifically, carriers are subject to the same federal FMCSA standards, plus any state-level requirements. Regulators look at licensing compliance, insurance validity, accident history, and inspection results. A carrier's score can improve if violations are resolved and no new issues arise; scores decline when inspections uncover violations or when safety incidents are reported.
Bottom line
Litchfield Shipping Inc's 812 score indicates a carrier with solid compliance credentials and acceptable risk profile. The perfect authority and insurance score combined with a strong safety record are positive indicators. Before engaging, shippers should confirm current insurance certificates, clarify the nature of any inspection history findings (the 720 sub-score warrants a conversation), and gather independent feedback if available. This company appears well-managed from a regulatory standpoint, but due diligence beyond the score is always prudent.