The national averages
FMCSA’s SAFER system shows these 24-month national averages (as of September 25, 2026):
- Vehicle: 22.26%
- Driver: 6.67%
- Hazmat: 4.44%
They’re recalculated regularly, so check SAFER for the current figure. CarrierReady’s check uses the averages FMCSA reports alongside your record.
How brokers use them
Few brokers publish an exact cutoff. Common rules of thumb in carrier vetting are extra scrutiny above about 30% vehicle or 8% driver OOS, and rejection above about 34% or 10%. Many treat a rate as meaningful only once you have around 10 or more inspections.
Why small carriers get hit hardest
With three inspections, one out-of-service order is a 33% rate. A single bad inspection can push a one-truck carrier past a broker’s threshold, and it stays in the 24-month window.
Bringing your rate down
- Pre-trip properly: lights, brakes and tires are the most common vehicle OOS items.
- Clean inspections dilute bad ones. Every inspection without a violation lowers your rate.
- Challenge wrong violations through FMCSA’s DataQs system.
- Keep hours-of-service and driver qualification files clean to avoid driver OOS orders.
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Questions carriers ask
Does a clean inspection help?
Yes. Your rate is OOS inspections divided by total inspections, so clean inspections lower it.
How long do inspections count?
SAFER shows a 24-month window, so an out-of-service inspection drops out of the rate two years after it happened.
Related guides
- Why your carrier setup got rejected
- Conditional safety rating: what it costs you and how to fix it
- Passing the new entrant safety audit
- Carrier requirements for the top brokers
Sources
- FMCSA SAFER company snapshot (national averages) (Sept 25, 2026)
- carrierchk: OOS rates in trucking (rules of thumb)
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This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice.