FMCSA Carrier Profile
UNIVERSAL OIL INC
Owner / Officer: Austin Merk
Active
Satisfactory
Authority
No Active Authority
Common carrier
Insurance
Not Found
No coverage amount on file
Safety
Satisfactory
0th pct · 5 inspections on record
✓ No risk flags found on authority or insurance records
Where This Carrier Operates
States where roadside inspections were recorded
OH5
Equipment on Record (5)
Vehicles identified in this carrier's inspection history
| VIN | Make | Inspections | With OOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2ALHG3FM9SDVP4234 | Freightlin | 1 | — |
| 2NKHLJ9X8EM421344 | Kenworth | 1 | — |
| 2NKHLJ9X9FM467475 | Kenworth | 1 | — |
| 2NKHLN9X2DM351944 | Kenworth | 1 | 1 |
| 3ALHG3FM9SDVP4234 | Freightlin | 1 | — |
Vetting Notes
UNIVERSAL OIL INC is an active FMCSA-registered motor carrier based in Cleveland, Ohio, operating under DOT 301778. No high-severity flags were found on authority or insurance records. Across 5 FMCSA inspections on record, this carrier shows 20.0% vehicle OOS. Authority and safety history are clean as of this page's last update.
FMCSA Registration
DOT Number
301778
Operating Status
Active
Safety Rating
Satisfactory
Entity Type
Corporation
MCS-150 Filed
August 21, 2025
FMCSA Registration
September 16, 1987
Annual Mileage
218,000 mi (2024)
Contact Information
Address
265 Jefferson Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone
Email
Owner / Officer
Austin Merk
Officer 2
Matt Halligan
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Safety Percentile
0th percentile
vs. peer carriers
✓ Below FMCSA alert threshold (65th pct) · lower percentile = fewer violations than peers · source: FMCSA SMS
Safety & Inspection Summary
Total Inspections
5
Driver Inspections
Vehicle Inspections
5
Total OOS Orders
1
Violations by Category
Vehicle Maintenance1
Unsafe Driving0
Hours of Service0
OOS Rates vs. National Average
Vehicle OOS Rate20.0% · national avg 20.7%
✓ Below national average
Inspection Trend by Year
2025
2024
Inspection Records (5)
| Date | State | Level | Vehicle | Viol. | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2025 | OH | Level II — Walk-Around | FREIGHTLIN · 2ALHG3FM9SDVP4234 | 0 | Clean |
| December 24, 2024 | OH | Level II — Walk-Around | KENWORTH · 2NKHLJ9X8EM421344 | 0 | Clean |
| August 19, 2025 | OH | Level II — Walk-Around | KENWORTH · 2NKHLJ9X9FM467475 | 1 | Passed |
| November 4, 2024 | OH | Level II — Walk-Around | FREIGHTLIN · 3ALHG3FM9SDVP4234 | 0 | Clean |
| February 4, 2025 | OH | Level II — Walk-Around | KENWORTH · 2NKHLN9X2DM351944 | 0 | 1 OOS |
Other Carriers in Cleveland, OH
Data sourced from FMCSA MCMIS via Socrata. Last updated: August 11, 2026.
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