What does the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA program really mean to your company?
Does your company operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in support of your daily business?
Have you applied for and been granted a USDOT # that you display on the doors of your trucks?
Do you know what a USDOT number is and the implications it has for your regulatory compliance and risk mitigation efforts?
Let’s take a quick look at what a USDOT # is-
What it is – A federal register of your company as an operator of Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV’s).
What it’s used for- It allows the federal government and law enforcement agencies to track and publish your safety compliance performance as a CMV operator. This snapshot of your safety fitness is readily available at https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx. Potential clients, insurance carriers and litigation attorneys all have access to your demonstrated performance and it’s only a click away.
How it’s done- CMV events (Roadside Inspections, violations, accidents, etc.) are reported to the USDOT for classification and recording. Event history is maintained for two years, and the safety fitness of your company is monitored and updated every month. This program is referred to as your CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) scores.
What this could mean to you-
CSA has been very effective in identifying CMV fleets with unfit safety and regulatory compliance practices. The truth is, most fleets that are not involved in traditional “for-hire” trucking models such as contractors and materials and services providers, are often ill-prepared to demonstrate credible systems of safety and compliance management for their CMV fleets. Further, lack of attention to your company’s CSA scores can demonstrate willful neglect and subsequent liability. Disruptions to deliveries and revenue production schedules are often a result of more frequent contact with law enforcement as a result of unsatisfactory CSA scores. Increased challenges in procuring affordable insurance coverage is also emerging as underwriters utilize substandard scores to substantiate premium increases.
So, what can be done to create pro-active management strategies that don’t create excessive burdens on daily operations-
Simply put, do what you do best and employ professionals to administrate your safety and compliance programs. This can mean either staffing in-house or employing 3rd party service providers to do the heavy lifting. The first step is to honestly access your company’s ability to identify and understand where your challenges may lie and then decide if you have the assets to design and implement solutions. Professional service providers specializing in CSA score management and remediation are emerging daily so affordable options do exist. Most importantly, ensure the ability to sustain the performance of any policies and procedures.
This is going to sound like an oxymoron, but most of these federal regulations can save you money-
When properly designed Systems of Management that address your CSA scores are implemented, reductions in unanticipated vehicle breakdowns, fleet cost containment, longer asset service life and reduced risk exposure are always the result.
Get in front of it! -
If this has raised a question in your mind as to how your company deals with the exposure that the CSA program represents, keep in mind. There are two ways to deal with adverse CSA scores, one is pro-active, and one is reactive. One is doable, and the other can be very difficult.
