A
DARNOLD'S TOWING (DBA DARNOLDS REPAIR)
USDOT 656918 • EMERSON, IA
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 nameDARNOLD'S TOWING
Doing business asDARNOLDS REPAIR
Address407 BARTLETT ST, EMERSON, IA 51533
Phone(712) 824-7800
Company officerSHANNON BOMER
In business sinceAug 1996
Last FMCSA updateNov 2024
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)7
Drivers5 (5 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!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓7 trucks registered with FMCSA.
✓No hostage-goods complaints on record.
✓In business since 1996: a long federal track record.
Roadside safety & insurance
Roadside safety record
Vehicle out-of-service rate, this company vs. national average:
Vehicle inspections1
Driver inspections2
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
InsurerPioneer Specialty Insurance Company
Policy effective sinceMar 2025
Cancellations, 3 yrs1
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
Jan 2023 → Aug 2024
Progressive Northern Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$1,000k
Cancelled
May 2022 → Jan 2023
American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Bipd/primary)
$1,000k
Cancelled
May 2021 → May 2022
American Zurich Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$1,000k
Cancelled
May 2021 → Dec 2022
American Zurich Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$1,000k
Cancelled
Nov 2016 → May 2021
Progressive Northern Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$1,000k
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
Aug 7, 2024 Full inspection, IA
5 violations
49 CFR 393.60(d)
49 CFR 396.17(c)
49 CFR 393.9(a)
49 CFR 393.60(d)
49 CFR 393.81: Horn inoperative
Jul 8, 2024 Driver-only, NE
2 violations
49 CFR 392.2 (driver)
49 CFR 392.2
Nov 29, 2023 Walk-around, NC
4 violations, 2 out-of-service
49 CFR 395.8(k)(2) (driver), OOS
49 CFR 393.75(a)(3), OOS
49 CFR 396.17(c)
49 CFR 393.51: No or defective brake warning device or pressure gauge
Nov 28, 2023 Walk-around, NC
Clean, no violations
Nov 27, 2023 Driver-only, IL
5 violations
49 CFR 395.8(f)(1) (driver)
49 CFR 395.8(f)(9) (driver)
49 CFR 395.8(h)(5) (driver)
49 CFR 395.8(f)(11) (driver)
49 CFR 392.2
Last 5 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
Sep 3, 2024 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: granted -> revoked
Dec 1, 2022 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Shared identity check
This company shares an address, phone or officer with 1 other registered mover, none with visible red flags. Shared registration details are common for family businesses and shared offices; listed here for transparency.
Is Darnold's Towing reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, Darnold's Towing looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1996 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 7 registered trucks. 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 656918 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 Iowa
About Darnold's Towing
Darnold's Towing, doing business as Darnolds Repair, is a federally registered mover based in Emerson, Iowa, registered with FMCSA since August 1996. Federal filings show 7 power units (trucks/tractors) and 5 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 656918, 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 DARNOLD'S TOWING
Is Darnold's Towing legit?
Darnold's Towing has an active USDOT registration (656918). It has no federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
Is Darnold's Towing 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 Darnold's Towing based?
407 Bartlett St, Emerson, IA 51533. Phone on file: (712) 824-7800. Registered with FMCSA since August 1996.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Sep 12, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.