The CSA Program was developed and implemented by the DOT FMCSA to hold carriers and drivers accountable for their actions that affect safety on the road.

“CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, Accountability. It is the safety compliance and enforcement program of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that holds motor carriers and drivers accountable for their role in safety.”—The CSA Fact Sheet.

Everyone using the DOT fleet number, whether an independent operator or fleet driver, has their data entered into the Safety Measurement System (SMS), updated monthly by the FMCSA based on actions received from state and local DMV or their equivalent reporting system. 

These actions are gathered from roadside inspections or weigh stations, collision reports, and traffic stops or violations. Each event is assigned a CSA “severity” point total from 1-10, with 10 being the maximum. Minor events like Form & Manner violations like incorrect log entries are assessed at one CSA severity point, and serious events such as reckless driving or excessive speeding are assessed at ten CSA severity points.

Those severity points are organized into seven areas called Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs):

1. Unsafe driving
2. Collison indicators
3. Hours of Service (HOS) Compliance
4. Vehicle maintenance
5. Alcohol & Controlled substances
6. Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance
7. Driver fitness

After the FMCSA is notified of an action, severity points are assessed and multiplied by a “time-weight” from 1-3. If an action in the same BASIC is repeated within one day to six months, it is multiplied by three. Repeated actions between six months and one year are multiplied by two. After one year, it is kept at face value in the DOT numbered file for two years for the carrier and in the driver’s Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP) record for three years.

Using a complicated formula based on the fleet's total number of vehicles and mile-driven, the CSA severity points multiplied by the time weight are used to determine a “percentile” for the DOT number. The percentile between one and 100 is used to measure the carrier’s safety risk. If over 50, this percentile risk is used to determine necessary interventions, such as increased roadside inspections or FMCSA interventions at fleet HQs.

All vehicles using a fleet DOT number that has a percentile of 75 to 100 will be pulled into open weigh stations for inspection. 

For further clarification about the CSA or SMS systems, read our blog “Which Are the CSA 10 Severity Point Violations.”

A driver can log into a DataQs account and request a copy of their PSP by starting here, while the carrier must start here. When incorrect or misfiled information is found, they can “Request for a Data Review (RDR).”

All vehicles using a fleet DOT number that has a percentile of 75 to 100 will be pulled into open weigh stations for inspection. 

A driver can log into DataQs account and request a copy of their PSP by starting here, while the carrier must start here. When incorrect or misfiled information is found, they can “Request for a Data Review (RDR).”      

Client Yelp Review

“Well today was my court date, and I also got a call from them today to tell me everything was dropped down to a non-point violation. Couldn't be any more happy. In case anyone wanna know what my total came out to it was $585 I believe for B&H. And my court fee was $815 due in 90 days from today...For me money was not a problem. I'm just glad everything was taken care of. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL CDL DRIVERS.”—Hector H., Fontana, CA.

Thanks, Hector, for that glowing review. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, and we can’t promise every commercial driver the same result. We can promise our best effort and constant communication until we resolve your issue. 

To Review Actions at the Truckee Weigh Station, Contact Bigger & Harman, APC  

When you receive roadside inspection violations at the Donner Pass Weigh Station in Truckee, CA, have a CA traffic attorney review and possibly dispute their findings. Just because an inspector gave you a ticket or CSA violation doesn’t mean you are guilty of the violation. 

Call Bigger & Harman, APC, at (661) 349-9300—use our contact form to send a picture of your ticket/violation or email attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com. 

Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.

References:

The DMV Portal CA Commercial Driver Handbook.

The DOT FMCSA CSA Fact Sheet.

The DOT FMCSA DataQs.