A
SHORTS EXPRESS INC
USDOT 290452 • MC-169787 • MERRIMAC, MA
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 nameSHORTS EXPRESS INC
Address123A EAST MAIN ST, MERRIMAC, MA 01860
Phone(978) 346-8512
Company officerPAUL R DOUGHTY
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceApr 1987
Last FMCSA updateFeb 2025
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)1
Drivers1 (1 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityn/a
Safety ratingNot rated
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!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).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.
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓1 truck registered with FMCSA.
✓No hostage-goods complaints on record.
✓In business since 1987: a long federal track record.
✓Never had operating authority revoked.
Roadside safety & insurance
Roadside safety record
Vehicle inspections0
Driver inspections0
Crashes, last 3 years0
FMCSA safety ratingNot rated
FMCSA safety categories (SMS BASICs), last 24 months:
Driver FitnessClean
Controlled Substances/ AlcoholClean
Hours-of-Service ComplianceBelow cutoff
Unsafe DrivingBelow cutoff
Vehicle MaintenanceBelow cutoff
Insurance on file
Liability insuranceOn file
InsurerThe Charter Oak Fire Insurance Co.
Coverage1000
Policy effective sinceOct 2008
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
Sep 2019 → Dec 2022
Travelers Property Casualty Co. Of America (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Oct 2006 → Oct 2008
The Commerce Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2001 → Sep 2019
Great American Insurance Company Of New York (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Feb 2001 → Mar 2001
Great American Insurance Company Of New York (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jan 1997 → Sep 2001
Condor Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Oct 1993 → Oct 2006
Travelers Indemnity Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Nov 1990 → Jan 1997
Onebeacon America Insurance Company (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.
Authority history
Sep 18, 2019 Revoked
Motor property contract carrier: granted -> revoked
Dec 7, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Dec 7, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Motor property contract carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Nov 8, 2001 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: 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 Shorts Express INC reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, Shorts Express INC looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1987 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 1 registered truck, 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 290452 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 Massachusetts
About Shorts Express INC
Shorts Express INC is a federally registered mover based in Merrimac, Massachusetts, registered with FMCSA since April 1987. Federal filings show 1 power unit (trucks/tractors) and 1 driver.
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 290452, 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 SHORTS EXPRESS INC
Is Shorts Express INC legit?
Shorts Express INC has an active USDOT registration (290452). It has no federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
Is Shorts Express 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 Shorts Express INC based?
123a East Main St, Merrimac, MA 01860. Phone on file: (978) 346-8512. Registered with FMCSA since April 1987.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Jul 17, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.