The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is taking its enforcement program to a new level. The Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) program is here, and it's going to affect YOU.

What is CSA 2010?

CSA 2010 is a new way for the FMCSA to track and evaluate your safety record and intervene when it looks like you or your company are operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) unsafely. For the first time, CMV drivers will be graded against their peers and may be subject to fines or increased enforcement. The program involves:

(1) Data Collection, including crash data and all reported safety-relatied violations found during roadside inspections.

(2) Measurement of that data across the 7 BASICS

(3) Grading your safety record against your peers.

(4) Intervention by the FMCSA when necessary.

Just the BASICS

Your crashes and safety violations will be placed into 7 buckets called the BASICs, or Behavioral Analysis Safety Improvement Categories:

- Unsafe driving

- Fatigued driving

- Driver fitness

- Drugs and alcohol

- Vehicle maintenance

- Cargo loading/securement

- Crash history

Your performance in each BASIC will impact your employer's safety grade, and a poorly performing company could face increased roadside inspections, fines, or worse. In addition, if you personally perform worse than your peers, you could face an intervention, even if you switch employers! Some violations will count more than others depending on:

- Age - Newer violations bear more weight, but they'll still affect your record for 3 years, or your employer's for 2 years.

- Risk - Riskier behaviors like reckless driving count more.

- Number of inspections - The more "clean" inspections the better!

Interventions

The FMCSA will have a variety of new tools in its arsenal for making sure you're operating safely and in compliance:

- Warning letters

- Targeted roadside inspections

- Off-site or on-site audits

- Notices of violation or claim

- Settlement agreements

- Cooperative safety plans

How do you prepare?

Get ready for CSA 2010, because what you do today will affect your record for years to come.

- Track your performance on the BASICs, and review your record over the past 3 years. Where can you improve?

- Always strive for "clean" roadside inspections, and get copies of the inspection reports.

- Keep your skills sharp and participate in safety training opportunities.

- Most importantly, always drive safely and in compliance!