A
SONNEBORN BROS INC
USDOT 78541 • HETTICK, IL
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 nameSONNEBORN BROS INC
Address25416 RTE 111, HETTICK, IL 62649
Phone(618) 778-5252
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceJun 1974
Last FMCSA updateJun 2026
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)17
Drivers17 (17 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityn/a
Safety ratingSatisfactory (Sep 2001)
Prior revocationNo
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.
✓Official FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory.
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓17 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 inspections6 (2 OOS)
Driver inspections15
Crashes, last 3 years0
FMCSA safety ratingSatisfactory
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
InsurerNorthland Insurance Company
Coverage750
Policy effective sinceAug 2023
Cancellations, 3 yrs1
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
Aug 2022 → Aug 2023
Auto Owners Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2006 → Aug 2022
Northland Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Mar 2006 → Sep 2022
Northland Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2004 → Mar 2006
Empire Fire & Marine Insurance Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2004 → Mar 2006
Empire Fire & Marine Insurance Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2004 → Mar 2006
Empire Fire & Marine Insurance Co. (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2003 → Sep 2003
General Star Indemnity Company (Bipd/excess)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2003 → Aug 2004
Northland Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$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
Jun 17, 2026 Driver-only, IL
Clean, no violations
May 7, 2026 Driver-only, IL
1 violation
49 CFR 392.16: Failing to use seat belt while operating a CMV (driver)
Mar 2, 2026 Full inspection, IL
2 violations, 1 out-of-service
49 CFR 393.75A: Flat tire or fabric exposed, OOS
49 CFR 392.2AU
Jan 15, 2026 Driver-only, IL
Clean, no violations
Jul 23, 2025 Walk-around, IL
Clean, no violations
Jul 8, 2025 Walk-around, IN
3 violations
49 CFR 393.78A-WS
49 CFR 392.2-SLLILC (driver)
49 CFR 395.8A: HOS (Form) - Paper Log/Logging Programs Form and Manner (driver)
Jun 17, 2025 Walk-around, IL
1 violation
49 CFR 393.9: Inoperable Required Lamp
Apr 25, 2025 Driver-only, IA
2 violations
49 CFR 392.2-SLLS2 (driver)
49 CFR 392.2RG
Last 8 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 10, 2006 Discontinued revocation
Contract: 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 Sonneborn Bros INC reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, Sonneborn Bros INC looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1974 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 17 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 78541 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 Illinois
About Sonneborn Bros INC
Sonneborn Bros INC is a federally registered mover based in Hettick, Illinois, registered with FMCSA since June 1974. Federal filings show 17 power units (trucks/tractors) and 17 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 78541, 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 SONNEBORN BROS INC
Is Sonneborn Bros INC legit?
Sonneborn Bros INC has an active USDOT registration (78541). It has no federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
Is Sonneborn Bros 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 Sonneborn Bros INC based?
25416 Rte 111, Hettick, IL 62649. Phone on file: (618) 778-5252. Registered with FMCSA since June 1974.
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.