The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is making major changes to its Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. These updates aim to simplify how fleet safety is measured while addressing long-standing concerns about fairness and scoring accuracy. This blog covers the key changes and what fleets need to know to adapt.
Key changes to the Safety Measurement System
Streamlined safety categories
FMCSA is restructuring the seven Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) into what will be known as Compliance Categories. Notable adjustments include :
- Controlled Substances and Alcohol will merge into Unsafe Driving
- Vehicle Maintenance is splitting into Vehicle Maintenance and Vehicle Maintenance: Driver Observed
The key distinction is that Driver Observed violations cover issues a driver can identify during pre- and post-trip inspections, while the broader Vehicle Maintenance category includes issues typically found during scheduled maintenance.
Grouped violations to prevent overlapping penalties
The current CSA system includes 959 violations, often leading to multiple citations for similar issues in a single inspection. FMCSA is reducing this number to 114 violation categories, so that multiple infractions from the same category count as one violation in CSA scoring.
For example, if a driver is cited for both an 11-hour and a 14-hour violation under Hours of Service (HOS) rules, it will now count as a single violation rather than two separate infractions. This change could significantly help fleets avoid excessive penalties from a single inspection.
Simplified severity weighting
Instead of a one-to-10 severity scale, FMCSA is moving to a two-tiered system:
- Severity Level 1 for standard violations
- Severity Level 2 for out-of-service or disqualifying violations
This adjustment reduces subjectivity and provides more consistency in scoring.
More stable CSA percentile rankings
One of the biggest frustrations for fleets has been dramatic shifts in CSA percentile scores when moving between peer groups. Under the proposed system, FMCSA will use a weighted average approach, softening the impact of an individual fleet’s position within its peer group.
Previously, fleets could see their score jump by 20 percentile points or more after a single inspection, even without any performance changes. With this update, FMCSA’s analysis shows no fleet will experience percentile swings of more than 10 points in any category.
Faster score improvements for violation-free fleets
Currently, the only way to improve CSA scores is through violation-free inspections or waiting for violations to “age out” over the course of 24 months. FMCSA is proposing a 12-month reset rule:
- Fleets with no violations in specific categories over 12 months will no longer receive a CSA score in that category, including:
- HOS Compliance
- Vehicle Maintenance
- Driver Observed Maintenance
- Hazardous Materials
- Driver Fitness
This change allows fleets to see score improvements sooner, rather than waiting two years for violations to drop off their record.
Higher mileage caps for Utilization Factor
Fleets with higher mileage often see a greater exposure to violations and crashes. FMCSA is adjusting its Utilization Factor, which gives high-mileage carriers credit in CSA scoring. The cap is increasing from 200,000 to 250,000 miles per power unit, offering additional relief to high-utilization fleets.
Crash Preventability Determination Program expands eligibility
FMCSA is also expanding the Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP), which allows fleets to challenge preventability rulings on crashes. As of December 1, 2024, fleets can now submit more types of crash scenarios for review.
New eligible crash types
Four additional crash types now qualify for review:
- Side-impact collisions from a vehicle traveling in the same direction (previously limited to rear-side strikes).
- Crashes caused by vehicles entering from driveways or parking lots.
- Collisions resulting from another motorist losing control of their vehicle.
- Any crash with video evidence clearly showing the CMV was not at fault.
The addition of a video-based review category is especially important. Now, fleets can submit dash cam, security camera, or third-party footage as proof that a crash was not preventable. This update underscores FMCSA’s growing recognition of the power of dash cams to improve fleet safety.
What’s next?
FMCSA hasn’t yet announced a firm implementation date for these reforms, but industry experts expect a 2025 rollout. These updates reflect a push for fairer scoring, reduced penalties for minor infractions, and a more accurate picture of fleet safety performance.
For fleets, these changes mean fewer unfair penalties, more stability in CSA scores, and faster improvements for good performance. While some details are still being finalized, fleets should start preparing now by reviewing their CSA data and ensuring accurate recordkeeping.
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