Three dozen members of Congress have made their displeasure with the FMCSA known by sending a letter to Scott Darling, Administrator for the FMCSA, which told him – again – not to use the “flawed” safety fitness determination system or “misleading safety data” in the CSA program.
As part of the FAST Act which was passed in December, the FMCSA was instructed to remove the CSA scores from public view, review its system, and complete a total overhaul if necessary. As the representatives state in their letter “The legislation required your agency to stop publishing the misrepresentative scores for property carriers and to complete strictly outlined improvements.”
The FMCSA has since been trying to implement those improvements, but while doing so, they have been using the same CSA and Safety Measurement System (SMS) data. Since Congress has long had “concerns centered on the accuracy and reliability of the SMS data,” this may not have been a good idea. In fact, it seems like the members of Congress who penned the letter may be downright peeved.
“While you are in the process of implementing the FAST Act reforms, it is inconceivable that you propose using the same data and analysis Congress has agreed is faulty in a new safety fitness determination methodology. Common sense dictates that FMCSA should complete the reforms to the CSA/SMS system before proceeding to a new method of evaluating safety fitness of carriers.”
The letter is signed by 36 members of Congress who say that they support “an easily understandable, rational safety fitness rating system…”, and are urging the FMCSA to “allow the Congressionally-mandated CSA reform process to be fully-completed before finalizing a new safety fitness rating methodology rulemaking.”
The full letter can be seen here.
It is flawed. Like if you get pulled in and inspected, and they find a light out, the penalties to your CSA are almost as significant as the penalties to your credit history for defaulting on a loan. The ratings should reflect the severity of the safety issue and consider factors like; did the issue happen since the beginning of that day’s pre trip inspection, or was it something that the driver has notified the company about, but they’re just slow in getting it resolved, and other things that are out of the driver’s control.
Congress should have shown the same concern for the DRIVERS that they have for the companies .
The DAC report is misused and misrepresentative, in many cases, and is controlled by a single private entity, Hire Right.
That’s what I understand. Hire Right is not FMCSA. Hire Right is a private company getting data from FMCSA. That company is supported by the ATA. The ATA is not for drivers. It’s sole concern is for the companies.
Darling, like many dot officers, seems to be above any rational law..they inspect you, your paperwork, your truck, search you and your truck for drugs, find not a single thing wrong, then call you a liar, say your logs are complete b/s even though they are in perfect order, write you up for falsifying logs, park you 10 hours, cause you and your employer csa points, just because they want to..profiling, dont like your looks, or just because their computer shows a previous problem..if you ask for a review they simply give it right back to the above the law officer who wrote you up, like hes going to be fsir and admit he did you wrong..B/S…
” IT’S SOCIALISM IN IT’S EMBRYONIC STAGE ! “
How is that socialism?
Either your lying or you should of reported them especially if your logs were good. Find this unbelievable
Frankly, I’m just stunned by this. Congress has told the FMCSA that their methods are incorrect, and have told them to stop using them, yet they persist.
Am I the only one who thinks something is dreadfully wrong here?
Welcome to the last 24 years of government, and it’s probably not going to get any better under the Duchess or the Con man.
He’s not a con man. He supports drivers. Get your facts snowflake.
I live in TX and have been driving for 15 yrs., without so much as a parking ticket, or accident, and come to find out my CDL with all endorsements, were cancelled, due to company I filled out, the required DOT evaluations, never filed them! Now, I go to renew my license and they tell me, I no longer have a CDL and need too retake, the skills tests all over, including the driving part, just like I was a new driver! This was nothing, but a way for DOT to make more money, off the drivers back, as though we had that kind of money to spend! Here I am, driving illegally cause I thought my old company filed the paperworks needed! Now I’m unemployed, gonna lose my house and facing extreme financial meltdown! Don’t know what I’m gonna do, but wish Congress and FMSA, look into this injustice, as my life is ruined, wife leaving me and VERY, VERY Depressed! My life as I knew it, is over! Driving was all I knew and worked hard at keeping my CDL, so clean, you could have eaten your lunch off of! My CSA score, was a Zero! 15 yrs!!! This is enough to end it all! My life is over!
It’s flawed so it’s nonstanding to penalize anyone. That’s the issue. A worthless document is worthless.
Csa points are unconstitutional your being punished with no trial, officer is judge jury and executioner in this case. I thought only a judge could dole out punishments
Exactly right.
It happens in your car. A cdl is held at a higher standard than other vehicles on the road. Why wouldn’t you support inspection on faulty equipment. I’m a driver and pre trip your vehicle instead of lying on your logs
Wow!!! An that’s not wink on Wednesday with a BS system such as this we wonder why the turnover rate is high as it is an no one wants to drive a truck anymore, why don’t we address a real safety concern the 14 hr nonstop work day,, oh that’s rite the mega carriers that bid out their services for little or nothing have to push trucks an drivers for every mile they can to just break even what ever happened to the driver being in charge oh that’s rite there just the dummy holding the steering wheel a sad state of affairs