Understanding and improving CSA Scores is crucial for commercial fleets aiming to enhance safety and maintain compliance with FMCSA standards. A strong CSA score not only ensures operational excellence but also builds trust with clients and regulators.

Key Highlights of CSA Scores:

• Governed by the FMCSA.
• Monitors fleet, vehicle, and driver safety.
• Influences insurance premiums, customer trust, and DOT audits.

The Importance of a Good CSA Score

Maintaining a high CSA score benefits your operations significantly:

• Lower Insurance Premiums: Insurance providers reward fleets with good safety records.
• Enhanced Customer Trust: Publicly available safety data influences customer decisions.
• Fewer DOT Audits and Inspections: Reduced regulatory scrutiny allows smoother operations.
• Improved Driver Recruitment: Attract top talent with a strong safety reputation.

If your CSA score is less than ideal, the FMCSA will likely monitor your operations more closely. A continued decline could trigger an alert status and potentially result in an Out-of-Service Order (OOSO), which prohibits you from continuing operations.

However, it’s not just regulatory scrutiny you need to worry about—public perception matters too.

While some of your fleet’s data is restricted to you (the carrier) and law enforcement, a significant portion of your safety and compliance information is publicly accessible on the CSA website. Customers and competitors can easily view this data by searching your DOT number or motor carrier business name.

That said, certain details, such as your crash history, hazmat compliance, and BASIC percentiles, remain confidential and are not available to the public.

Clearing Up Common Misconceptions

When it comes to CSA scores, there are a lot of misunderstandings that can lead to confusion among fleet operators. Let’s take a closer look at two common myths and clarify the facts.

Myth #1: FMCSA Intervenes Solely Based on Total Points

It’s a widespread belief that the total number of points accumulated through violations directly determines if the FMCSA will step in. While it’s true that violations carry point values ranging from 1 to 10 based on severity, these totals alone don’t dictate intervention.

The FMCSA doesn’t rely on a specific cutoff point to decide whether to take action. Instead, it uses these points to calculate a percentile ranking by comparing your fleet to others with similar characteristics, such as the number of crashes, inspections, and violations.

This ranking is crucial. For example, fleets that handle hazardous materials (HM) are subject to an intervention threshold of 80%. If your HM compliance percentile exceeds 80% compared to similar carriers, you’re flagged for FMCSA attention and potential intervention.

Myth #2: CSA Scores Are Based Solely on Inspection Violations

Another misconception is that CSA scores only reflect violations identified during roadside inspections. While inspections are a significant component, they are not the sole factor influencing your score.

Your CSA score also includes:

• Crash Data: State-reported crash incidents that are shared with the FMCSA contribute to your score, regardless of whether the driver was at fault.
• Investigation Findings: Violations uncovered during both onsite and offsite FMCSA investigations are also factored in.

These additional components mean that even if your inspection record is relatively clean, other factors can still impact your CSA score. It’s important to understand the full range of elements that play a role to effectively manage and improve your standing.

By dispelling these myths, you can better comprehend how CSA scores are calculated and take proactive steps to improve your ranking, ensuring both compliance and safety for your fleet.

CSA Scores – Strategies for Hiring the Right Drivers

When it comes to managing your fleet’s CSA score, hiring qualified and safe drivers is one of the most impactful steps you can take. The FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) is an invaluable tool that provides critical insights into a driver’s safety record, making it an essential part of the hiring process.

Always Check a Driver’s PSP Report Before Hiring

Skipping a PSP report when hiring drivers is a risk you can’t afford to take. According to a PSP safety analysis, fleets that actively use PSP reports have seen tangible improvements: crash rates have dropped by an average of 8%, while driver out-of-service (OOS) rates have fallen by an impressive 17%. For small fleets of 6 to 20 drivers, the benefits are even greater, with crash rates reduced by over 20%.

A PSP report provides a detailed view of a driver’s history, including a five-year crash record and a three-year roadside inspection record as maintained by the FMCSA. Importantly, the report includes all crashes and inspections a driver has been involved in, regardless of who was at fault.

Benefits of Reviewing PSP Reports

Incorporating PSP reports into your hiring process offers two key advantages:

• Uncover Honest Drivers
  PSP reports are not just about safety; they’re also a way to verify the accuracy of a driver’s application. By cross-referencing the PSP report with the driver’s claims, you can identify discrepancies, such as omitted employers or unreported accidents. This small investment can save you from hiring drivers who might not be forthcoming about their professional history.

• Identify Safe Drivers
  Beyond checking for crash history, PSP reports give you access to a wide range of safety data, including violations for:
  • Pre-trip inspections
  • Logbook maintenance
  • Speeding infractions
  • Other critical safety-related behaviors
  Patterns of violations in these areas often indicate a high-risk driver who could jeopardize your fleet’s safety record and negatively impact your CSA score. Keep in mind that a driver’s individual CSA score directly contributes to your fleet’s overall CSA percentile rankings, making it essential to prioritize safety-focused hiring.

By leveraging PSP reports, you can make informed decisions, hire safer and more honest drivers, and significantly reduce risks to your fleet’s operations and reputation. A well-executed hiring process not only protects your CSA score but also enhances your fleet’s overall performance and safety culture.

How to Access PSP Records

Gaining access to Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) records is straightforward but requires meeting specific conditions. As a carrier, you must first establish a PSP account to request these reports. Here’s how the process works:

Becoming a PSP Account Holder

To request PSP records, you need an active PSP account. Setting up an account involves an annual subscription fee, which varies depending on your fleet size:

• Carriers with 99 or fewer vehicles: The annual subscription fee is $25.
• Carriers with 100 or more vehicles: The annual subscription fee increases to $100.

You can create an account conveniently online or opt for traditional methods by completing and submitting the Motor Carrier Enrollment Agreement via mail, fax, or email.

Key Requirements for Accessing PSP Records

Once you have a PSP account, you can purchase individual records for just $10 per report, but there are a few conditions you must follow:

• Pre-Employment Screening Only: You are only authorized to request PSP records for legitimate pre-employment screening purposes.
• Driver Consent is Mandatory: Before accessing a driver’s PSP record, you must obtain written consent from the driver. This is a non-negotiable requirement to comply with FMCSA regulations.

Access for Drivers

It’s not just carriers who can access PSP records—drivers themselves can request their own reports at any time. Drivers can retrieve their PSP records directly from the FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) for a fee of $10. Unlike carriers, drivers are not required to maintain an annual subscription to make this request.

By ensuring compliance with these steps and requirements, you can seamlessly integrate PSP record checks into your hiring process. Accessing these reports is a cost-effective way to enhance your fleet’s safety and compliance, protect your CSA score, and make informed decisions about potential hires.

CSA Scores – How to Improve Them

The FMCSA’s Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories are designed to help fleets identify and address risks that can lead to violations. Understanding these categories and implementing proactive strategies can improve your compliance and reduce your CSA score. Here’s a detailed guide to reducing violations in each BASIC category.

Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories:

1. Unsafe Driving
2. Crash Indicator – Not Public
3. Hours of Service (HOS) Compliance
4. Vehicle Maintenance
5. Controlled Substances/Alcohol
6. Hazardous Materials Compliance – Not Public
7. Driver Fitness

Unsafe Driving and Crash Indicator

Addressing unsafe driving behaviors is crucial, as they account for a significant portion of crashes and penalties. To mitigate risks:

• Avoid hiring high-risk drivers: Drivers with a history of speeding violations (7-10 points) pose a safety threat.
• Minimize in-cab distractions: Activities like texting, eating, or using handheld devices contribute to 71% of large truck crashes and carry a hefty penalty of 10 points.
• Enforce seatbelt usage: Failing to wear a seatbelt results in 7-point violations.
• Promote defensive driving: Drivers should maintain safe following distances, avoid tailgating, signal lane changes, and avoid frequent lane changes (violations range from 3-5 points).
• Stay out of the far-left lane: Regardless of state laws, keeping to other lanes can reduce unnecessary attention from law enforcement and carries a 3-point penalty for violations.

Hours of Service (HOS) Compliance and Fatigued Driving

Fatigue and non-compliance with HOS rules can lead to severe accidents and penalties. Here’s how to stay compliant:

• Create a strict policy against fatigued driving: Driving while sick or fatigued is a 10-point violation and endangers everyone on the road.
• Utilize electronic logbooks (ELDs): Over 30% of driver violations during roadside inspections involve missing or incorrect logs. ELDs can help eliminate these issues (penalties range from 5-7 points).
• Secure ELDs in a fixed location: This prevents accidental dislodging or damage during transit.
• Educate all team members on HOS rules: Dispatchers and drivers should understand regulations to prevent scheduling conflicts or violations.

Commercial Vehicle Maintenance

Vehicle maintenance is a significant factor in roadside inspections, with 31% of inspections triggered by visible defects. To minimize these risks:

• Perform regular preventive maintenance: Routine checks of brakes, lights, tires, and other systems are essential.
  • Lights account for 20% of violations: Ensure all lights, reflectors, and flashers are operational (2-6 points).
  • Brake-related violations make up 20%: Inspect brakes thoroughly (4 points).
  • Tire issues comprise 9% of violations, with many related to tread depth (penalties range from 3-8 points).
• Conduct thorough Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs): FMCSA mandates pre-trip and post-trip inspections. Use electronic DVIRs for better accuracy and ease of documentation.
• Maintain clean equipment: A well-maintained and clean vehicle is less likely to attract attention during inspections.

Drivers should also develop habits like:

• Submitting DVIRs promptly after every trip.
• Regularly checking lights, brakes, and reflectors.
• Being familiar with inspection data to identify and address weak points.

Controlled Substances and Alcohol

Drug and alcohol violations are among the most severe, carrying penalties of up to 10 points. Prevent issues by:

• Screening PSP reports before hiring: Ensure potential hires have a clean record.
• Enforcing a zero-tolerance policy: Make it clear that any drug or alcohol use is unacceptable.
• Training supervisors: Teach them to identify signs of impairment and enforce compliance.
• Setting clear timeframes: Prohibit drivers from consuming alcohol within four hours of going on duty (5-point violation).

Hazardous Materials Compliance

Proper handling and transportation of hazardous materials (HM) are critical to safety and compliance. Reduce violations by:

• Securing cargo properly: Drivers must know how to fasten loads securely to avoid infractions (1-8 points).
• Using additional restraints: Loose cargo is a common cause of penalties, so don’t hesitate to add extra straps or chains (1-7 points).
• Stopping at railroad crossings: Ensure all drivers adhere to this safety measure (5 points).
• Using edge protectors: When hauling sharp or irregularly shaped cargo, edge protectors reduce damage risks and violations.

Driver Fitness

Ensuring your drivers meet all fitness and documentation requirements is critical to maintaining compliance. Address this category by:

• Ensuring drivers carry their CDL at all times: Failing to have a CDL on hand incurs 8-point penalties.
• Hiring English-speaking drivers: Communication is essential for safety and compliance, as 6% of driver violations are due to language barriers (4 points).
• Keeping medical certifications updated: Drivers must carry valid medical certificates and renew DOT physicals on time to avoid medical-related violations (1-2 points).

Understanding CSA Scores: Simplified Scoring System for Fleet Inspections

The Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program assigns scores to fleets based on their performance in specific safety categories, known as BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories). These scores help the FMCSA evaluate fleet safety and identify carriers that may need intervention. A solid grasp of how the scoring works can empower fleet managers to make informed decisions and improve their rankings.

BASIC Percentile Rankings Explained

Each fleet with sufficient safety data is assigned a percentile ranking for their performance in individual BASICs. This ranking ranges from 0 to 100 and reflects how your fleet’s violation rate compares to similar carriers. A lower percentile ranking indicates better performance. The rankings are used by the FMCSA to determine if your fleet is struggling with safety compliance.

If your percentile ranking in any BASIC crosses a specific threshold, the FMCSA may issue warning letters or initiate investigations to address the issues.

The BASICs cover a wide range of potential violations, over 900 in total, but each fleet’s ranking depends on three critical factors:

1. The total number of violations
2. The severity of those violations
3. How recent the violations are (newer violations carry more weight)

How CSA Violations Impact Scores

Violations within the BASICs result in point increases, which ultimately affect your overall CSA score. Key details about scoring include:

• Severity-based scoring: Violations add between 1 and 10 points, depending on how severe the infraction is. Higher points reflect more significant safety concerns.
• Category-specific weights: The weight assigned to a violation is specific to the BASIC it falls under and cannot be directly compared across different categories.

The Role of Time Multipliers

The recency of violations plays a significant role in CSA scoring, with recent violations carrying more weight. Time multipliers amplify the severity of violations as follows:

For carriers:

• 3x multiplier: Violations that occurred within the last 1 to 6 months
• 2x multiplier: Violations that occurred within the last 7 to 12 months
• 1x multiplier: Violations that occurred within 13 to 24 months

For drivers:

• 3x multiplier: Violations from the past 12 months
• 2x multiplier: Violations from the past 13 to 24 months
• 1x multiplier: Violations from the past 25 to 36 months

Score Caps and Out-of-Service Orders (OOSO)

While the sum of all violations in a single BASIC during an inspection is capped at 30 points, this cap applies before time multipliers are added. For instance, a violation totaling 30 points will escalate to:

• 90 points during the first six months (3x multiplier)
• 60 points during the following twelve months (2x multiplier)

Additionally, any violation that results in an Out-of-Service Order (OOSO) will have 2 extra points added to its severity score.

Point Expiration Timeline

Both carriers and drivers benefit from the expiration of violation points after a set period:

• Carriers: Points drop off after 24 months.
• Drivers: Points drop off after 36 months.

This gradual reduction allows fleets and drivers to recover from past infractions if they maintain compliance over time.

Can You Dispute the Results of a DOT Inspection?

Absolutely. If you identify errors or incomplete information in your inspection records, you have the option to challenge them through the FMCSA’s DataQs system. This platform is designed to help carriers and drivers address inaccuracies in their safety data.

To start the process, submit a Request for Data Review (RDR) via the DataQs system. This tool allows you to provide evidence and request corrections to any errors in your record. For detailed instructions and helpful resources, visit the DataQs Help Center, which offers guidance on:

• How to review your safety data
• How to file an effective RDR
• Common issues and solutions for resolving data discrepancies

By actively monitoring and correcting your records, you can ensure your CSA score reflects your fleet’s actual safety performance.

What Happens If Your BASIC Score Exceeds Threshold Limits?

When your BASIC score crosses a designated threshold, the Department of Transportation (DOT) may take action to address safety concerns. These interventions aim to identify and resolve issues before they become habitual or lead to more severe consequences.

The specific threshold varies based on the type of carrier and the BASIC in question:

• Passenger carriers typically have stricter thresholds.
• Hazardous material carriers are held to high safety standards given the risks involved.
• General freight carriers have thresholds tailored to their operations.

Thresholds generally range from 65% to 80%, depending on the category and carrier type.

Once a threshold is exceeded, the FMCSA may initiate a series of interventions, such as:

• Warning letters: Alerts notifying you of safety performance concerns.
• Investigations: Onsite or offsite reviews to identify problem areas and ensure compliance.
• Safety audits: Comprehensive checks to evaluate overall fleet operations and safety protocols.

These interventions are designed to be preventive, helping fleets address safety issues early on rather than waiting for repeated violations to escalate the situation.

CSA Scores – Types of Interventions

The FMCSA uses a range of interventions to address safety issues, starting with early contact and escalating as necessary. Here’s a breakdown of the intervention types:

Early Contact

• Warning Letters: Notifications highlighting safety performance issues.
• Targeted Roadside Inspections: Directed inspections focusing on specific safety concerns.

Investigations

• Offsite Investigation: A Safety Investigator reviews your safety documentation remotely to identify compliance concerns.
• Onsite Focused Investigation: Conducted at your location, this investigation targets specific safety and compliance issues. It may include employee interviews and vehicle inspections.
• Onsite Comprehensive Investigation: A thorough review of your entire safety operations performed at your physical location.

Follow-On Interventions

• Cooperative Safety Plan (CSP): A voluntary plan developed with a Safety Investigator to address identified safety issues.
• Notice of Violation (NOV): Issued for serious safety violations. You must take corrective action and provide evidence to avoid penalties. You may contest the NOV if you believe it contains inaccuracies.
• Notice of Claim (NOC): Indicates severe violations that result in financial penalties.
• Operation Out of Service Order (OOSO): The most severe measure, requiring the suspension of all motor vehicle operations until compliance is restored.

These interventions are designed to ensure fleets address safety issues promptly and effectively.

Summary

In this article, we’ve explored the importance of CSA scores for fleet safety and compliance, addressing key factors and practical strategies to improve your fleet’s performance. The FMCSA uses a percentile ranking system to evaluate fleet safety, with interventions triggered when certain thresholds are met. We’ve dispelled common myths about CSA scores, clarified the role of PSP records in driver hiring, and provided specific tips for improving performance in each BASIC category. Additionally, we discussed how violations affect CSA scores, how to access and challenge inspection results, and the types of FMCSA interventions that can occur if a fleet’s safety standards fall short.

By staying informed, making data-driven decisions, and prioritizing safety, carriers can enhance their CSA scores and reduce the risk of costly penalties or shutdowns. For the latest insights into fleet safety, telematics solutions, and compliance strategies, follow Jimi IoT, a trusted leader in smart fleet management technology. With Jimi IoT’s cutting-edge solutions, such as AI-powered dashcams and GPS trackers, you can achieve greater operational efficiency while maintaining compliance with industry standards.