What Verdica's 816 score means for SUTTON TRANSPORT INC
Sutton Transport Inc's composite score of 816 out of 850 places the carrier in Verdica's "excellent" band (800–850). This score reflects compliance strength across three regulatory dimensions tracked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA): operational authority and insurance standing, safety performance, and inspection history.
A score of 816 indicates that Sutton Transport maintains well-above-average compliance posture relative to the trucking industry baseline. For business owners or logistics managers evaluating carriers, this score suggests lower regulatory risk and stronger adherence to federal motor carrier standards. The score is composite, meaning it balances areas of exceptional performance (authority and insurance) with areas showing room for improvement (inspection history). Readers should interpret this as a provider with solid credentials, though the inspection sub-score gap warrants attention during due diligence.
How the sub-scores break down
Authority & Insurance: 850. This perfect sub-score reflects that Sutton Transport holds current operating authority from the FMCSA and maintains required cargo liability and vehicle insurance in compliance with federal minimums. Carriers operating without valid authority or with lapsed insurance face out-of-service orders; a score of 850 means no red flags on these fundamental eligibility requirements.
Safety Record: 845. This high score tracks the carrier's BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) safety metrics—primarily accident history, unsafe driving violations, and maintenance defects identified during roadside inspections. A score of 845 indicates few or minor safety violations relative to fleet size and mileage. In the trucking industry, BASIC scores directly correlate with crash risk and regulatory intervention likelihood; carriers scoring below 700 on safety typically face increased audit scrutiny.
Inspection History: 720. This is the lowest of Sutton Transport's three sub-scores, though it remains within the "acceptable" range (670–739). An inspection history score reflects the number and severity of violations found during roadside compliance reviews by state and federal inspectors. A score of 720 suggests the carrier has accumulated violations—possibly for vehicle maintenance, hours-of-service compliance, or driver qualification issues—but not at levels triggering imminent shutdown or intervention. This gap between safety record (845) and inspection history (720) may indicate violations caught during inspections that haven't yet translated into accident data, or recurring deficiencies in specific compliance areas.
What regulators in WI track for trucking providers
Wisconsin trucking carriers fall under FMCSA jurisdiction, meaning they are subject to standardized federal safety audits regardless of state. The FMCSA's inspection program focuses on five BASIC categories: unsafe driving, hours-of-service violations, vehicle maintenance defects, driver fitness, and hazmat compliance (for carriers hauling regulated materials).
When an inspector conducts a roadside or terminal audit, violations are logged and weighted by severity. Repeated or critical violations—such as brake failures, falsified logbooks, or operating without required endorsements—push a carrier's inspection history score downward and can trigger a Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) intervention, including formal audits or out-of-service orders. Conversely, a clean inspection record (no violations or only minor paperwork issues) drives the score upward.
The FMCSA publishes this data publicly via SaferBus and SAFER databases. Verdica aggregates these records to compute composite scores, allowing shippers and brokers to screen carriers before engagement.
Bottom line
Sutton Transport Inc presents as a compliant, low-risk carrier with strong authority and safety credentials. Before contracting, verify that its inspection history score gap does not reflect recurring issues in your specific operational area (e.g., if you haul hazmat and the score reflects hazmat violations) and cross-check the SaferBus database for recent inspection details and any open compliance actions.