The FMCSA uses seven CSA Basics to rate trucking companies: unsafe driving, fatigue, driver fitness, drugs and alcohol, vehicle maintenance, hazardous materials, and crash history. Higher scores mean more risk and can trigger federal enforcement actions.
The CSA Basics, Behavior Analysis, and Safety Improvement categories are a set of 7 categories that are used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to evaluate the safety performance of motor carriers operating in the United States. The CSA Basics are: Unsafe Driving: This category measures the carrier's safety performance related to unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, reckless driving, and improper lane changes. Fatigue Driving: Hours of Service: This category measures the carrier's compliance with federal hours of service regulations, which set limits on the amount of time that drivers can spend behind the wheel. Driver Fitness: This category measures the carrier's compliance with federal regulations related to driver qualifications, including medical and license requirements. Controlled Substances and Alcohol: This category measures the carrier's compliance with federal regulations related to drug and alcohol testing and use by drivers. Vehicle Maintenance: This category measures the carrier's maintenance practices and the condition of its vehicles. Hazardous Materials Compliance: This category measures the carrier's compliance with federal regulations related to the transportation of hazardous materials. Crash Indicator: This category measures the carrier's crash history and the severity of any crashes that have occurred. The CSA Basics are used by the FMCSA to identify carriers that may be at risk for future safety violations and to prioritize enforcement actions. Each carrier is assigned a CSA score for each Basic, and carriers with high scores may be subject to additional scrutiny or enforcement actions by the FMCSA. Thanks for watching. Be safe out there.
