Today, there are 512,180 carriers actively operating in the United States, and 55,000 of them are over the FMCSA’s intervention threshold. And that’s not all—those 55,000 carriers may also be under greater scrutiny by the insurance companies who adjust their premiums and the shippers actively searching for a reputable fleet.
When it comes to your CSA score, where do you stand?
If you’re not sure, we encourage you to find out. There are two ways you can access your CSA score:
1) Enter your USDOT number and USDOT number PIN into the SMS login page.
(If you don’t have a PIN, request one from the USDOT. You’ll receive your PIN via snailmail in 4-7 days.)
2) Alternately, you can login to the FMCSA Portal and click the SMS link.
So, where does the Safety Measurement System (SMS) get its data?
Each month, the SMS pulls a monthly data snapshot from the FMCSA’s national database. That information includes roadside inspections, safety violations, crashes reported by State law enforcement, motor carrier registration and census data, and investigations conducted by State and Federal authorities.
That data is then used to compare carriers of similar size across several Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories, or BASICs:
• Unsafe driving
• Fatigued driving, or Hours of Service
• Driver fitness
• Controlled substances/alcohol
• Vehicle maintenance
• Cargo-related
• Crash indicator
The higher the score, the poorer the carrier’s performance—and the more likely they’re to be involved in a crash, according to the FMCSA.
And it’s this data that the FMCSA uses to determine carriers in need of intervention, insurance companies review in their underwriting process, and shippers check when hiring safe, reputable carriers, thereby reducing their own liability in the event of a crash. (It’s important to note that cargo-related and crash indicator BASICs data are not available to the public.)
So, arm yourself with information. With this critical data in-hand, you can identify areas where performance improvements are needed to remain competitive in the industry.