What Verdica's 816 score means for THORSTENSON TRUCKING LLC
THORSTENSON TRUCKING LLC's composite score of 816 out of 850 places the carrier in the "excellent" band (800–850), the highest performance tier Verdica tracks. This score reflects strong compliance across the dimensions that federal regulators and shippers use to assess trucking provider safety and operational fitness.
A score in this range indicates that the carrier has demonstrated consistent adherence to federal motor carrier safety standards, maintained current licensing and insurance credentials, and passed recent safety inspections without major red flags. For a business owner or logistics manager evaluating trucking providers, a score of 816 suggests lower operational risk compared to carriers in lower bands—though it does not guarantee perfect compliance or rule out the need for independent due diligence.
The gap between this score (816) and the theoretical maximum (850) points to minor weaknesses in one or more compliance dimensions. The sub-score breakdown below clarifies where those gaps exist and what they mean in practical terms.
How the sub-scores break down
Authority & Insurance: 850 This perfect sub-score confirms that THORSTENSON TRUCKING LLC holds valid federal motor carrier authority and maintains the insurance coverage required by the Department of Transportation. Carriers must maintain liability insurance and, in many cases, cargo or other specialized coverage depending on the freight they haul. A score of 850 in this dimension is the regulatory baseline; it means the carrier has met these mandatory thresholds and Verdica has found no lapsed or cancelled policies or authority suspensions on record.
Safety Record: 845 This sub-score reflects the carrier's performance on FMCSA BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories) metrics, which aggregate violations and crash data over a rolling window. A score of 845 indicates a strong track record but suggests minor violations or incidents have been logged—enough to prevent a perfect score, but not enough to trigger federal intervention or warrant elevated scrutiny. In the trucking industry, common infractions that affect this score include driver qualification file issues, hours-of-service violations, vehicle maintenance deficiencies, and unsafe driving incidents. The high score indicates these issues, if present, are infrequent.
Inspection History: 720 This is the lowest of the three sub-scores and the primary driver of the 34-point gap between the composite score and a perfect 850. A score of 720 falls into the "acceptable" band when viewed independently, meaning FMCSA roadside and facility inspections have identified compliance gaps that are being monitored but do not yet constitute a serious safety threat. Common findings in inspection reports include vehicle maintenance violations (lighting, brakes, tires), driver documentation discrepancies, or logbook errors. This sub-score suggests THORSTENSON TRUCKING LLC should prioritize corrective action in vehicle maintenance and documentation practices to improve further.
What regulators in SD track for trucking providers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) maintains the safety inspection and BASIC score data that Verdica indexes for South Dakota and all U.S. carriers. Inspections are conducted by state and federal officers at roadside checkpoints and carrier facilities. Violations are categorized by severity: critical (immediate safety risk), major (systematic non-compliance), and minor (technical or administrative lapses).
BASIC scores track five primary categories: unsafe driving, fatigued driving, driver fitness, controlled substance/alcohol, and vehicle maintenance. Inspection violations in these areas accumulate and are weighted by severity to produce a carrier's overall safety profile. Carriers with consistently high violation rates or crash involvement may face Federal Safety Audits or corrective action agreements.
Insurance and authority status are verified against FMCSA's Licensing and Insurance database. Lapses or cancellations trigger immediate score penalties.
Bottom line
THORSTENSON TRUCKING LLC's score of 816 qualifies it as a strong, low-risk provider in the excellent performance band. Before engaging, confirm that insurance and authority credentials remain current, and request specifics on recent inspection findings to understand the vehicle maintenance or documentation issues flagged by regulators. Independent reference checks with past shippers remain a best practice regardless of score.