FAQ's About CSA 2010
Posted on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 @ 11:08 AM
Since we began discussing CSA 2010 back in January, there have been several common questions that have come up again and again. Thankfully, the CSA 2010 website has a plethora of information on the topic. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and the CSA 2010 official answer.
Q. Why does FMCSA’s new CSA 2010 program emphasize
driver safety enforcement?
A. Studies have shown that unsafe driver behavior, both on the
part of CMV drivers and other drivers, is a major contributor
to CMV-related crashes. Some studies indicate that a small
segment of the CMV driver population is involved in a
disproportionately large number of crashes. As a result,
during the CSA 2010 Operational Model Test, FMCSA is
expanding its approach to identifying and addressing unsafe
drivers during interventions with motor carriers.
Q. Can you describe the CSA 2010 driver safety enforcement
process?
A. The driver safety enforcement process provides FMCSA with
the tools to identify CMV drivers with safety performance
problems and to verify and address the issues. The new tools
enable Safety Investigators (SIs) to identify drivers with poor
safety histories who work for carriers that have been identified
as requiring a CSA 2010 investigation. If the investigation
results verify the driver violation(s), FMCSA takes an
enforcement action against that driver, such as a Notice of
Violation (NOV) or a Notice of Claim (NOC).
Q. What kinds of driver safety performance data is CSA 2010
looking at?
A. The new program focuses on driver enforcement for serious
rule violations, such as:
•Driving while disqualified
•Driving without a valid commercial driver’s license
•Making a false entry on a medical certificate
•Committing numerous Hours-of-Service violations
Q. Do tickets or warnings that drivers receive while
operating their personal vehicles impact the new SMS?
A. No. Tickets or warnings that drivers receive while operating
their personal cars are State citations and do not count in
the new measurement system. SMS only uses violations
of FMCSA's regulations, and those regulations only apply
to people driving large CMVs. In measuring on-road safety
performance, SMS uses all safety-based violations
documented at roadside inspections as well as State-
reported crashes.
Q. Will CSA 2010 assign safety ratings to individual CMV
drivers? I heard that CSA 2010 is designed to rate CMV
drivers and to put many of them out of work this summer.
A. No. Under CSA 2010, individual CMV drivers will not be
assigned safety ratings or Safety Fitness Determinations
(SFDs). Consistent with the current safety rating regulations
(49 CFR part 385), individual drivers who operate
independently as a “motor carrier” (i.e. have their own USDOT
number, operating authority, and insurance) will continue to
be rated as a motor carrier, as they are today, following an
onsite investigation at their place of business. CSA 2010 is
designed to meet one overriding objective: to increase safety
on the Nation’s roads. Therefore, it is, by design, a positive
program for drivers and carriers with strong safety
performance records. CSA 2010 sends a strong message that
drivers and carriers with poor safety performance histories
need to improve.
Q. What is the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)
and when does it start?
A. PSP is a new FMCSA program mandated by Congress that is
designed to assist the motor carrier industry in assessing
individual operators’ crash and serious safety violation history
as a pre-employment condition. The program is voluntary.
It is not part of CSA 2010. The system is expected to launch
in 2010. For more information about PSP, visit FMCSA's PSP
website.
Q. What is the detailed process for drivers to contest
information contained in their FMCSA driver records?
A. Drivers should use FMCSA’s DataQs system to challenge data
in FMCSA databases. To do this, drivers can go to the DataQs
registration page, select “Register Online” as a general public user, and create a DataQs account profile. Once registered, drivers
can challenge their data by following detailed instructions in
the help menu. The Agency is in the process of improving the
DataQs Website to make the process of challenging data more
apparent to drivers.
We hope this helps answer any questions you may be having about CSA 2010. If you need more help, visit the CSA 2010 website or send an email to us and we will get to work researching the answer for you.