Check a bus or truck before it joins your fleet
Commercial vehicles carry more risk and more paperwork. Check the title and recalls by VIN, and the operating carrier’s safety record by USDOT number.
What a bus & truck report looks for
Title brands
Salvage, rebuilt and similar brands recorded against the VIN.
Lien and loan records
Whether a lender still holds a claim on the vehicle.
Open recalls
Safety recalls for this make, model and year.
Carrier safety record
For a vehicle run by a motor carrier: inspection and crash history tied to its USDOT number.
Not sure how to read the result? See a sample report.
Questions about bus & truck reports
What is a USDOT number?
It is the identifier the federal government gives to a company that moves passengers or cargo across state lines. It sits on the side of the vehicle. Safety records are kept against that number.
Is the safety record about the vehicle or the company?
Mostly the company. Federal inspection and crash data is tied to the carrier that operated the vehicle, so it shows how the vehicle was run, not only how it was built.
Is a history report the same as an inspection?
No. A history report shows what official and commercial records say about a vehicle. It cannot tell you the vehicle’s condition today. Before you pay, have a mechanic look at it in person.