Being in the trucking world means that you’re subject to many regulations. The FMCSA takes safety seriously – they have the CSA, or Compliance, Safety, Accountability program. You might wonder how to navigate the program and how to excel in it. And that’s why we’ve created this CSA survival guide for trucking businesses.
CSA survival guide.
1. First – Examine your records.
You have to take a look at your records so you know where you stand.
- Make sure that your MCS-150 (Motor Carrier Identification Report) is current. That means checking, in particular, the number of power units and the Vehicle Miles Traveled.
- Review your BASIC ratings. Take a look at your on-road performance data, your inspection and crash data, and your investigation results in the SMS and FMCSA Portal.
- Keep copies of reports from inspections, along with any evidence of violations.
- Use DataQs to request a review of anything that might be incorrect.
Looking at your records can provide valuable insight so you can make sure all of your information is correct. That’s Step One for handling the CSA. Check that all the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted.
2. Second – Stay in compliance.
The next thing is to make sure you’re staying compliant with safety regulations. To do that, you can…
- Look at your inspection history and violation history from the previous 24 months. (Look for patterns and things that might need some improvement.)
- Use the Safety Management Cycle, a tool for addressing safety concerns.
- Ensure that your truck drivers understand how serious inspections are. They should also know that all violations count in the SMS. The driver’s performance also affects their pre-employment screening program.
- Review materials from the FMCSA regarding the BASICs and compliance. There are helpful FAQs and resources that go into detail about each of the different BASICs.
It’s important to be familiar with the different things you need to pay attention to in order to stay in compliance with the CSA.
3. Use the CSA website.
You might also want to take a look at the CSA website to take advantage of the resources they offer. The website is packed with helpful information. They have FAQs, materials about the SMS and each individual BASIC (with strategies for improving), and more. There’s a lot of resources and tips, plus the answers to questions you might not even know you had. You can also sign up for their email service, which gives updates. Don’t forget about the jackpot of information at your fingertips.
The CSA might sound like pretty serious stuff, but if you take the time to check over your records, make an effort to stay in compliance, and use the CSA website to learn more, you can succeed on the CSA front. The FMCSA is serious, and it’s best to stay on their good side.
Get truck insurance quotes.
There are a lot of risks involved with being a part of the trucking world. To protect your business from those risks, it’s important to have the proper truck insurance. That’s where our team can help. We’d be happy to help you get quotes for your truck insurance – we strive to make insurance easy and help truck businesses save money on their coverage. If you want to get started with quotes, fill out our online form, give us a call, or message us on LiveChat. We’re here to be of assistance with your insurance needs.
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