In the trucking industry, all commercial carriers, including private fleets like Dot Transportation, earn an annual rating for compliance, safety, and accountability–more commonly known as a “CSA score”. This score provides a quantifiable metric of just how safe (or unsafe) a fleet is. The lower the score, the better.
CSA scores are used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to determine which carriers are deemed the safest and which carriers are more likely to pose a safety risk. Prospective business partners may also be interested in the CSA score of a fleet with which they plan to do business to ensure they are partnering with a reputable carrier. And safety-focused drivers will also consider this score when applying for trucking jobs to find which fleets prioritize safety.
How are CSA scores calculated?
CSA scores are calculated using a complex algorithm that factors in crash reports, roadside inspections, and other safety-related issues. Each violation is weighted differently in the calculation (e.g a major crash will negatively affect the score more drastically than a minor safety infraction).
Variables factored into a fleet’s overall CSA score include seven “Behavior Analytics and Safety Improvement Categories” or “BASICs”:
- Unsafe Driving – This includes speeding, reckless driving, texting while driving, improper lane changes, driving under the influence, and other reckless actions.
- Crash Indicator: This factors the last two year’s worth of state-reported crashes. State-reported crashes include any accidents that cause injury and/or death or accidents in which one or more vehicles must be transported away from the scene of the accident. This metric, unlike most of the others on this list, is not publicly accessible.
- Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance: This BASIC monitors a carrier's adherence to regulations regarding driver hours of service, ensuring that drivers are not fatigued.
- Vehicle Maintenance: This BASIC assesses a carrier's commitment to keeping its fleet in safe operating condition at all times.
- Controlled Substances/Alcohol: This BASIC focuses on violations related to the use of controlled substances or alcohol in the cab.
- Hazardous Materials Compliance: This BASIC tracks a carrier's compliance with hazardous material regulations and is also not publicly accessible.
- Driver Fitness: This BASIC evaluates the driving records and validity of a fleet’s drivers.
Each item in this list is assigned a score and carriers with excessive marks in one or more categories may find themselves in poor standing with the FMCSA and could be subjected to more frequent checks, investigations, or penalties. If things get too bad, a fleet may even risk losing their operating authority altogether.
It's important to note that while CSA scores are a valuable tool for evaluating a carrier's safety performance, they should not be the sole factor considered. Other factors, such as a carrier's experience, reputation, and insurance coverage, should also be taken into account.
What is a good CSA score?
A CSA score will fall somewhere between zero and 100. Theoretically, zero would be the best possible CSA score. This would reflect perfect scores in each of the seven categories (no reports of reckless driving, no accidents, no HAZMAT violations, etc.). Fleets with scores higher than around the midpoint (50) would likely want to make some changes into how they operate.
How does Dot Transportation perform in terms of CSA scores?
At Dot Transportation, we take pride in our commitment to driver safety. Our drivers, regardless of previous experience level, must complete a thorough training program consisting of both over the road and classroom hours. We even have in-house trucking schools at many of our distribution centers to ensure that new drivers are given the best possible instruction while working toward their CDL. We also have a dedicated maintenance technician crew at each of our distribution centers to ensure that trucks are properly maintained and that any concerns are addressed quickly and properly.
Learn more about DTI’s ongoing commitment to driver safety.