The CSA program has gone through a lot of scrutiny over the past few years and many changes have been made to the program. However, scores are still being tracked by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Even with the changes, can CSA scores still be used as a way to measure safety and compliance? Learn a little more about the CSA program and how to check your CSA score.
What are CSA Scores?
In December of 2010, the FMCSA implemented the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. This program was put into place as a way to measure safety and compliance on the road. The goal of the program is to improve safety while limiting the number of accidents involving commercial vehicles. Because the program uses a scoring system, owner-operators are able to see how they are doing in terms of safety and compliance by looking at how high or low their score is.
How are scores calculated?
Scores are calculated by looking at the safety events of an owner-operator and categorizing them into Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvements Categories (BASICs). The seven BASICs of safety are:
Unsafe Driving
Crash Indicator
Hours-of-Service Compliance
Vehicle Maintenance
Controlled Substances/Alcohol
Hazardous Materials Compliance
Driver Fitness
Once the event has been placed into a category, it’s given a weighted score based on the severity of the event and how long ago it occurred. This data is updated monthly on the FMCSA’s Safety Management System (SMS). The lower the score, the better you are considered in terms of safety and compliance. Also, owner-operators must be aware that if they have a score of 65 or above, they will receive a warning letter from the Motor Carrier Early Intervention protocol. This letter allows owner-operators to make the necessary corrections before safety problems become too severe and law enforcement has to step in.
Here are examples of violations at different point totals:
10-point violation: Going 15 or more miles above the speed limit
8-point violation: Driving a commercial vehicle without a CDL
5-point violation: Improper lane change
2-point: Lacking physical qualifications
Once a violation has occurred and a score has been given, that score is then multiplied based on how recently the violation occurred. If a violation occurred within the past six months, it’s multiplied by three. If a violation occurred between six to 12 months, it’s multiplied by two. Violations that occurred between 12 and 24 months are not weighted. After two years, violations are completely removed from an owner-operator’s record.
Where can I check my score?
Scores can be checked online at www.csa.fmcsa.dot.gov with your USDOT number and PIN. If you discover incomplete or incorrect information on your record, you can challenge the results by submitting a request for review at www.dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov.
Do CSA Scores still matter?
The absolute measure scores of five of the seven BASICs are currently publicly available online (Crash Indicator and Hazardous Materials Compliance are not available to the public) and the only people who can see all seven of the BASICs are owner-operators looking at their own score and law enforcement. This means that your CSA score is still important for a variety of reasons:
Owner-operators can use the scores to see where they stand in terms of safety and compliance. If they notice they have a high score, they can see what is causing this and put more emphasis in these areas in order to lower their score.
Law enforcement can issue interventions to owner-operators based on their high scores. These interventions can lead to inspections and audits that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly.
Even though the DOT maintains they never intended scores to be used for these purposes, customers have chosen to work with owner-operators based on their scores and insurance companies have charged higher premiums to owner-operators because of their high scores.
How can scores be improved?
Violations are completely removed after two years, which means if you have a high score now, you have the ability to make it better. CSA scores can be improved over time by knowing what you are being scored on and operating on the road according to this information. The best way to do this is to set up a plan for yourself that focuses on safety and compliance. A good plan will include initial training for yourself, consistent follow-up training to make sure you are still being compliant, and one-off training if you notice violations that you are commonly committing. The most common violations have to do with lights, brakes, tires, speeding, and medical issues, so, when you begin training, make sure to add emphasis to these violations.
If you've paid attention to your score and are happy with it, keep doing what you're doing. If your score is high because you didn't realize it still matters, you have the opportunity to lower it over time. With determination and a plan in place, you will be able to improve your CSA score.
Sources:
https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/CSA_GRS_Visor_S.pdf https://blog.bigroad.com/blog/why-your-csa-score-still-matters https://keeptruckin.com/blog/do-csa-scores-matter https://www.overdriveonline.com/fmcsa-removes-csa-scores-in-wake-of-highway-bill-signing/ https://keeptruckin.com/blog/about-csa-score https://unitedworldtransportation.com/how-to-check-your-csa-score-for-trucking-companies/