The VettaScore v3
The VettaScore is a 0-100 safety rating for every FMCSA-authorized motor carrier in the United States. The Evidence Grade tells you how much data backs that number. Together they replace guesswork with calibrated confidence.
01 · Two dimensions
A weighted composite of four safety and compliance categories. Higher is better. Built entirely from public FMCSA records and updated nightly. The number answers: how safe does this carrier look?
A letter grade that reflects how much data we have behind the score. A carrier with a VettaScore of 80 and an Evidence Grade of A+ has been verified on our platform with load history. The same 80 with a grade of C means we only have public FMCSA data. The number is the same — your confidence in it is not.
02 · Category breakdown
Every VettaScore is a weighted sum of four categories. Every input is a derived metric from public FMCSA records — nothing comes from surveys, sentiment, or paid data vendors.
| Category | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Authority & Insurance | 25% | |
| Safety Performance | 30% | |
| Business Legitimacy | 20% | |
| Fleet & Capacity | 20% |
03 · Score tiers
We intentionally avoid absolute words like “critical” or “unsafe”. Raw FMCSA data can't tell you a carrier is unsafe, only that the patterns deserve a second look.
Clean inspection history, active authority, no OOS or insurance flags, mature tenure.
Generally clean record with minor inspection or violation drags.
Visible friction — some violations, one or two incidents worth a second look.
Repeated violations, OOS events, or insurance instability. Worth a phone call before booking.
Deep pattern of compliance or safety issues. Heavy review required before any load.
04 · Evidence grades
The Evidence Grade improves as a carrier verifies on VettaVerify. Connecting an ELD, uploading insurance documents, and completing loads all move the grade up — giving you more confidence in the score.
Fully verified on VettaVerify with a track record of completed loads via VettaLoad.
Insurance documents and fleet data verified through the VettaVerify onboarding process.
Active on VettaVerify with partial verification — ELD connected or insurance uploaded but not yet fully confirmed.
Score based on public FMCSA data only. No direct verification from the carrier.
Incomplete or stale public records. Score reliability is low — more data needed.
05 · Red flags
Certain conditions cap the VettaScore regardless of the weighted calculation. Revoked operating authority, an active out-of-service order, or confirmed chameleon carrier status will hold the score below a fixed ceiling.
Red flags are binary — either present or not. When one fires, the carrier page shows exactly which flag triggered and why. Red flags are not hidden behind the number; they sit right next to it.
06 · A word about big fleets
Raw FMCSA volume counts against you. A 10,000-truck fleet that runs five billion miles a year will naturally rack up more inspection violations, OOS events, and crashes than a 100-truck regional carrier — even if their per-truck rates are better.
The current raw VettaScore does not fully normalize for fleet size, which means a nationwide carrier like Schneider National can show in a lower tier than its actual safety record warrants. We surface a large-fleet caveat on any carrier with 500+ power units.
If the score you see doesn't match the reputation of a carrier you know, that's the caveat working. Click through to see the breakdown and cross-reference the raw FMCSA record.
07 · What this is not
It is not a replacement for your own due diligence. It is not a guarantee that a load will arrive. It is not underwriting advice, insurance advice, or legal advice.
It is a way to turn a 45-minute manual check into a single number you can act on in a few seconds — and then dig into when the number surprises you.
The lookup is free. No account required.