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NASTC - National Association of Small Trucking Companies

CSA Monitoring


Forewarned is Forearmed



CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, Accountability and is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) data-driven safety compliance and enforcement program.

According to the CSA section of the FMCSA’s website:

Your company’s safety data appears online in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS). FMCSA updates the SMS once a month with data from roadside inspections, including driver and vehicle violations; crash reports from the last two years; and investigation results. The SMS considers:

  • The number of safety violations and inspections
  • The severity of safety violations and crashes
  • When the safety violations occurred, with recent events weighted more heavily
  • The number of trucks/buses a carrier operates and the number of vehicle miles traveled
  • Acute and Critical Violations found during investigations

FMCSA organizes the SMS data into seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs):

It is imperative that motor carriers review their safety ratings and information found on the Compliance-Safety-Accountability website. The FMCSA uses the CSA data to determine which carriers need intervention; insurance companies use the data to determine underwriting and premium prices; and shippers use the data to hire carriers with excellent safety ratings. NASTC offers an overview of your CSA/SMS scores, status of Registration & Authority, and DOT’s required filings including MCS-150, Insurance, Agents for Process. We can provide excellent analysis of where the FMCSA believes their level of registration and safety performance levels to be, as well as whether to expect an upcoming visit by an auditor. We look at:

  • The current status of your DOT license to operate (MC No.)
  • The current status of your levels of insurance on file
  • The current status of your BOC-3 filing
  • When was your last and when is your next DOT MCS-150 Report Due
  • What are your current CSA/SMS scores
  • Will your company be targeted for a DOT Compliance Review in the near future

NASTC will perform over-sight and analysis of your CSA score and will return specific recommendations for lowering your individual CSA score.

NASTC recommends motor carriers monitor their CSA monthly, but at minimum bi-annually to evaluate the safety culture of your company as perceived by the government, brokers, shippers, and insurance companies.

For More Information Please Contact:
Angel Clark
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