Methodology version 1.1.1. Data pulled Oct 25, 2026.
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# Helm Michigan Trucking Pulse: Methodology Version: 1.1.1 ## Sources - FMCSA Vehicle Inspection File, data.transportation.gov dataset fx4q-ay7w (SODA API, free). - FMCSA Crash File, dataset aayw-vxb3. - US Census Bureau 2020 county FIPS codes for Michigan county names. ## Measures - **Helm out-of-service share** (Helm's measure, NOT FMCSA's official OOS rate): inspections with oos_total > 0 divided by all inspections, by insp_date month and state of inspection (report_state). US = all records. - **Crashes:** crash records by report_date month and state of crash. Only months whose last day is at least 90 days before the pull date. Counts may still rise. - **Month selection:** latest inspection month is the latest full month ending at least 14 days before the pull. - **Geography:** where the inspection or crash happened, not where the carrier is based. - **Suppression:** county rates with fewer than 30 inspections are suppressed. Counts below 10 are suppressed. - **Revisions:** FMCSA data is preliminary. Each edition re-pulls all months, and archived editions are never changed. - **Scope:** safety and enforcement statistics only. Not tied to any carrier, any insurance price or any underwriting decision. - **Safety ratings:** counts only, labeled satisfactory, conditional, unsatisfactory or not rated. Not rated means the carrier has no FMCSA safety rating on file. A new-entrant safety audit does not produce a safety rating. - **Census snapshot:** each run freezes aggregated Company Census totals (by state, status, rating; Michigan by county and status) in pulse/snapshots/YYYY-MM-DD/. Counts under 10 suppressed. No carrier-level rows. - **Attribution:** Helm Partners analysis of FMCSA public data. Statements attributed to Helm Partners. - **License:** Our compilation, calculations and text are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Please credit "Helm Partners, Helm Michigan Trucking Pulse" and link to this page. The underlying FMCSA data is a US government work in the public domain. We claim no rights in it, and you can get it free from FMCSA. ## Reproduce `python3 build.py` in the preview folder. Every number in data.csv has a query_id that maps to an exact URL in queries_log.csv. ## Changelog - 1.1.1 (2026-10-25): changed the no-rating label to 'not rated' and added a definition line. - 1.1.0 (2026-10-25): added dated census snapshot, not rated wording, Helm Partners attribution, no underwriting link. - 1.0.0 (2026-10-25): first preview edition.
Data and method
- License: Our compilation, calculations and text are licensed under CC BY 4.0. Please credit "Helm Partners, Helm Michigan Trucking Pulse" and link to this page. The underlying FMCSA data is a US government work in the public domain. We claim no rights in it, and you can get it free from FMCSA.
- Earlier report with Ohio and Indiana census tables: Midwest trucking report, October 2026.