Estes Express Lines (also known simply as Estes) is a Richmond, Virginia based shipping company. Estes is ranked fifth in the United States by the revenue against other shipping companies offering the same services.
With more than 7,000 vehicles and over 8,000 drivers, the company offers services to all 50 states as well as parts of Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean. The most recent numbers published through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) show that Estes Express Lines vehicles collectively traveled approximately 514,000,000 miles in 2018.
In the 24 months prior to February 28, 2020, Estes vehicles were involved in 524 accidents. Of those 524 accidents, 346 crashes were severe enough that one or more vehicles had to be towed away. 164 of them resulted in injuries and 14 of them involved fatalities.
Estes Express Lines Company Snapshot: What Types Of Trucks Are On The Road For Estes?
Estes Express Lines vehicles are authorized as for-hire vehicles for interstate shipping and logistics. They carry a wide variety of cargo including general freight, metal sheets, coils and rolls, building materials, machinery, liquids and gases, grains and feed, chemicals, beverages, paper products, and agricultural supplies.
The latest information available from the FMCSA indicates that the company’s fleet is made up of 28,064 trailers, 6,701 truck tractors, and 400 straight trucks.
How Safe Is Estes Express Lines?
The best way to estimate the safety of any particular trucking company is to compare there record against others using data published by the FMCSA through their SAFER system. The FMCSA records and maintains three basic types of data and statistics: crash reports, inspection records, and information regarding any violations.
For the two years prior to February 28, 2020, Estes was cited 645 times for unsafe driving violations. Quite a few of the violations could easily lead to accidents on the roadway. At the top of the list is speeding, with more than 260 violations. Other violations included things like using a cellular phone while driving, violating lane restrictions, following other vehicles too closely, and making improper lane changes.
Estes Express Lines drivers went through 4,387 inspections during that same period of time. Those inspections resulted in 169 hours of service (HOS) violations. Among those violations are driving while fatigued, driving while ill, and driving beyond the maximum allowed number of hours before a driver must stop and rest.
Estes drivers were cited three times for drug and alcohol violations, including possession of drugs and operating a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating beverage.
They were also issued 32 violations for driver fitness. These violations include things such as operating a vehicle without the proper license endorsements, operating a commercial vehicle without a commercial driver’s license, and drivers not being physically qualified to operate their vehicles.
Vehicle inspections were carried out 2,537 times, resulting in 1,503 violations. These violations included non-working lights on the vehicles, leaking tires, improperly maintained parts, weight greater than the maximum load for the vehicle’s tires, leaking brake connections, and tires with insufficient tread (excessive wear).
If we multiply the 514,000,000 miles that Estes Express Lines vehicles traveled in 2018 by two (so that it equals a two year period) and then divide it by the 524 crashes reported for the company in the last two years, it gives us an average of approximately one motor vehicle accident for every 980,916 miles that Estes trucks travel.
Those might sound like big numbers, but with all the trucks the company has on the highways, it’s an average of one truck accident involving an Estes Express Lines vehicle every 33 hours.
If You Are In An Accident With An Estes Express Lines Truck
Commercial vehicles like Estes Express Lines trucks can cause a tremendous amount of damage when they are involved in an accident, especially when they are traveling at high speeds on the highway and collide with light vehicles like common passenger cars. If you are involved in an accident with one of these vehicles, you will undoubtedly suffer greater damage.
An accident involving a commercial truck or tractor-trailer is not the same as an accident between two drivers in privately owned vehicles. There are many laws and regulations that truck drivers and trucking companies must follow. That’s why a personal injury or wrongful death claim involving a commercial vehicle requires a personal injury attorney with specific experience with truck accidents and the trucking industry.
As experienced Philadelphia truck accident attorneys, Solnick & Associates can help. To learn more about how we can help you or schedule a free initial consultation, contact our firm today at 215-481-9979 or reach out online anytime.
