Ready for DOT and FMCSA Compliance?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation is tasked with setting rules and regulations for monitoring safety on U.S. roadways. Traditionally the measurement system used across the U.S. has been the Safestat system. A new Safety Management System and new regulations known as CSA 2010 are forthcoming and will be implemented on or about December 6, 2010. The following information provides some highlights on the new CSA 2010 initiative.

What is CSA 2010?

Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) is a FMCSA initiative to more effectively identify and quickly intervene with large truck and bus drivers and carriers who are not complying with safety rules in order to make the roads safer for everyone -- ultimately reducing commercial motor vehicle (CMV)-related crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Purpose of CSA 2010

CSA 2010 will address safety problems before crashes occur – making the roads safer for motor carriers and the public alike.

Who is Affected?

Commercial motor vehicle drivers, owner-operators, fleet managers, fleet owners, and other commercial vehicles on the Nation’s roadways are essential participants in the CSA 2010 initiative to reduce motor vehicle crashes and fatalities.

New Measurement System

When CSA 2010 is implemented, the Safety Measurement System (SMS) will replace the current SafeStat measurement system as FMCSA's tool to identify high-risk motor carriers as well as those carriers not in compliance with rules. The carrier SMS uses inspection reports collected at roadside that include data about driver and vehicle performance. This data is collected and computed monthly and combined with crash data to obtain a snapshot of a carrier's compliance with regulations. Additionally, violation data from each drivers’ last three years driving record is included in a monthly audit. The driver portion will only be used to assist in carrier investigations.

Driver safety monitoring is a critical component of the CSA 2010 program. Driver violations are grouped into seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs). Carriers are measured on driver safety relative to other carriers with similar safety event groupings. More recent driver violations and crash-risk-associated violations are weighted more heavily in the SMS.

The 7 BASICS are:

  • Unsafe Driving
  • Fatigued Driving
  • Driver Fitness
  • Controlled Substances / Alcohol Vehicle Maintenance
  • Cargo-Related
  • Crash Indicator

When Violations Occur

Under the new CSA 2010 regulations, carriers have a greater responsibility to ensure drivers are compliant.

Initially the carrier will receive a letter regarding an unsafe driver violation and will be asked for a corrective action plan. The FMCSA will review and approve the plan, then follow up to see if improvement is made.

Focused intervention occurs when the corrective action plan has not been effective. Focused intervention is automatic for ‘red flagged’ drivers and focuses on the deficiency. The auditor knows which drivers are deficient and looks for documentation of the carrier’s action with drivers. Penalities for violations vary based on the type and frequency of violations. The auditor will audit logs of problem drivers. Violations exceeding 10% will result in the carrier being required to implement an EOBR on all fleet vehicles.

Are You CSA Compliant?

The clock is ticking. December 6th is just around the corner – risk of being out of compliance becomes greater. Teletrac can help you implement a driver safety program and scorecards, meet compliance guidelines, improve productivity, and more.

 

LEARN HOW Teletrac can help you.

 

More Information

For more information on CSA 2010, visit http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/