A
L A BELL MOTOR LINES INC
USDOT 125544 • CHESTERTON, IN
MoverAudit grade: A, based on federal records below
✓ No major red flags found
Complaint history
No federal complaints on record in the last 4 years. Records checked against the FMCSA household goods complaint database.
Company details
Legal nameL A BELL MOTOR LINES INC
Address1497 WOODLAWN AVENUE, CHESTERTON, IN 46304
Phone(219) 926-5993
Company officerSHAWNA GEARHART
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceJun 1974
Last FMCSA updateMar 2026
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)9
Drivers6 (6 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityn/a
Safety ratingSatisfactory (Jul 1989)
Prior revocationYes
MoverAudit risk score: 0/100
Computed from objective federal flags only: broker-only registration, fleet size, complaint volume and severity, hostage-goods reports and past revocations. Lower is safer. This is a summary of public records, not a review.
Complaints vs. other checked movers
Red flags & green flags
!No federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).
✓Liability insurance on file with FMCSA, no recent cancellations.
✓Official FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory.
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓9 trucks registered with FMCSA.
✓No hostage-goods complaints on record.
✓In business since 1974: a long federal track record.
Roadside safety & insurance
Roadside safety record
Vehicle out-of-service rate, this company vs. national average:
Vehicle inspections2 (1 OOS)
Driver inspections3
Crashes, last 3 years0
FMCSA safety ratingSatisfactory
FMCSA safety categories (SMS BASICs), last 24 months:
Driver FitnessClean
Controlled Substances/ AlcoholClean
Hours-of-Service ComplianceClean
Unsafe DrivingBelow cutoff
Vehicle MaintenanceBelow cutoff
Insurance on file
Liability insuranceOn file
InsurerAcuity, A Mutual Insurance Company
Coverage750
Policy effective sinceMar 2014
Cancellations, 3 yrs0
Stable coverage. Insurance is on file with FMCSA and no cancellations were recorded in the last 3 years.
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
Oct 2013 → Mar 2014
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2013 → Nov 2013
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2013 → Oct 2013
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2012 → Jan 2012
Peerless Insurance Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2012 → Mar 2013
National Casualty Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Jan 2012 → Mar 2012
Peerless Insurance Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2010 → Jan 2012
Peerless Insurance Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2006 → Sep 2011
Great American Insurance Company Of New York (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Every liability policy this company filed with FMCSA, newest first. Frequent insurer changes or repeated cancellations are worth a direct question; one long-running policy is what stability looks like.
Recent roadside inspections
Feb 16, 2026 Walk-around, IN
2 violations, 1 out-of-service
49 CFR 393.75A3-TAOL, OOS
49 CFR 392.2-SLLSR
Nov 19, 2025 Driver-only, IL
Clean, no violations
Feb 26, 2025 Walk-around, IN
3 violations
49 CFR 393.9A-LRLI
49 CFR 392.2-SLLIRP
49 CFR 392.2-SLLSR
Nov 9, 2023 Driver-only, IN
1 violation
49 CFR 392.16(a) (driver)
Last 4 roadside inspections from FMCSA records (up to 3 years). "OOS" means the driver or vehicle was ordered out of service on the spot.
Authority history
Mar 17, 2014 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Mar 18, 2013 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Mar 26, 2012 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: reinstated -> revoked
Aug 23, 2006 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
May 1, 2006 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: granted -> revoked
Nov 22, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Mar 18, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Mar 22, 2004 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Dec 23, 1993 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Dec 31, 1992 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Shared identity check
Clean identity check. This company's address, phone number and officer do not match any other registered mover in our database. No sign of the "chameleon" pattern where a burned company re-registers under a fresh name.
Is L A Bell Motor Lines INC reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, L A Bell Motor Lines INC looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1974 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 9 registered trucks, liability insurance on file without recent cancellations. A record like this is exactly what an honest mover's file tends to look like.
No public record can guarantee your specific move, so keep the basics: written binding estimate, USDOT 125544 on the paperwork, and reasonable deposit. But nothing in the federal file says walk away.
This assessment is generated from the public federal records shown on this page: registration, fleet, complaints, inspections, insurance and authority filings. It is a summary of records, not a review or an accusation.
Carriers to compare in Indiana
About L A Bell Motor Lines INC
L A Bell Motor Lines INC is a federally registered mover based in Chesterton, Indiana, registered with FMCSA since June 1974. Federal filings show 9 power units (trucks/tractors) and 6 drivers.
Over the last four years, the federal complaint database shows no complaints against this company. For a mover doing real volume, a clean federal record is a genuinely good sign; for a very small operation it may simply reflect a small number of moves. Combine it with the fleet data above and recent references.
How to read this report
The grade and risk score at the top are calculated by MoverAudit from objective federal flags: whether the company is a broker or a carrier, how many trucks it operates, the volume and severity of complaints, hostage-goods reports, and past authority revocations. They are not official government ratings, and they are not reviews: every input is a public federal record shown on this page.
The complaint categories come from the FMCSA household goods complaint system. A single bad move can generate complaints in several categories at once, so the category sum can exceed the total. Pay the most attention to "Hostage Goods" and "Deceptive Business Practices": those describe intent, not accidents. "Loss and Damage" at low volume is normal friction for a carrier doing thousands of moves; the same number at a tiny company is not.
The fleet numbers matter more than they look. A company advertising nationwide service with zero or one registered truck is not doing that work itself: your move will be handled by someone you have not vetted. Compare the fleet size to the promises in your quote.
If you are considering this company, use this report as a starting point, not a verdict. Get the estimate in writing and check whether it is binding, confirm the USDOT number on their paperwork matches 125544, and if a different company shows up on moving day, stop and check that company here before a single box goes on the truck.
Questions about L A BELL MOTOR LINES INC
Is L A Bell Motor Lines INC legit?
L A Bell Motor Lines INC has an active USDOT registration (125544). It has no federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
Is L A Bell Motor Lines INC a broker or a carrier?
Federal records do not show interstate household goods authority for this company. Ask them directly who holds the authority for your move.
Where is L A Bell Motor Lines INC based?
1497 Woodlawn Avenue, Chesterton, IN 46304. Phone on file: (219) 926-5993. Registered with FMCSA since June 1974.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Sep 16, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.