CSA Scores (Compliance, Safety, Accountability)
A safety measurement system operated by FMCSA that evaluates motor carriers across seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, Hours-of-Service Compliance, Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances, Hazardous Materials, and Driver Fitness. Scores are percentile-based (0-100), with higher scores indicating worse safety performance. Carriers with high scores in certain BASICs may face intervention by FMCSA.
Detailed Explanation
A safety measurement system operated by FMCSA that evaluates motor carriers across seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, Hours-of-Service Compliance, Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances, Hazardous Materials, and Driver Fitness. Scores are percentile-based (0-100), with higher scores indicating worse safety performance. Carriers with high scores in certain BASICs may face intervention by FMCSA.
Example
A broker checks a carrier's CSA scores and sees an 85th percentile in Vehicle Maintenance and a 72nd percentile in Unsafe Driving. These elevated scores trigger the broker's internal vetting threshold, and they decline to use that carrier.
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