Motor Carriers, FMCSA Counting Down to CSA 2010
With full implementation of the new safety performance measurement initiative set for July, the agency has rolled out extensive online resources to help the industry prepare.
Enforcement of safety regulations affecting U.S. motor carriers is about to take a new course. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been working for months to prepare the industry for CSA 2010, which is being tested in six states and will launch nationally in July 2010. It replaces the current SafeStat system with a more comprehensive Safety Measurement System.
FMCSA says the change was motivated by a slowdown in the rate by which commercial vehicle crashes resulting in injuries or deaths are declining. This caused FMCSA to take a fresh look at how it evaluates the safety of motor carriers and drivers, with CSA 2010 being the result.
Current compliance reviews are resource-intensive and reach a small percentage of motor carriers. In addition, SafeStat does not focus on the behaviors known to cause crashes, according to the agency. CSA 2010 builds on FMCSA’s current processes but will use a new safety measurement system and a new suite of tools, including enhanced compliance review and focused enforcement.
Field tests began in February 2008; it has been tested in Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, Montana, and Minnesota. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and efficiency.
A fact sheet for drivers and motor carriers is available here.