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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What is the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Operational Model?
Answer
The CSA Operational Model is the new way the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) and its State Partners implement commercial motor vehicle compliance and
enforcement programs.
The CSA Operational Model has three major components:
- A new Safety Measurement System — CSA measures safety performance in new
more comprehensive ways using inspection and crash results to identify carriers
whose behaviors could reasonably lead to crashes.
- A new intervention process — CSA helps FMCSA and its State Partners correct
high-risk behavior by contacting more carriers and drivers with a comprehensive
interventions process. This interventions process is designed to more efficiently
and effectively correct safety deficiencies by tailoring the Safety Investigator's
process to the carrier's specific safety problem(s).
- A safety ratings process — CSA proposes a safety fitness determination methodology
that is based on roadside performance and crash data.
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