(CSA) 2010 is a major Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve the effectiveness of the Agency’s compliance and enforcement programs.  Its goal is to achieve a greater reduction in large truck and bus crashes, injuries, and fatalities, while maximizing the resources of FMCSA and its State partners.

There are four major elements to CSA 2010 – 1) measurement, 2) intervention, 3) safety evaluation, and information technology, 4) COMPASS.

1)  The measurement system - Would group the safety performance data of motor carriers and drivers into seven categories, called BASICs – Behavioral Analysis Safety Improvement Categories.  The seven BASICS are:

• (1) Unsafe driving,
• (2) Fatigued Driving,
• (3) Driver Fitness,
• (4) Controlled Substances/Alcohol,
• (5) Vehicle Maintenance,
• (6) Improper Loading/Cargo, and
• (7) Crash Indicator.

The data would be scored and weighted based on its relationship to crash causation. Based on a carrier’s score within each BASIC, the measurement system would trigger when the Agency should begin to intervene with a motor carrier, and when its performance has reached the proposed “unfit” threshold.

2)  Intervention – Once the measurement system signals the need to intervene, CSA 2010 would draw upon a broad array of progressive interventions that are designed to advise the motor carrier or driver that their safety performance has come to the government’s attention.  These steps are meant to improve unsafe behavior early.

These include:

• Warning letter
• Targeted Roadside Inspection
• On-Site Investigation – Focused Cooperative Safety Plan Notice of Violation Increasing Severity On-Site Investigation
• Comprehensive Notice of Claim/Settlement Agreement

3)  Safety Evaluation – Safety fitness determination would be based on performance data processed through the measurement system, and would not necessarily be tied to the current FMCSA compliance review.  Depending on the motor carrier’s BASIC scores, the safety fitness determination could be “continue to operate”, “marginal” (with ongoing intervention), or proposed “unfit”.  Each motor carrier or driver for which there is sufficient data would receive a safety fitness determination that would be updated every 30 days.

4)  Compass – CSA 2010 is closely aligned with COMPASS, an FMCSA –wide initiative that is leveraging new technology to transform the way that FMCSA does business.  By optimizing FMCSA business processes and improving the Agency’s IT functionality, COMPASS will help FMCSA and State enforcement personnel make better decisions, identify high-risk carriers and drivers more effectively, and apply a wider range of interventions to correct high-risk behavior early.

In February 2008, FMCSA launched a field test of the CSA 2010 Operational Model in Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, and New Jersey encompassing about 50 percent of the carriers and government resources in each State.  In Spring 2009, FMSCA added Montana and Minnesota to the test group.  New interventions are being applied to all interstate and hazmat motor carriers domiciled in these States utilizing all government resources on the test.  An independent third party, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), will evaluate the program using the test data to determine the new Operational Model’s effectiveness (i.e., potential for improving safety) and efficiency (i.e. impact on scarce resources).  Preliminary FMCSA feels the results are promising.  FMCSA hopes to have this program fully launched and functioning by the end of 2010.

For further information on CSA 2010 and to view the FAQ’s section.  You may also want view the American Trucking Associations January Comments and September Supplemental Comments to FMCSA on CSA 2010, they are still pending and under review.