B
CALDWELL FREIGHT LINES INC
USDOT 97088 • LENOIR, NC
MoverAudit grade: B, 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 nameCALDWELL FREIGHT LINES INC
Address2550 HICKORY BLVD SW, LENOIR, NC 28645-8938
Phone(828) 728-9231
Company officerDAVID BRENNER
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceJun 1974
Last FMCSA updateAug 2011
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)287
Drivers260 (260 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityn/a
Safety ratingSatisfactory (Jul 2007)
Prior revocationYes
MoverAudit risk score: 10/100
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!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).
!Shares an address, phone or officer with 1 mover that have complaints or revoked authority (see identity check below).
✓Official FMCSA safety rating: Satisfactory.
✓287 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 inspections0
Driver inspections0
Crashes, last 3 years0
FMCSA safety ratingSatisfactory
FMCSA safety categories (SMS BASICs), last 24 months:
Unsafe DrivingClean, no violations on record
Hours-of-Service ComplianceClean, no violations on record
Driver FitnessClean, no violations on record
Controlled Substances / AlcoholClean, no violations on record
Vehicle MaintenanceClean, no violations on record
Insurance on file
No insurance filings found in the federal Licensing & Insurance system for this company. Interstate movers must file proof of liability coverage; always ask for a current certificate of insurance before moving day.
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
May 2009 → Nov 2011
Sparta Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
May 2007 → May 2007
Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
May 2007 → Mar 2020
Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Aug 2006 → May 2007
Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 2005 → Aug 2006
Firemen's Insurance Co. Of Washington Dc (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jun 2005 → May 2009
Continental Casualty Co. (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 2004 → Jul 2005
Underwriters At Lloyds London (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 2004 → Jul 2005
Underwriters At Lloyds London (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
Nov 23, 2011 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: granted -> revoked
Nov 23, 2011 Revoked
Motor property contract carrier: granted -> revoked
Apr 27, 2009 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Apr 27, 2009 Discontinued revocation
Contract: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jul 1, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
May 12, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
May 12, 2005 Discontinued revocation
Contract: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jul 12, 2004 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jun 29, 2000 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Feb 21, 1995 Discontinued revocation
Common: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Shared identity check
Caution: this company shares its address, phone number or officer with 1 mover that have complaints or revoked authority. This is the pattern behind "chameleon" carriers: a burned company re-registering under a fresh name. It can also be an innocent shared office, read the linked reports and judge.
Is Caldwell Freight Lines INC reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, Caldwell Freight Lines INC looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1974 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 287 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 97088 on the paperwork, and reasonable deposit. But nothing in the federal file says walk away.
One caveat regardless of the rest: this company shares an address, phone number or officer with 1 other registered mover that carry complaints or lost authority. Sometimes that is an innocent office building; sometimes it is how a burned identity gets recycled. The identity check section above lists exactly who they are, look before you book.
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 North Carolina
About Caldwell Freight Lines INC
Caldwell Freight Lines INC is a federally registered mover based in Lenoir, North Carolina, registered with FMCSA since June 1974. Federal filings show 287 power units (trucks/tractors) and 260 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 97088, 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 CALDWELL FREIGHT LINES INC
Is Caldwell Freight Lines INC legit?
Caldwell Freight Lines INC does not currently show an active USDOT registration. Do not book an interstate move with an unregistered company.
Is Caldwell Freight 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 Caldwell Freight Lines INC based?
2550 Hickory Blvd Sw, Lenoir, NC 28645-8938. Phone on file: (828) 728-9231. Registered with FMCSA since June 1974.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Oct 21, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.