The FMCSA’s new safety program, CSA 2010, will be officially kicking off at the end of November. If you’re a professional CDL driver, it’s important to be reminded of some of the program’s basics to ensure you’re prepared.
The best place to begin is at the FMCSA’s CSA 2010 website (http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/), the official resource for information about this new safety program.
The FMCSA has produced a few great tools specifically for CDL drivers:
- A presentation titled “CSA 2010 for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers” is designed to educate professional drivers about CSA 2010. In addition to covering what CSA 2010 means to CDL drivers, the presentation is designed to clarify misinformation concerning professional drivers under CSA 2010. "If you are a driver or need to educate drivers, check out this presentation," FMCSA says.
- A two-page document called “CSA 2010: Just the Facts” is intended to dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding CSA 2010. “Just the Facts” identifies 15 facts about the program that are commonly misunderstood.
- CDL drivers, as well as carriers, now have access to another great tool - the new Pre-employment Screening Program, or PSP. Although not technically a part of CSA 2010, the information collected in the PSP is the same data that’s used to calculate and measure compliance under the new program – roadside inspection and crash data.
If you feel comfortable with your understanding of CSA 2010, and you’d like to see how you rank in your CSA 2010 knowledge, you can try your hand at CCJ’s CSA 2010 Quiz. Good luck!
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
With the FMCSA’s implementation of CSA 2010 now coming to fruition, there are several things carriers can do to ensure they are prepared. First, if you are only vaguely familiar with CSA 2010, I highly recommend you at least begin at the FMCSA’s CSA 2010 website (http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/), the official resource for information about this new safety program.
Here are a few critical items to get you pointed in the right direction:
- Review your data! Since April, carriers have had access to their safety performance data. Beginning in August, carriers were able to view their rankings based on the CSMS, which will replace SafeStat beginning in December. Carriers are encouraged to closely examine their performance data and immediately address any safety problems. To review your data, click here. You will need to log-in using your DOT Number and Carrier PIN. If you have lost or forgotten your PIN, visit FMCSA’s Lost PIN page to request a new one. New PINs will be sent via US mail and will arrive in 4-7 days. You can challenge erroneous reports by using the DataQs system. Complete details on the Data Preview are available through Data Preview Guidance (FAQs).
- Update your MCS-150 form. The MCS-150 form provides DOT with basic information about a motor carrier and its operations – the Motor Carrier Census Data. The FMCSA requires this update at least once every two years. Under CSA 2010, the Motor Carrier Census Data entered on this form, in particular power units (PU) and vehicle miles travelled (VMT), is used to determine variables in CSMS – as a result, it’s important that this information be accurate. For instructions to update your MCS-150 by mail or online, click here.
- Review CSA Methodology. To familiarize yourself with the latest CSA 2010 Methodology for measuring carrier safety, visit http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/smsmethodology.pdf.
Although all this information has been updated and continually distributed throughout the year in various forms, only 4% of carriers have visited the FMCSA’s portal to review their CSA 2010 scores. Ann Ferro, FMCSA Administrator gave warning: “For months, carriers have been able to view their data…if carriers aren’t looking at their data, shame on them.”
On December 5, CSA 2010 will officially replace SafeStat and become trucking’s new Federal safety monitoring program. At that time, much like SafeStat, carriers’ safety information will be accessible to the public. Warning letters, along with other intervention steps, will also begin. The warning letter is designed to make carriers aware of their safety performance issues so they can address these early, before they become habitual and more difficult to correct. Click here to view a Sample Warning Letter and related FAQs.
There is one more component to the CSA 2010 process: the Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) methodology. The process by which adverse SFDs will be determined will be the subject of a future rulemaking. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is expected to be published by the end of this year, with a Final Rule appearing sometime next year. While the SFD rulemaking is in process, FMCSA will continue to issue safety ratings in accordance with CFR part 385 - Safety Fitness Procedures.
If you’d like to see how you rank in your CSA 2010 knowledge, you can try your hand at CCJ’s CSA 2010 Quiz. Good luck!
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
Truck driver fatigue, and its connection to Hours of Service (HOS), has long been a major safety and compliance concern in the trucking industry. Earlier this year, the FMCSA issued a final rule mandated electronic onboard recorder (EOBR) use for carriers with “serious patterns of hours of service violations.” As an incentive to encourage the voluntary adoption of EOBRs, the FMCSA will no longer require supporting documents related to driving time for carriers that install EOBRs.
Just over a month ago, however, new legislation was introduced that would mandate the installation of EOBRs in all trucks operating in interstate commerce. The legislation, known as the Commercial Driver Compliance Improvement Act, was introduced by Senators Mark Pryor (D-Ark) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn).
The Commercial Driver Compliance Improvement Act would give the Department of Transportation 18 months to come up with a final rule and would take effect within three years after passage. The EOBR would be linked to the truck’s engine in order to identify the driver, record a driver’s duty status and monitor the location and movement of the vehicle. The legislation calls for utilizing existing technology and devices that are currently in the marketplace.
The bill also sets forth limitations on how the data in the recorders can be used. The data would not be admissible in any civil, criminal or administrative proceeding for any purpose other than establishing compliance or non-compliance with the hours of service rule, unless the owner of the truck consents.
Immediately following the bill’s introduction, five trucking companies announced their support: J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Knight Transportation, Maverick USA, Schneider National and U.S. Xpress Enterprises. They also formed a coalition, The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, to urge Congress to pass the legislation and also to advance other measures that can improve highway safety.
All transportation firms that embrace the legislation are encouraged to join the coalition and support the effort. The Alliance plans to spend the rest of the year gathering allies and building support for passage of the bill next year. "Time is of the essence," said Steve Williams, chairman and CEO of Maverick USA. "As an individual carrier I can't sit around and wait for an opportune time better than now to advance this legislative solution."
Time really is of the essence. With a new HOS proposed rulemaking pending, support of the Commercial Driver Compliance Improvement Act could be the trucking industry’s attempt at a “compromise” - although the Alliance has officially stated that support of the bill has no connection to the rewrite of the HOS rules. This legislation allows the industry to enforce compliance with HOS rules, rather than just change the rules without a component of enforceable compliance. As Don Osterberg, Senior VP of Safety for Schneider National stated, “Electronic logs take the noncompliance issues off the table.”
The biggest argument against mandating EOBR compliance among all carriers relates to the considerable cost involved. Although there are currently solutions as inexpensive as $300-400 per unit, the costs will surely come down as the technology is more universally embraced.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.
It appears we won’t have a new proposed Hours of Service (HOS) rule published as soon as expected.
After meeting with representatives from a variety of business associations including the National Retail Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has extended its review of the proposed HOS rule for an additional 30 days.
After submitting the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to the OMB on July 26, the FMCSA had originally expected a publication date between October 26 and November 4 - thus allowing public comment until as late as January 4, 2011.
It's expected that we'll see a publication date by the end of this month - possibly on November 26. FMCSA Administrator Ann Ferro, on November 8, in reference to the new proposed rule's publication date stated, “I think it will be sometime in November. That’s what we’re looking for.” Ferro declined to comment about any specifics of the new proposed rule.
The original OMB deadline for a new HOS proposed rule was part of a settlement agreement on October 26, 2009 between FMCSA and Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Truck Safety Coalition and the Teamsters union. Under that agreement, a final rule would be published by July 26, 2011.
Although we have no insight as to what the FMCSA is proposing for HOS, it’s widely speculated that the number of hours allowed to drive in a day will drop from 11 to 10, and the “34-hour restart” will increase to between 44-48 hours.
Once OMB signs off on the regulation, it will then be published in the Federal Register. That will be the first time the public will get full disclosure of the FMCSA’s plan regarding any changes to the current HOS regulations.
Click here for more information on the backdrop of the settlement agreement and the consideration of changes to the current HOS regulations.
Driving Ambition is a premier CDL truck driver staffing company serving Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Since 2001, we have specialized in matching safe, experienced CDL drivers for our customers and great job opportunities for our professional truck drivers.
Our commitment to safety and building solid working relationships with both customers and CDL drivers has allowed us to earn an unparalleled reputation with our Proven Drivers and Exceptional Service.