After both passing their own versions of a highway funding bill in the past month, the House and Senate voted on Thursday to pass a join bill dubbed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation, or the FAST Act.
Coming just one day before the funding deadline of Friday December 4th, the bill flew through both the house and the Senate with a 359-65 vote and an 83-16 vote respectively. The White House is also expected to sign off on the bill on Friday to pass the first long-term highway funding bill in years.
The FAST Act puts an end to temporary funding patches that have been the norm for the past few years by calling for spending $205 billion on our nation’s highways with an additional $48 billion being spent on transit projects over the next 5 years.
Weighing in at a hefty 1,300 pages, the bill continues the trend of paying the lion’s share of highway funding with the gas tax, but since that still leaves a deficit of nearly $16 billion annually, the federal government will need to locate other additional sources of funding to pay for their program.
ATA’s chairman Pat Thomas hit the nail on the head when he voiced his opinion of the bill saying “While not perfect, this bill is a tremendous step forward for trucking in many respects.” And that’s exactly how many in the industry see it. Along with funding, the bill laid out provisions for many of the most controversial proposed regulations in the industry including both CSA scores and under-21 truck drivers.
CSA SCORES
Most of the industry is ecstatic about a provision included in the bill that will require the removal of CSA scores from public view and order an examination and possible overhaul of the whole program. Predictably, groups representing truckers and carriers including OOIDA and the ATA were happy with the decision.
“By ordering an evaluation and improvement of CSA, as well as removing the flawed scores the system produces from public view in the meantime, this bill is an important victory for data and accuracy in regulatory oversight,” said ATA Executive Vice President Dave Osiecki.
But of course not everyone can always be satisfied. It was the Truck Safety Coalition that voiced one of the few dissenting opinions when they claimed that “concealing scores that are collected by taxpayer-funded law enforcement officers on tax-payer-funded roads essentially robs the motoring public of two things: the ability to access data that they paid for and public safety.”
When and if a new CSA program is developed, the bill also mandates that it must include a crash accountability component that would reflect whether or not a carrier was or was not at fault in a crash.
YOUNG TRUCKERS
The other hot-button topic in the past few months is a push by the ATA and many of its member carriers to reduce the interstate commercial driving age to 18. On this front the ATA was mostly disappointed.
The FAST Act does allow for a pilot program to research the performance of drivers between 18 and 21, but it limits eligibility to only former members of the armed forces. While OOIDA has called the measure a “positive compromise” that supports veterans, the ATA voiced its concern that an opportunity was missed to “further improve safety and efficiency in trucking.”
Some doubts have been raised in the past as to how lowering the interstate driving age for class A drivers would result in improved safety, but the ATA went on to say that while they approved of giving military CDL holders more employment opportunities, they found it “illogical” that young drivers are allowed to driver intrastate, but still can’t cross state borders.
The FAST Act also includes numerous other provisions within its 1,300 pages, but for now it’s still got to make it through the White House before it becomes law. No rush, but it absolutely positively has to be signed on Friday or a new highway patch will have to be pushed through in less than a day.
Source: gobytrucknews, gobytrucknews, thehill, fleetowner, truckinginfo, truckinginfo, overdrive, overdrive, thehill
Robert guilmette says
The gov and trucking compaines should close down that dac reporting company all they do is spread lies on drivers so a tracker can not get a job
Royce says
Extra scoring never made sense anyway. What’s next ? How about scores for the scores for the scores? Or maybe scores for the scores for the scores for the scores? Keep it up and maybe someday you can go direct to a farm and get your own stuff. Would suit me just fine, but some of you lawyer types ain’t gonna like gittin’ cr@p on yer’ loafers.
RickJPII says
Lawyers won’t get crap on their loafers. They’ll send their paralegals or secretaries to the farms and then refuse to reimburse them mileage because there would not be a client matter to bill for the trip.
m says
Former members of the armed forces? I thought you had to be 17 to join, and enrollment was minimum 3 years? Where are they gonna find these 18 year olds?
Mark says
It doesn’t matter. These crap companies, like JBH and US Xpress will still make life hard on drivers when they do things such as giving the driver and overnight run after letting him sit all day, wide awake, on the promise of the “load that is coming soon”, resulting in unsafe driving. That is exactly how those sort of companies work. And the driver can’t tell them he doesn’t feel safe taking the load. They will force the dispatch anyway. There needs to be accountability with the execs of these companies who turn a blind eye on unsafe practices that costs human lives, just as the Feds convicted that Blankenship fella, CEO of Massey Coal, for causing the death of his miners with unsafe shortcuts and forcing unsafe work. America is tired of this sort of thing and we are seeing execs being help accountable. CSA does very little, other than targeting the driver primarily. It does nothing to target those at the root of the issue, such as dispatchers, planners and even execs.
Richard says
Well score a loss for the drivers.
When researching a prospective trucking job and trucking company the CSA information is a tool for checking their background. Now we drivers DO NOT have that resource available to us.
Score another loss for the working man.
Tom says
I wish we could score all the dishonest cops that pull us over under false pretenses. I’ve been pulled over twice in the past 12 months for speeds my truck couldn’t do. I’m tired of cops hassling me just so that they can make themselves look good to their superiors.
bill says
When you get pulled over. Just follow up by going to a service like a TA. Get your recorded speed off the computer. Print. Bring to court. Win the case hands down. With the officer getting a reprimand.
David says
Excellent point Tom. I’ve been the victim of cop’s power-hungry crap too. Also score dangerous highways, dangerous intersections, dangerous construction zones, dispatchers & brokers that give tight delivery times or send you directly into storms, dangerous logs that force you to drive thru the night.
Michael Burgener says
I agree with you both. Just recently I was pulled over by a Utah Highway Patrol for not wearing my seat belt and well I was and the problem I have with this is that my seat belts are bright orange for a reason to “attempt” to stop power hungry cops and ones that want to look good to the bosses from pulling me over, but eveidently that doesn’t work either.
Allen e carter says
Are y’all members of blk lives matter? I got my commercial shoffer license in 1963 & still driving with a perfect record. Don’t beat the cops up, just do the posted speed limit.
Brad waer says
That’s hilarious hate to say it he has a point there.
Rambo1 says
You got it David. I am a retired Deputy Sheriff and am still fairly knowledgeable on DOT laws. I was stopped and when no violations were found, The Texas DOT Officer told me that he had never given a pass and wrote up a warning for the truck needing an alignment ( brand new steer tires ) and the fire ex. should of had a bigger mounting ( the one that came with the cylinder and was stamped DOT certified ). I begged him to issue a ticket so I could get it bounced but he knew that so with the warning I received the same CSA points as a ticket and wouldn’t make him look like a jerk in a Court of Law.
Allen e carter says
Bull sh-t I live in Texas & still driving. I’ve been through many DOT insp.& have never seen or heard of dot checking alignments, they don’t even have the equipment to check your alignment.
Jonathan Krukow says
I have to agree. there is a lot of corruption in the dot. I got a ticket, for not having a medical. I had the medical in the truck, but the dot officer said it didn’t matter, and that I was getting a ticket.
I started to complain and He said If i kept it up things were going to get a lot worse for me. I took the ticket, then went to court and the judge threw it out. It is still is on my CSA score. I have a lot of true stories like this. Mostly log book violations for filling in on the wrong line. This gave me an unsafe ratting on my CSA score, even though my company has never had an accident or incident .
DukeOfEarl says
Thanks for your interesting post. I got 2 warnings from the same inspection by Indiana DOT and I contested them and won. This was 1999. I would later learn, and this was something I suspected was true all along, that even if a judge dismisses your ticket, or an arbitrator dismisses a warning (as with me), this information stays on your record permanently. It used to be presumption of innocence until proven guilty, but things have sure changed in the land of the… free? And I also notice that job applications now require you to list any arrests, whereas it used to be only convictions, back when there was a presumption of innocence until proven guilty. I’m just sayin’.
Ant says
Lies.
John Bigham says
The ata/anti trucker association. Thinks 18 year old would drivers would improve safety? The only reason they push for it is cheaper labor.
Don C says
Wonder what else is in this 1300 page “bill” that no one has read? Wondering also where that shortfall of 16 Billion dollars will come from. Probably just raise taxes on fuel, licensing, and tires. I guess as long as we get massive spending now that will “help” people, it is alright to saddle our future generations with another 16 Billion, who cares right, as long as the politicians get their cut.
Tim says
“Illogical?” Interstate driving places a less or equal demand on the teenaged driver than intrastate? “Ill” choice of word, more like.
Eric says
New highway bill sounds like the same pork and puke as usual, large trucking companies and big insurance getting away with not being accountable for their actions, big trucking not being responsible for causing accidents, and big insurance being able to limit hiring of fit experienced older drivers. We need a bill that will help eliminate the unsafe companies, and drivers from our roads, not eliminating the knowledge of good and bad from public view. While I agree the present scores are less than accurate we should tweek the system rather that eliminate it, which would be an easier thing to do rather than scrap the whole thing allowing our highways to get worse.
Deke says
Okay when we’re these 18 year Olds serving? When they were 12? I don’t think you can get an initial enlistment at 17 that allows you to leave at 18….
Mark says
So if you read between the lines, you don’t have to worry about many 18 year olds on the road in a truck!
Steve says
Young men & women who are old enough to die for in defense of their country are also old enough to hold a CDL.The draft has ended,but the logic is the same.Is it correct for elected officials to put men & women into harm’s way,yet deny them the right to vote or hold a CDL? CDL holders are put into situations which would never apply to regular licensed drivers,i.e.,operating in the far left lane,bypassing a scale or random inspection or violating an hours of service regulation,then also being cited for it,which not only raises their cvsa score,but also their insurance premium for their personal vehicle.OH-YES-the driving CONCEPT is SAFETY,BUT THE REAL DRIVING FORCE IS MONEY-HOW MUCH THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR POCKETS!
No means no says
Insurance companies will keep 18 year olds out of the drivers seat. Premiums will go up for trucking companies and the trucking companies won’t hire 18 year olds because of that.
Ed says
The lions of trucking companies are self insured… They’ll absolutely do it, paying them on a sliding scale, as they get older the rate will increase… Just like the per diem scam, this will make these companies millions.
Ross says
actually most of the big companies that are pushing for 18 year old drivers don’t answer to insurance companies, as they are self insured…
Allen e carter says
I have to agree because we’ve got 35 year old drivers out here still whining like tity babys always puffed up at a cop for doing 15 mph over in a school zone.
DukeOfEarl says
What is that patriotic rant you begin your post with… old enough to die for their country they are old enough to hold a CDL? Do you really think our Congressmen implemented this with any regard to helping vets? Or is it more likely the Fed is concerned about vets coming home to a real unemployment rate of around 30%, and how much it might cost the Fed in various veterans services if the vets face long term unemployment ? I should think our vets deserve more than a life in a mobile jail cell, having to continue their relationships with friends and family long-distance via phone and internet as if they were still overseas. Is a career with a typical turnover rate of 120% really doing a favor for our vets? I think they deserve better.
Roland says
Exactly!! Thought the same thing. Most carriers already have a Veteran program of some sort and the CDL test waiver for Veterans that drove while serving is already enacted. So unless that young service member is discharged before his first enlistment or commission is completed for whatever reason, less a medical or dishonorable discharge, extending it veterans UNDER 21 seems impossible.
RenoBlues says
Was kinda wondering the same.
mekanikw says
reserves and national guard!!! they could hold a military cdl and have a civilian job
Sean says
I was also wondering where they were going to find 18 year old veterans. Unless they are talking about active reserve and National Guard members.
Allen e carter says
Don’t forget the refugees
Allen e carter says
Don’t forget the immigration laws & thousands of new truck drivers
Alec says
Enlist at 17 on a 2yr…
JC says
something smells very fishy! 1300 pages and no time to read what is in it. I bet it’s another screw job from congress.
Ant says
Hahaha. I can only imagine what else is in there.
Geri mann says
This csa scoreing is not fare to a company driver. We write the equipment up and the company does not fix it but yet it goes on my csa for 3 years. I can’t force the company to fix it and yes i could quite my job but i find this to be a problem with all the companies i have been with. I also went through a DOT inspection and got wrote up that my front trailer axle was cracked and my clearance light. But on that note DOT did not red tag me he sent me on my way. The axel was NOT cracked. It was just rust. And the clearance light was working but was attached with one screw. Rules say it has to work if its on there IT DOES NOT say how it has to be attached. This stayed on my CSA for 3 years. False reporting. I feel there should be hefty fines for such false things. Just think of the revanue the goverment could make from those tax payed police officers. With the younger age driver thats just a money grab for insurance companies. They younger you are the higher the insurance. GOVERMENT NEEDS TO GET OUT OF TRUCKING INDUSTRY. LEAVE THE TRUCKING TO THE COMPANIES AND DRIVERS!!!
Steve says
When you’re forced to operate equipment not safe,take it on the trip,calling DOT in the area operated,get put OUT OF SERVICE.Your employer will fix the equipment fast!
WING says
Take pictures, do a proper inspection, and a DVIR. If the company won’t
do anything , then file a report with OSHA. Document the complaint, including the pictures. If the company then harasses you or fires you,
you have a lawsuit and the complaint through OSHA will get them fined and you some money to go work elsewhere.
If the truck is that broken, do you really want to kill someone, or have the lawyers eat you alive?
Erik says
Then you get a position on your csa.
Erik says
Then you get a OOS on your csa
David Norton says
Yes the government needs to step back but the big problem is the bigger companys and too many brokers.
Michael Burgener says
Missouri is good for this. DOT inspection 2 weeks ago and the lady said you have and active oil leak. However when I got under the truck no leak to be found. On another not she did nail me for my spare tire not being secured on the trailer. The chain wasn’t around it. I’ll take that hit but come on an oil leak when there clearly is not one
Steve says
Geri Mann, you can make them fix it if you don’t feel the truck is safe for operation.
All drivers have the option to red flag a truck if it needs repair to something that drivers feel would make it unsafe to operate. I know, I’ve had to do this a couple of times
astin says
The best way for them to find enough money to fund their pet projects is to get rid of the CSA altogether. All the CSA has done is made it open season for anyone in law enforcement to harass and ticket truck drivers. We, as the truck drivers, won’t organize and stand up against the government abuse. You all talk big but you all don’t produce any action. Big company shutdown for a week to protest the CSA! That’s what started union organization in the first place. ORGANIZE, people, organize!
MKtrucking says
My Husband and I work as a team driving for two years running hard or working hard to gain financial stability and supporting the growth of US economy. We had many successful Inspection over the two years. During Inspection week on Hwy 10 AZ DOT pulled us over and gave us a level 3 Inspection and cited with a violation only. Here’s the funny part, The DOT officers said he had “good news and bad news, the good news was that he wasn’t going to write a Citation but was only going to give us a Violation.” WT*! This should be ILLEGAL because without a Citation you don’t have your day in court. I Agree with ASTIN regarding Tucker WALKOUT and ONE DAY would be devastating. Just remember what the West Coast Long shore men union did and They only slowed down the movement process of the goods???
Truckers are the Heart of America and without the Heart nothing else works!?
Slowpoke31545 says
Just say when.
Brian says
If you take bs, you will get more bs. From your kids. From your government. From your employer. I’ve been at this 21 years. We have never really stuck together, so we constantly get screwed. Its that divide and conquer thing. The trucking companies have their lobbyists and lawyers. Trucking companies make things happen. Truck drivers wait for things to happen. This entire discussion is pointless unless you plan to actually do something about it.
maxx13 says
Got stopped in Richmond Ky, first thing out of officers mouth, “I smell Marijuana ”
Handcuffed me, searched my truck, found nothing! Then couldn’t remember what he did with my medical card, license, and insurance /registration. Kept asking who owned the truck, and who i was leased to, its all on the paperwork was my response. His eyes were glassy and he couldn’t seem to remember anything. Since i was already pull over and humiliated, i decided to have some fun… i asked him the same question several different ways, made him stumble over his response. After he found my information, he let me go.
WING says
The FAST Act does allow for a pilot program to research the performance of drivers between 18 and 21, but it limits eligibility to only former members of the armed forces. While OOIDA has called the measure a “positive compromise” that supports veterans, the ATA voiced its concern that an opportunity was missed to “further improve safety and efficiency in trucking.”
“further improve safety and efficiency in trucking” is a coded and catch phrase that means “keep filling our pockets at the expense of the truck driver!”.
National PARK ALL THE TRUCKS DAY is January,4th, 2016.
Got balls enough to do it??!
No means no says
Not enough parking places. Lol
astin says
I got the balls! How ’bout the rest of you?
David Norton says
Yeah lets keep hiding things from people that’s one reason people think of nothing but bad crap about us I think it should be made easyer for drivers to find out what companys are bad so we don’t get caught up in it .but then again there is no protection for drivers from scamming companys .I see it every day out here I’ve been out here driving for over 45 yrs .
jack johnson says
Hmm even if your parents sign so a young person can join the military at 17. By the time thier enlistment is up they’re 20-21 anyway. So thats just another feel good, do nothing action from congress.
Csa scores i personally dont care if thier public or not.
How about changing the new new log system. So we can stop our 14 hour clock at least once per period. So we can rest when tired. Or avoid adding to congestion by driving during peak rush hours.
They might have said 16billion short fall. I heard hide your wallet. More and hirer tolls are coming.
Fred says
18 year Olds are dangerous enough in a 4 wheeler don’t let the drive big trucks, please. That’s scary.
Eric says
One thing to take note of… given the fact that the youngest age of enlistment for the armed services allowed by law is 17 and the average enlistment contract is for a minimum of 4 years active duty, that would make any prior military member 21 years old at the completion of their 4 year contract. Therefore making this pilot program for drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 only available to prior military would be completely pointless.
trucker says
Oh wow… Fits me so perfectly. Today, 12-4-15, I got pulled into OK chcicken coop. Had an inspection done. Everything checked out great, had all my paperwork, everything to be operating legally. Truck and trailer is pretty much brand new. 23k miles only. Officer did a full inspection and can’t find no mechanical problem. All in all nothing was wrong with my equipment, so he decided to write me up for a violation of having a “dirty truck”. There was a film of dry mud on the fender of my trailer [tanker] that covered a 3×5 decal [emergency shutoff valve]. The mud brushed right off when I wiped it and you could clearly see the decal again. However, like someone said earlier, that’s going to stink up my CSA score for some time. Let me know what you think of that write up. I personally think that “violation” was unnecessary.
Charles TATER Smith says
Here is what needs to be regulated!! How about the training of new drivers after they get out of school & who can train them! I have a proposal! Make being a trainer a endorsement, like tanker or doubles. We have a federal test across all states, because we are regulated by the feds not individual states! Then have a temporary license for new drivers that is good for 1 year! They go out with a trainer & when the trainer thinks they are ready they go take a written, driving & maneuverability test, that is again nation wide!! They have 3 chances to take & pass these tests if not they don’t get a CDL!! So what yall think??
Slowpoke31545 says
I love trucking if I won the lottery I would build a show truck. But of late all I dream about is finding another job that will pay my bills, so I can get out of trucking. Not many choices in my area. Most of the drivers in my area feel the same way, if they could quit they would. Again I love driving a truck (childhood dream) but I hate the conditions in which I’m forced to work under. As far as I know no senator or congressman has ever spent the night in a truck, with lot lizards banging on the door or police telling you to move. If you want me to run 4000 miles a week then take my log book away and let me run. If you want me to run 1600 a week then I need .50 cpm, TV, fridge, microwave, and $35 per diem a day. I begging everyone, please let’s have a national strike. It would change everything, those making the rules would listen, so please let’s get together and do it.
William says
18 year old drivers what a laugh I have a 12 year old son and nephews. That can out drive most truckers out there have been around trucks all there life age isn’t the problem. It’s the smarts that count 18 what a joke
Dman says
The pilot program for the 18-21 year old says they must have military experience. You can’t join until you’re 18 and have to do 3 years so you’ll be 21 anyway. Does this apply to those in the reserves or bill just passed to make some lobbyist happy and they didn’t catch it?
Morons says
Don’t care!!! On my way outta trucking. I’m just not making anything anymore. And it’s just not worth the drama and garbage I get out through every day.
Early Out says
Dear Lord please forgive those that are not intelligent enough to realize that there are many veterans released from active duty prior to completing their initial enlistment. Though most are severely handicapped there are those that are still able to work. I am a United States Marine and do not agree that there is a reasonable comparison between military service and operating a commercial vehicle.
CSA is reasonable in theory in that it can assist in identifying unsafe habits but unfortunately the law written by man applied by man is ultimately flawed and yes safe drivers do at times receive points that do not accurately reflect their level of safety.
Ultimately we’re screwed because we are forced to obey the laws written by those that are not affected by the laws that they have written. It is an unintelligent attempt to control that which they “can” rather than that which they “should”.
Bill says
If you want to see cops and dot guys go crazy with excitement, do oversize hauling for awhile. Those yellow and black “OVERSIZE LOAD” signs and all the flashing lights and flags might as well read “$$$$$$$$ $$$$” stop me and see if you can find something, anything wrong. A lot of times local cops pull you over just because you stand out. They haven’t a clue what they are looking for but figure something that big has to have some cause for some kind of ticket/fine.
Nicholas Fitzgerald says
Given the questionable training and guidance given to new drivers, especially by the big training companies, and the resulting problems many of these new drivers cause out there, especially younger drivers who have no other experience to draw on, it is amazing the anyone would consider lowering the age to 18 or 19. If anything, we might want to start thinking about raising it to 24 or 25. This is an obvious ploy by the big companies represented by the ATA to help solve their driver problem. There are not enough drivers as it is, and most companies, especially the big mega-carriers, tend to treat their drivers like they are just another component of the truck. Shippers and carriers need to start doing more than just paying lip service to the value of the guy at the wheel of that truck. A number of companies out there are starting to throw big bonuses and higher pay out there to attract drivers, and some even seem to be buying new trucks every year to keep their drivers happy. That is not going to solve the problem. Here is a simple way to keep happy drivers and on your fleet: 1. Keep them informed. 2. Do not EVER lie to them. 3. Stop pissing them off. I can not tell you how many companies I have worked for or with that complain about the “bad attitude” of their drivers, then turn around and do everything they can to piss them off as often as possible. In trucking, the old adage “you are responsible for your own attitude,” seems to mean “we’re going to screw you, and we don’t want to hear any crap about it.” This seems to permeate the entire industry. To all trucking companies out there I tell you this: At some point in the next year or so you are going to have to compete with me. You had better get your stuff together or I will eat you for breakfast.
Rick L. says
I’m back. First, let me state that I have well over 2 million miles coast to coast, with NO chargeable accidents.
I took a few years off and have recently (2013) climbed back into a truck. One year of OTR and most recent locally in a tanker. I listen to drivers on the CB and in truck stops where I buy fuel. I’ve also contacted OTR companies about work. I’m amazed that the annual pay is still the same as it was over 25 years ago! But freight rates have doubled since then, and let’s not forget the fuel surcharge these companies are getting.
I’ve done both, company driver and owner-operator, and I know the business. It is truly a life style, and if you’re in it strictly for the money, you’ve chosen the wrong occupation. Don’t get me wrong, ANY company that operates over 500 trucks, doesn’t matter about the name on the truck, WILL take advantage of you!! Their bottom line is all that matters, and you are just an operator, expected to work as much, if not more, than the law allows.
There are so many subjects I’d like to write about, but then you’d have to purchase the book I should write.
So for now, I’ll touch on one subject, “trucker strike.”
Yes, it could work. But think about this. Just one “type” of truck needs to strike to stop the entire USA from working. We live in a petroleum based society. What do you think would happen if every gasoline and diesel tanker didn’t roll for just two or three days? Even that politician or lawyer couldn’t get to work.
EVERYTHING stops, even the truckers that do not want to strike, no choice! No fuel and the economy is stopped immediately!!!
I made around a $1,000/week 26 years ago, and that’s about all you’ll average today, sickening. And the benefits were better. It’s cheaper to sign up for Obama Care. And if you can get a job at $15 to $20/hour full time, you’ll be financially better off, and home like the rest of the country every day. Oh, I forgot, you also will not have to eat those $12.00 frozen Sysco cheeseburgers at the truckstop any longer. I could go on and on, but if you have any intelligence, you get the picture.
I can also spell, and use proper grammar, LOL.
Please feel free to respond.
College Dropout from 1988, LOVED trucking throughout the years, kick myself in the ass every day for dropping out now at the age of 50!!
Jimmy says
CSA is biggest, baddest joke ever perpetrated on the trucking industry. It’s a typical big government fix it program that started out with good intentions and quickly morphed into a monster that put a lot of good people out of business and hurt many, many more. The scores should have never been available to public view anyway because the program is in no way fair or necessarily indicative of any real problem. Anything that is subject to interpretation is not going to be fair. Anything that is subject to interpretation will also be abused and this program has been abused big time. You will never make it completely fair either. Anything that is subject to a persons interpretation is going to be unfair. The only way to make it completely fair is to make the rules completely black and white which is damn near impossible to do. We know for a fact that some states for instance are worse than others at grading. That’s proof positive that it’s unfair. Nothing is ever mentioned though about the DOT officer or scale master that is having a bad day and just feels like screwing over everyone he meets in a truck or is simple grading more closely today than yesterday. This is the human element. You will never change that so you have to remove it to make it fair. If you can’t remove the human element with a rule for every situation (and you probably can’t) then you shouldn’t be using the data collected by a system against anyone.