No matter the industry, knowing you’re surrounded by people doing their best to stay safe is comforting. This is especially true when we’re talking about transportation and road safety.
The FMCSA uses CSA scores to help provide safer roads for everyone on them. When motor carriers adhere to safety regulations and stay in compliance, these scores are no big deal.
For some, they can be intimidating. Know what they involve and help keep yourself and your drivers committed to safety.
CSA Explained
A CSA score is part of the enforcement program by the FMCSA, or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, Accountability. It holds operators and motor carriers accountable for their safety behind the wheel.
The Safety Measurement System (SMS) is a platform the FMCSA uses to examine road safety and target any safety concerns. There are 7 factors that fall under the BASICs in the SMS and they are what will directly influence your score. This score is meant to identify motor carriers that are higher safety risk and influence better safety practices.
What Is the CSA Score Point System?
CSA scores are based on a zero to 100% scale. Zero indicates the best performance and 100 indicates the worst performance. Each factor used for scoring is its own category with its own point system, so different violations will carry different points.
Reckless driving is a 10-point violation while improper passing or lane change is 5-point. Driving your vehicle without the proper endorsements is an 8-point violation. All of these go into determining your score.
Scores higher than 65% in Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, or HOS Compliance may be subject to an investigation by the FMCSA. Motor carriers transporting hazardous material or passenger carriers are required to hold a lower score of no more than 60% for HazMat and 50% for Passenger Carriers.
Driver Fitness, Hazardous Materials Compliance, Controlled Substances or Alcohol, and Vehicle Maintenance all require a score below 80%. Anything above may warrant action by the FMCSA.
How Is the CSA Score Calculated?
The CSA score is calculated based on the BASICs. This stands for Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. Through the FMCSA’s Safety Measure System (SMS), they use reports and data from roadside inspections.
They also use crash reports from the last two years to calculate this score. The seven factors to understand that are included in the BASICs are detailed below.
Can a Carrier Improve Their CSA Score?
Thankfully, a CSA score is not a permanent, unchanging score. Improving it can be done. Knowing what goes into your score is highly beneficial.
When you understand the factors used for scoring, it’s often easier to ensure you are in compliance and doing what you can to stay safe. Read on below to see what three steps you can take to help improve your score.
7 Step CSA Score Calculation
The FMCSA uses 7 factors to calculate your CSA score. Understanding these will only help you be prepared and allow you to help keep the roads a safer place.
Unsafe Driving
Unsafe driving seems like a pretty obvious one. Essentially, anything that can distract you from your vehicle or the road poses a threat to your safety as well as those around you on the road.
Speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, texting, distracted driving, improper lane changing, or just operating your vehicle in an unsafe manner are all factors that can lead to a poor CSA score.
HOS Compliance
HOS (hours of service) compliance will affect your CSA score. Drivers must comply with HOS requirements or they could see a raised score.
Having HOS records for a minimum of the last six months is necessary. If caught driving while sick or tired, this is also a HOS violation and can affect your score.
Thankfully, with the ELD (electronic logging device) mandate, drivers are far more likely to have the records they require to be in compliance. Proof of insurance is always a requirement as well. Knowing which insurance you must have can be tricky, make sure you’re covered.
Crash Indicator
History of any crashes you have had in the last two years will be used to factor your score. Regardless of your role in the crash, the frequency and severity of crashes will be considered. This information is state-reported data and not available to the public.
Driver Fitness
Driver fitness may sound more intimidating than it is. While you do need to be medically fit to operate a commercial vehicle, this factor is more concerning your CDL and necessary endorsements. Maintaining a valid CDL and keeping up on any required endorsements will help you avoid issues with this factor.
Hazardous Materials Compliance
The safe transportation of hazardous materials is required and you will be penalized if not in compliance. Improper packaging or labeling, leaking containers, and improper handling are three of many factors you could be docked for when being scored.
Controlled Substances and Alcohol
Another obvious factor that shouldn’t require much explanation. If you are found to be operating your vehicle while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs, legal prescriptions, or any other impairing substance, you will see an increased CSA score.
Even a closed container of alcohol is considered a violation. Do not operate your vehicle if you are unsure how you will respond to a medication as it could cost you greatly.
Vehicle Maintenance
Maintaining your vehicle is ideal for your safety and the safety of those around you, but it’s also crucial for the longevity of your vehicles. Improperly securing a load, faulty lights, unreliable brakes, or any other equipment defects will affect your score. Being aware of these issues and failing to make the necessary repairs or adjustments will dock you as well.
How To Improve Your CSA Score
Improving your CSA score is not only important for your future as a successful motor carrier, but this score will directly impact your insurance premiums as well. With updated roadside inspections and crash data, your score can continually change, for the better or worse.
Don’t let a bad score ruin you! Take the right steps and start improving your score today.
Hire the Right Drivers
Because a CSA score is for carriers and connected to the carrier’s DOT Number and not individual drivers, it’s important to ensure you can help your score from the start. This means the hiring process is critical.
When you do your own reviews of the drivers you hire, you can help be sure you’re hiring safety focused team members. Requiring drug tests at hire can also help weed out drivers that may negatively impact your score.
Train Your Team
Training is another important aspect to consider. No matter if you’re looking to improve your score or not, training will be effective.
Drivers with training are more likely to know what to do in an unexpected situation or even emergency on the road. Staying focused behind the wheel is crucial for road safety; training and safety programs can help your drivers be confident no matter the circumstances.
Keep Up On Inspections & Maintain Your Fleet
Lastly, stay ahead when you can. Do you know what a roadside inspection involves? Completing inspections on yourself and your vehicle is a great way to know where you fall before it really matters. Is your vehicle properly maintained?
A roadside inspection will let you know. Do you have your HOS logged properly? An inspection will let you know! Know what an inspection entails so you’re not left to stress about any of those aspects when it comes to your score. Truck driver safety tips are there to help you and those around you, take advantage of the resources you have.
Help Prioritize Safety On The Roads
As a motor carrier, safety is a responsibility you must take on, and it’s one you should aim to uphold every single time you or your drivers are on the road. The FMCSA has been working to provide safe roads for everyone, and the CSA score is one way they can help identify those not adhering properly.
Keep your CSA score low and you’ll likely enjoy lower insurance premiums among other benefits. Provide your drivers with safety training to help them stay comfortable and safe while providing a safer environment for everyone around them!
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