OTA Dispatch Issue 2 2018

36 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch SAFETY Improving Your CSA Score By Adam Williamson, OTA Director of Training & Development So, how can we, in fact, improve our CSA score? There are several action items to focus on. Educate. Safety regulations can—admittedly—be very complicated. A hasty approach to safety training will usually not ensure consistent compliance. Consequently, it is vital that carriers invest the time and resources necessary to give responsible employees (managers, supervisors, drivers, technicians, etc.) a clear understanding of what is required. Training needs to be accurate, comprehensive, and up to date. In a fast-moving transportation industry with frequent turnover and ever-changing regulations, commitment to continuing education is crucial. Target. Not all violations carry the same weight. Some—like faulty break connections or inadequate load securement—come with more severe penalties and can even result in trucks being put out of service. Also, careful examination of a carrier’s history will often identify areas of weakness with a disproportionate number of violations. While full compliance with all regulations is the goal, focusing on areas of special concern can make a significant impact on CSA scores. Implement. Knowledge is only of value if it is applied. This is where the rubber meets the road both literally and figuratively. Pre-trip inspections must be taken seriously with a genuine effort to identify compliance issues and safety hazards. Proper incentives—either positive or negative—are often needed to hold employees accountable to the standard and ensure consistent implementation. Screen. Always check a driver’s PSP (Pre- Employment Screening Program) record before hiring. This online tool (www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov/ psp/Default.aspx) enables carriers to compare a driver’s actual roadside inspection and crash history to the information entered on the employment application. It is invaluable in terms of assessing the risk you are taking when putting individual drivers behind the wheel. Drivers with a well-documented history of honesty, safety, and compliance will be an asset and not a liability to improving CSA scores. Appeal. Inspections are not always a perfect process and results are not above scrutiny. Mistakes can be made. Make sure to review all information or evidence related to a citation and, if a mistake occurred, it can be challenged online (https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS ). While not every appeal will be won, it is worth it to pursue cases where a reasonable argument can be made. Monitor. Any good plan of action needs to be re-evaluated on occasion to make sure it is working. Develop a system to track progress or regression and adjust your overall strategy as needed. The CSA score is the current standard for measuring motor carrier safety performance. Like it or not, it is what we must work with. So, let’s make it work for us and keep those scores in an acceptable range.  If you need help improving your CSA score, OTA is a great resource. We’ve helped trucking companies assess and improve their safety programs through consultation, training classes, auditing services, and on-site visits—all at a discount to OTA members! Contact safety@ortrucking.org with your requests.