What's New

FMCSA has launched a new website to serve as the communications center piece for its program CSA 2010. The new site includes the following:

• General information about the CSA 2010
• Outreach material including fact sheets, brochures, and briefings
• Frequently Asked Questions about CSA 2010

Do you have feedback about the site or can’t find a certain piece of information? Contact us via email to send us your comments or questions.

FMCSA’s CSA 2010 initiative has grabbed the attention of the American Trucking Associations, one of the largest and most influential trucking organizations in the United States.  ATA has assembled a working group of safety directors from its member companies to help prepare for CSA 2010.

On Wednesday, August 5th, FMCSA met with members of that group as part of the Agency’s ongoing effort to reach out to industry stakeholders about upcoming CSA 2010 changes.  During the meeting, FMCSA and ATA discussed a range of topics including the timing of roll-out and the weighting of violations in the CSA 2010 Safety Measurement System (SMS).

Intervention Managers from the six test states met with FMCSA CSA 2010 Development Team members last week to share lessons learned, esolve issues, and make practical improvements to the new operational model in continued preparation for national roll out next year.

The Federal-State Working Group (FSWG) has been in place since the beginning of the test. Captain Mark Savage of the Colorado State Patrol reports that: "CSA 2010 was developed from the ground level up with close collaboration between state partners and federal enforcement personnel and from that perspective it is unique and effective." According to Savage, CSA 2010 has "...increased the integrity of my entire program in Colorado because of the increased emphasis, not just on investigations, but also on the data that’s collected on the roadside and thereby focusing more attention and resources towards the most important goal of the program, reducing crashes."

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is not only Canada’s largest trucking organization, it is also the third largest in all of North America. OTA is an important FMCSA stakeholder.

On July 21, 2009, Bryan Price, Senior Transportation Specialist at FMCSA, led a Webinar on CSA 2010 for OTA members. His presentation included an overview of the program as well as an update on the Operational Model Test currently underway.

One area of interest by the OTA membership was the inclusion of time-weighted, on-road safety performance data using all safety-based violations in determining scores through the new Safety Measurement System (SMS). This is a new feature in CSA 2010. Price explained, “FMCSA wants results to be as reflective as possible of a carrier's current safety status, and does not want to overwhelm the system with old data which may disproportionately influence the scores if the carrier has improved over the two year period.

Similar CSA 2010 outreach efforts to stakeholders will continue to take place throughout the year.

FMCSA is sending warning letters to carriers in the six test states whose on-road safety performance data indicates a safety problem in one or more of the Behavioral Analysis Safety Information Categories (BASICs) - and the responses have been notably positive!

Of the 3,000 warning letters sent to date, over 45% of carriers receiving them have logged in to view their safety scores. Daniel Drexler, Minnesota Division Administrator, a test state DA, observed, "As a result of the warning letters sent to Minnesota carriers, we have spoken with many carrier officials who thanked us for notifying them about their safety problems."

According to Drexler, "We found that once carrier officials understand that the new system enables them to identify their problem drivers, a light goes on.  They see CSA 2010 as a tool to reinforce for drivers the importance of roadside inspections, and to hold drivers accountable for on-road safety performance, and therefore improve their companies’ overall safety performance."

On June 22, Federal and State Operational Model test Safety Investigators (SI) met via teleconference to share best practices. In discussions about changes to work processes driven by the new business processes, the SIs did not express any major concerns, supporting the CSA 2010 workforce analysis results that grades and jobs are safe!

In fact SIs' jobs in CSA 2010 will have an even greater impact on safety and will be more interesting and diverse due to the array of interventions available to deal with safety issues!

The SIs also focused on the response from carriers in test states. They reported that carriers appreciated the additional safety guidance the CSA 2010 process offers, and in particular, are open to assistance about how to address problems in order to improve safe travel for commercial vehicle drivers and the motoring public.

This summer’s field staff in-service training includes a forum for Operation Model (OpModel) test participants to share their experiences and to engage in an open exchange of questions and answers with their non-test counterparts.  Recently, when State Safety Enforcement Investigator, Steff Copeland was asked to leave just one thought with her peers about her experience with CSA 2010, she answered:

"Keep an open mind...CSA 2010 is a change but it’s a very effective change and change can be good. It is an efficient and effective way to contact carriers and make a difference."

-Steff Copeland, State Safety Enforcement Investigator, Missouri DOT

The peer-to-peer sessions will provide field staff with a direct opportunity to hear even more from their OpModel test counterparts about the issues that are most important to them!

Training for additional test state field staff was conducted last week in Massachusetts and a second session will be offered in Missouri in July. Representatives from the operational model test states are joining the CSA 2010 Training Team to share their on-the-ground knowledge and experience by training their peers.

Jim Dearing, a Missouri Safety Investigator and new CSA 2010 instructor states, “As an SI in one of the original test states, I was a vocal skeptic early on. However, my experience over the past 18 months has changed my mind. I believe that the new approach to the investigative process and its associated applications are the most dynamic and innovative compilation of tools and resources FMCSA has developed in its history. I am not only enthusiastic but proud to be involved in educating others as the Agency prepares for rollout nationwide.”

FMCSA field staff and state partners will all receive this CSA 2010 training as a key part of implementation next year! The training includes real-world examples focusing on investigations using CSA 2010’s approach, and provides hands-on sessions to introduce the new measurement system and new tools.

Safety Investigators from Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, and New Jersey Division Offices and State Partner organizations recently met in Denver to lend their real-world expertise to the development of software tools that will be used in the field to support CSA 2010 interventions when CSA 2010 rolls out next year.

With participation from FMCSA's IT Development Division, and technical support from North Dakota State University and the Volpe Center, the group reviewed the proposed CSA 2010 intervention process, from pre-investigation through follow-up. Their essential input provided on-the-ground knowledge of how the next generation suite of tools can be developed to support CSA 2010 roll out next year!

Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) is an FMCSA initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities. At a workshop May 20-21, experts from FMCSA’s IT Development Division and the CSA 2010 Program collaborated on next generation safety applications that will deliver the most up-to-date, comprehensive information available on drivers and carriers to safety investigators nationwide when CSA 2010 rolls out next year.

"Having all of the motor carriers’ data in one central location, including crash data, inspection data, driver information, etc. is a very critical management tool to ensure we’re targeting the right carriers for the most efficient and effective interventions." Dave Yessen, Federal Programs Manager New Jersey Division (CSA 2010 Interventions Manager)