FMCSA Continues to Defend CSA Initiative
Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a congressionally required analysis that examined if the amount of data that is being used within the Safety Measurement System (SMS) is sufficient. The Agency announced in its self-evaluation that the data, “is clearly sufficient to allow FMCSA to identify high-risk truck and bus companies.”
The report found that SMS effectively identifies the truck and bus companies involved in 90 percent of the more than 100,000 crashes that occur each year, and those that are identified as high-risk carriers continue to have crash rates that are twice the national average. In examining commercial motor vehicle crash rates, FMCSA looked at carriers of various sizes in accordance with the Congressional directive. The analysis revealed no significant difference in actual crash rates between small carriers and those with 20 or more roadside inspections.
In March, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the agency increase the minimum number of required roadside safety inspections needed before prioritizing truck and bus companies for interventions. FMCSA disagreed, pointing out that a delay in responding to known non-compliant carriers would needlessly jeopardize the safety of the motoring public.
To view the entire report, please click HERE. If you have any questions, contact Chris Burroughs (burroughs@tianet.org, 703.299.5075).
