FMCSA Improves CSA Program

The FMCSA announced new updates to its Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) enforcement program.  The goal is to more quickly identify and address the “high-risk” truck and bus companies with compliance concerns.  The changes to be implemented in December 2012 are aimed at providing the FMCSA with more precise information when assessing a company’s over-the-road safety performance.  Some of the updates include:

• Changing the Cargo-Related BASIC to better identify Hazardous Materials safety and compliance problems.
• Changing the Fatigued Driving BASIC to the more specific Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance BASIC and weighting HOS paper and electronic logbook violations equally.
• Clarifying the definition of passenger carrier.
• Including cargo/load securement violations from today's Cargo-Related BASIC in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC
• Including intermodal equipment violations into the drivers’ pre-trip inspections.
• Removing 1 to 5 mph speeding violations to ensure citations are consistent with current speedometer regulations.
• Ensuring all recorded violations accurately reflect the inspection type.

According to FMCSA administrator Anne S. Ferro, “fatalities involving commercial vehicles dropped 4.7 percent last year compared to 2010… Still, on average, nearly 4,000 people die in large truck and bus crashes each year.  That is why we are implementing these important changes to make CSA even more effective.”

For complete details on the new CSA improvements, go to http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/.