Trucking Companies in Merrill, IA
Merrill, IA has 25 registered for-hire trucking companies as of May 2026, making it one of Iowa's largest carrier markets by operating authority count. This figure includes active, inactive, and revoked authorities tracked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Source: FMCSA operating authority and compliance records. Truck Graph analysis. View methodology
Fleet size and equipment distribution
25 carriers broken down by power-unit count and operation type in Merrill, IA.
Fleet size distribution
By registered power-unit count. Source: FMCSA carrier census. View methodology
Operation type breakdown
Classification by carrier operation type and hazmat endorsement status. View methodology
About the Merrill, IA freight market
Merrill, IA is home to 25 registered for-hire motor carriers, of which 25 (100.0%) hold active operating authority as of May 2026. According to FMCSA records, the average fleet size among Merrill carriers is 4.8 power units, reflecting a market dominated by owner-operators and small fleets. The Merrill carrier population contributes to Iowa's broader freight economy, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks among the nation's largest by trucking employment.
The fleet composition in Merrill shows 20 single-truck operators (80.0% of all carriers) alongside 0 carriers operating fleets of 101+ power units. Other operations represent the largest segment with 34 carriers. This distribution is consistent with FMCSA's national pattern where approximately 91% of registered carriers operate fewer than 6 power units (FMCSA Industry Snapshot, 2024).
Authority tenure data reveals 0 carriers received new operating authority in the past 6 months, while 13 carriers have maintained continuous authority for 20+ years. New entrants face elevated scrutiny under FMCSA's New Entrant Safety Assurance Program, which mandates an 18-month monitoring period including at least one safety audit. The presence of 0 carriers with prior revocations on record underscores the importance of verifying authority status before tendering freight — a carrier's historical compliance record is publicly available through the FMCSA SAFER System.
Truck Graph identifies 0 active risk indicators among Merrill carriers (0.00% of the population), flagged through cross-referencing authority history, insurance filing patterns, and known chameleon carrier behaviors. The FMCSA defines chameleon carriers as entities that "successively obtain and relinquish operating authority to evade enforcement actions." Shippers and brokers should verify carrier authority, insurance coverage, and safety ratings before every load tender — Truck Graph's Risk Check tool provides instant verification against all available compliance data.
Sources: FMCSA.dot.gov, BLS Trucking Industry Data, FMCSA SAFER System. Data verified as of .
Authority age distribution
Years since initial FMCSA authority grant date. View methodology
Risk and compliance overview
Risk indicators and fleet composition across 25 Merrill carriers.
Fleet size vs carrier count
Carrier population by fleet tier. Source: FMCSA census data. View methodology
Equipment type share
Based on operation type classification and endorsements. View methodology
Largest carriers in Merrill, IA
Ranked by fleet size (power units). Top 3 featured. Showing 25 of 25 total carriers.
Vander Kooi INC has operated for 52.0y with 25 power units and 25 drivers under Common authority.
Kounkel Trucking INC has operated for 22.5y with 21 power units and 21 drivers under Contract authority.
Derby Trucking LLC has operated for 10.6y with 18 power units and 18 drivers under Common authority.
Kunkel Enterprises LLC has operated for 3.8y with 8 power units and 8 drivers under Carrier authority.
Hometown Businesses INC has operated for 16.8y with 8 power units and 8 drivers under Common authority.
Schultz Bros INC has operated for 34.6y with 7 power units and 6 drivers under Common + Contract authority.
Jochum Agri-Services INC has operated for 12.8y with 6 power units and 11 drivers under Carrier authority.
Jay'S Contracting LLC has operated for 10.9y with 5 power units and 5 drivers under Common authority.
Nick Merrill Trucking LLC has operated for 5.3y with 4 power units and 4 drivers under Common authority.
Hilltop Angus has operated for 6.0y with 2 power units and 2 drivers under Carrier authority.
All Merrill carriers — complete directory
25 carriers total. Page 1 of 1. Sorted by fleet size descending.
| # | Carrier | MC # | DOT # | Fleet | Auth. age | Type | Safety | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Vander Kooi INC Merrill, IA | MC629114 | 173212 | 25 | 52.0y | Dry van | 99 | Active |
| 02 | Kounkel Trucking INC Merrill, IA | MC475426 | 1190564 | 21 | 22.5y | Dry van | 99 | Active |
| 03 | Derby Trucking LLC Merrill, IA | MC940856 | 2821363 | 18 | 10.6y | Dry van | 99 | Active |
| 04 | Kunkel Enterprises LLC Merrill, IA | MC1458753 | 3933677 | 8 | 3.8y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 05 | Hometown Businesses INC Merrill, IA | MC1138974 | 1932256 | 8 | 16.8y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 06 | Schultz Bros INC Merrill, IA | MC812122 | 463338 | 7 | 34.6y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 07 | Jochum Agri-Services INC Merrill, IA | - | 2427319 | 6 | 12.8y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 08 | Jay'S Contracting LLC Merrill, IA | MC927243 | 2783490 | 5 | 10.9y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 09 | Nick Merrill Trucking LLC Merrill, IA | MC1204558 | 3573558 | 4 | 5.3y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 10 | Hilltop Angus Merrill, IA | - | 3432108 | 2 | 6.0y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 11 | Dk Express INC Merrill, IA | MC600608 | 1007515 | 2 | 24.3y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 12 | 5b Transport LLC Merrill, IA | - | 4269437 | 1 | 1.9y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 13 | Steven Herbst Merrill, IA | MC373340 | 575490 | 1 | 31.7y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 14 | Larrys Auto INC Merrill, IA | - | 322276 | 1 | 37.9y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 15 | Mathew Fischer Merrill, IA | - | 2283851 | 1 | 14.2y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 16 | Dustin Tschampel Merrill, IA | MC83920 | 2960368 | 1 | 9.4y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 17 | Ronald L Kovarna Merrill, IA | MC19452 | 2991968 | 1 | 9.2y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 18 | Mj Clausen Transport INC Merrill, IA | MC783649 | 2294976 | 1 | 14.1y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 19 | S&Q Trucking LLC Merrill, IA | MC1254352 | 3645358 | 1 | 5.0y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 20 | Michael F Schoen Sr Merrill, IA | MC504888 | 1301097 | 1 | 21.6y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 21 | T And T Trucking INC Merrill, IA | MC899560 | 2573120 | 1 | 11.4y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 22 | Mitchell Johnson Transport LLC Merrill, IA | - | 3957812 | 1 | 3.7y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 23 | Mike Holtz Merrill, IA | - | 1694070 | 1 | 18.7y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 24 | Midwestern Transport LLC Merrill, IA | MC1600976 | 4164751 | 1 | 2.5y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
| 25 | Joshua Delutri Merrill, IA | - | 4195653 | 1 | 2.3y | Dry van | 95 | Active |
Truck Graph carrier directory. Data from FMCSA operating authority records. View methodology
Find Merrill carriers by equipment type
Browse specialized carriers operating in Merrill, IA by trailer and equipment classification.
Explore the Iowa carrier directory
Merrill is one of the top freight markets in Iowa. Browse the full Iowa trucking company directory to find carriers across all cities, or return to the national carrier index to compare states.
Nearby freight markets in Iowa
Merrill trucking questions
Answers verified against FMCSA records.
How many trucking companies are in Merrill, Iowa?
Merrill, IA has 25 registered for-hire motor carriers as of May 2026. Of these, 25 hold active operating authority from the FMCSA.
What is the average fleet size in Merrill?
The average fleet size among Merrill carriers is 4.8 power units. Approximately 20 carriers operate a single truck, while 0 operate fleets of 101+ units.
How many Merrill carriers have risk indicators?
Truck Graph identifies 0 active risk indicators among Merrill-based carriers. These indicators are derived from authority history patterns, insurance filing anomalies, and known chameleon carrier behaviors.
How do I verify a Merrill trucking company?
Use Truck Graph's DOT Lookup tool to instantly verify any carrier's authority status, insurance coverage, and safety record. You can also check the FMCSA SAFER System directly at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.
What types of trucking companies operate in Merrill?
Merrill's carrier population includes other, dry van / mixed operations. The market serves general freight, specialized, and regional distribution needs.
Is Truck Graph data reliable?
Truck Graph compiles data from FMCSA authority records, insurance filings, inspection histories, and crash reports. Data refreshes continuously from verified federal sources. All 25 Merrill carriers are cross-referenced against multiple compliance databases.
For journalists and researchers
Truck Graph data is open and citable. For press inquiries, contact our editorial team.
