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Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are questions and answers about Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compiled to assist the public. As questions come in through the website, FMCSA adds them to the database along with their answers. If you do not see your question or topic addressed, please contact us by submitting a feedback form. We will respond to you directly and consider your question for inclusion in the FAQs.

The FAQ area has recently been enhanced. Users can now search FAQs by stakeholder group, topics (displayed on the left side of the page), or by entering a keyword below. Choosing “Show All” will display the entire collection of FAQs.

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  1. How do I improve my percentile ranks in the Safety Measurement System (SMS) Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs)? Answer

    Receiving new inspections that are free of violations will improve a carrier's percentile rank for the Hours-of-Service Compliance, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, and Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance BASICs. Carriers should also review the “What can a motor carrier do to improve?” section of the SMS Information Center. This section provides tips that may help carriers who want to improve their safety performance. There are numerous tips that will help carriers improve their SMS percentile ranks and help drivers avoid crashes and violations. Additional information can be found at How to Improve Your Percentile Ranks.

    FMCSA created a tool, the Safety Management Cycle (SMC).  The SMC helps carriers determine their organizational breakdowns that are causing the carriers' safety violations   Carriers can download an overview of the SMC here:      https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/FMC_CSA_12_002_SMC_Overview.pdf and download a list of safety improvement practices that help resolve typical carrier process breakdowns related to each of the BASICs here:  https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/About/SMC_Overview.aspx. 

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