Comprehensive Safety Analysis, or CSA, is a new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety program created to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes. This ground-breaking program introduces a new enforcement and compliance model that allows FMCSA and its state partners to more effectively target the safety problems of motor carriers and their drivers by enabling them to address safety concerns before crashes occur. CSA also offers a new methodology that enhances the measurement of a motor carrier’s safety performance and adds innovative new tools designed to correct deficiency.
When the program is fully rolled out we will have a new nationwide system that will make the roads safer for motor carriers and the public alike.
Measurement
CSA will offer a more comprehensive measurement system by including all safety-based violations identified during roadside inspections. In addition, when used to access performance, these violations will be assigned a value based on their relationship to crash risk. The new system will also assess the safety performance of both carriers and drivers. As a result, it will provide a more thorough assessment of safety performance.
Methods of Intervention
The goal of CSA is to reduce crashes by broadening interventions and reaching more carriers. As such, the program is designed to alert carriers earlier to safety problems so they may correct them before crashes occur. Based on the level of risk posed by the carrier, the interventions may increase in severity and degree of interaction. This approach allows Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and our state partners to reach more carriers sooner using less resource-intensive means while maintaining a strong enforcement presence.