Following multiple letters addressed to head of the DOT, Anthony Foxx, asking for the removal of CSA scores from public view, a bill has been introduced in Congress that would mandate exactly that.
Pennsylvania Congressman Lou Barletta introduced the bill to Congress and it was immediately referred to the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. If the bill, the Safer Trucks and Buses Act, gets passed, it will force the FMCSA to make CSA scores inaccessible to the public and require that they come up with a plan and a timeline for improving the CSA program. CSA scores would only be inaccessible until the CSA program can be fixed – a determination that would be made by Congress.
This is almost exactly what ten industry groups called for in their letter to Anthony Foxx late last month. The group included the ATA, OOIDA, TCA, and seven other transportation organizations. That letter was later joined by another as even more industry forces put their strength behind the effort. The ATA, OOIDA, and other organizations have already stated that they support the bill.
“Misleading information about the safety of individual motor carriers not only leads to negative impacts on small business trucking companies, but it also can mean unintended public safety consequences,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA Executive Vice President.
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Source: overdrive
Ray says
They should do away with permanent records. It should be after 5 years of safe driving the record is wiped clean, and companies must comply.
Cherokee says
Do away with the CSA scores altogether, its double jeopardy, you get the ticket, fines, points on your driving record and then they put points against you again on our CSA score, complete and udder bullcrap.
Truckin Charlie says
You also might not realize that drivers are also subjected to SAFER scores at the time a violation is “issued” not after adjudication> what does this mean – it means you are found guilty of a violation (as far as the CSA is concerned) BEFORE you are able to have your day in court. Isn’t that a direct violation of our Constitutional Rights? Are we now guilty before being proved innocent in a court of law? The whole thing is horribly flawed. The whole concept of the SAFER system was suppose to provide – in my opinion – transparency in this industry. If I’m a shipper, I don’t want my products to be shipped with an unsafe carrier. If the SAFER system is made private then there goes that ability. Then what’s the point of the CSA system – to punish drivers…the answer to that is…Yep! You can’t stop or control irresponsible behavior no matter how much regulation you put in place. You’d think the knotheads in Washington would figure that out by now. You’re just punishing all of us for the sins of a minority. It’s a lot like gun control. You can only control the “legal” and “law-abiding” gun owners. The “stupid” will never stop. It’s only going to get worse.
adam ballard says
The company’s should only be able to look back two years and if the driver is clean free in that time then the driver can go anywhere and get a better paying job
TWade says
Drivers, they don’t want to hide your scores, only the scores of trucking companies. The unsafe, illegal, and poorly ran trucking companies, you know the ones forcing drivers to run illegal logs and speed, don’t want the general public to see how unsafe they really are.
Moving Forward says
You’re 100% right with that, TWade, and I’m sure those are the folks complaining to their folks down in DC. Although the system is far from perfect, the intent is appreciated by many and we hope improvements will happen in a timely manner.
steve says
No, it is small owner operator who get a small ding but CSA makes it look worse due to weighting. We get pulled, do not get a 100% clean inspection, and it looks terrible. Form and function log book violations are no different than falsifying a log book.
DonaldW says
I am an owner operator and never had an accident or speeding ticket. But yet.too see my score , it would seem I am a ravaging maniac. Why? Because I have one truck and something as simple as a reflective tape missing on van door or like recently, I help put out fire and got ticket few days later for empty fire extinguisher. Because I now get pulled constantly in every dtate, and they make it a game too put the owner operators out of business. So far their been several just in my little local area.
Jonathon says
I want to be able to peruse a company’s CSA score if I’m interested in hiring on with them. As far as my CSA score…let’em look, I’ve got nothing to hide.