Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC
USDOT 48104 · MC-162035 · Hickory, North Carolina · Interstate for-hire carrier · 250–499 power units
Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC is a corporation based in Hickory, North Carolina, registered with the FMCSA as an interstate carrier (private property, authorized for hire). It reports 274 power units and 347 drivers, which ranks it #27 by fleet size among 187 active for-hire carriers with 50+ power units headquartered in North Carolina. In the 24 months to Sep 24, 2026 its trucks were inspected 734 times – about 2.7 inspections per power unit. 5.2% of vehicle inspections and 0.1% of driver inspections ended with an out-of-service order, against 18.3% and 2.0% for carriers of the same size nationally. FMCSA records 20 reportable crashes in the last 24 months (4 injuries, 0 fatalities, 19 tow-away), or 7.3 per 100 power units versus 4.2 for its size band. Crash counts in FMCSA data do not indicate fault. Its registered cargo types are general freight, household goods, fresh produce, liquids / gases, meat, chemicals, commodities dry bulk, refrigerated food and more.
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Registration and contact
| Legal name | Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC |
|---|---|
| DBA name | — |
| USDOT number | 48104 |
| Operating authority (docket) | MC-162035 |
| Entity type | Private Property, Authorized for Hire |
| Operation | Interstate |
| Business type | Corporation |
| Physical address | 5005 Alex Lee Blvd, Hickory, NC 28601 |
| Phone | (828) 725-4259 |
| First registered | Jun 1, 1974 |
| Last MCS-150 update | Apr 3, 2026 |
| Hazmat carrier | No |
Check live authority, insurance and out-of-service status: FMCSA SAFER snapshot for USDOT 48104.
Fleet and drivers
| Equipment | Owned | Term-leased | Trip-leased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight trucks | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Truck tractors | 259 | 0 | 0 |
| Trailers | 942 | 0 | 0 |
- 1.27 drivers per power unit (national median for 50+ unit fleets: 0.99).
- 3.6 trailers per tractor – a drop-and-hook style trailer pool.
- 25,861,000 miles reported for 2025 – about 94,383 miles per power unit vs a 41,335 median for 250–499-unit fleets.
- 100% of listed equipment is owned rather than leased.
- 347 CDL drivers; 347 drivers operate interstate beyond 100 miles, 0 within 100 miles.
Safety record
Roadside inspections Sep 25, 2024 – Sep 24, 2026; crashes Nov 1, 2024 – Oct 31, 2026. Benchmarks: 250–499-unit for-hire carriers nationally (792) and North Carolina carriers with 50+ units (187).
| Measure | Merchants Transport of Hicko | Same size, US | NC average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle out-of-service rate | 5.2% | 18.3% | 13.8% | 72% lower than average |
| Driver out-of-service rate | 0.1% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 93% lower than average |
| Crashes per 100 power units | 7.3 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 75% higher than average |
| Inspections | 734 | 734 with a driver check, 348 with a vehicle check, 92 BASIC violations recorded, 1 hazmat-related | ||
| FMCSA safety rating | Satisfactory (rated Dec 14, 2000) | |||
Cargo carried
Less common in this directory: household goods (839 of 5,000 carriers).
Similar carriers in North Carolina
Closest fleet size and cargo mix among North Carolina carriers in this directory.
| Carrier | City | Power units | Drivers | Inspections (24 mo) | Vehicle OOS | Crashes (24 mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp Transit LLC USDOT 910824 | Salisbury | 360 | 456 | 291 | 22.4% | 38 |
| Harris Teeter LLC USDOT 16362 | Matthews | 389 | 455 | 720 | 1.2% | 33 |
| Sunbelt Furniture Xpress Inc USDOT 97173 | Hickory | 258 | 258 | 668 | 14.1% | 14 |
| Brooks Furniture Xpress Inc USDOT 831953 | Conover | 193 | 203 | 316 | 7.6% | 11 |
| Bottomley Enterprises Inc USDOT 1212652 | Mt Airy | 165 | 252 | 413 | 10.7% | 25 |
| Cab Logistics LLC USDOT 1430891 | Greenville | 267 | 90 | 94 | 16.0% | 1 |
Other carriers near Hickory
| Carrier | City | Power units | Drivers | Inspections (24 mo) | Vehicle OOS | Crashes (24 mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Transportation LLC USDOT 1460231 | Hickory | 89 | 90 | 156 | 20.8% | 3 |
| HSM Logistics & Services LLC USDOT 3059589 | Hickory | 84 | 87 | 189 | 7.3% | 2 |
| Cargo Transporters Inc USDOT 257768 | Claremont | 500 | 513 | 1,375 | 2.4% | 48 |
| Ecmd Inc USDOT 338558 | North Wilkesboro | 174 | 168 | 221 | 19.2% | 13 |
| Stat Inc USDOT 460002 | Lenoir | 71 | 40 | 121 | 35.5% | 6 |
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FAQ
What is the USDOT number of Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC?
Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC is registered with USDOT number 48104 and operating authority MC-162035.
How many trucks does Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC have?
It reports 274 power units (259 tractors, 15 straight trucks) and 942 trailers, with 347 drivers, on its last MCS-150 update (Apr 3, 2026).
Where is Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC located?
Its registered physical address is in Hickory, North Carolina 28601.
What is the out-of-service rate of Merchants Transport of Hickory LLC?
Over 24 months, 5.2% of vehicle inspections and 0.1% of driver inspections resulted in an out-of-service order (same-size national average: 18.3% vehicle, 2.0% driver).
Source: FMCSA Company Census File, SMS inspection file and Crash File (data.transportation.gov), refreshed 2026-11-04. Figures are as reported to FMCSA and may lag. How we calculate these numbers. Spotted an error? Carriers update their record with FMCSA via the MCS-150 form; see corrections.