What Verdica's 803 score means for SOUTHERN STATES CO-OPERATIVE INC
Southern States Co-Operative Inc's composite score of 803 out of 850 places it in Verdica's "excellent" band (800–850), indicating strong overall compliance and operational safety performance. A score in this range reflects a provider with solid regulatory standing, minimal safety red flags, and reliable inspection outcomes across the metrics tracked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
For a business owner or shipper evaluating this provider, an 803 score signals lower compliance risk compared to the broader trucking industry. However, it is not a perfect score—there is room for improvement in certain areas, as detailed below. The absence of independent customer reviews in Verdica's index means this assessment is based purely on regulatory data; prospective clients should still conduct their own reference checks and operational due diligence.
How the sub-scores break down
Authority & Insurance (850/850): This perfect sub-score indicates that Southern States Co-Operative Inc holds valid operating authority and meets all FMCSA insurance requirements. Trucking providers must maintain active authority to operate legally and carry minimum liability insurance. A maximal score here means no known lapses, suspensions, or insurance compliance violations on record.
Safety Record (805/850): This strong score reflects the provider's performance on FMCSA safety metrics, which typically measure crash involvement, moving violations, hazardous materials violations, and other on-road incident data. A score of 805 suggests a low frequency of serious safety events relative to industry norms, though minor or isolated incidents may still appear in the FMCSA database.
Inspection History (735/850): This is the lowest of the three sub-scores, though still within the "acceptable" range (670–739). Inspection history scores are derived from roadside inspections conducted by state and federal enforcement officers, who examine vehicle condition, driver hours-of-service compliance, cargo securement, and other operational standards. A 735 suggests that while Southern States Co-Operative Inc's vehicles and operations generally meet regulatory standards, there may be some non-critical violations or deficiencies noted during past inspections. These findings do not indicate systematic non-compliance but rather normal variation in fleet maintenance or driver documentation.
What regulators in VA track for trucking providers
The FMCSA oversees trucking safety nationwide, including operations in Virginia, and publishes standardized safety metrics called BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) scores. These track violations in five key domains: unsafe driving, crash involvement, hours-of-service violations, vehicle maintenance, and hazardous materials violations.
Roadside inspections—the foundation of inspection history scores—are conducted by state police and federal motor carrier safety inspectors. During these inspections, officers verify that drivers have valid commercial driver's licenses, that vehicles are mechanically sound, that cargo is properly secured, and that log books comply with federal hours-of-service rules. Violations are recorded in the FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability database.
Providers with poor inspection history often show patterns such as brake defects, lighting failures, tire violations, or driver logbook errors. Virginia state police and the Virginia Motor Carrier Safety Division enforce these standards alongside federal inspectors. A provider's inspection score improves as violations are resolved and time passes without new violations being cited.
Bottom line
Southern States Co-Operative Inc carries an excellent compliance profile with an 803 composite score, indicating it meets regulatory requirements and operates with lower-than-average risk. The company's perfect authority and insurance score and strong safety record are particularly noteworthy. Before partnering, however, prospective clients should review the specific inspection findings underlying the 735 inspection sub-score and request recent safety references to ensure alignment with their own risk tolerance and operational needs.