Need Carrier Compliance? Technology is key.
Data is great …. So long as it’s accurate, recent and ready to contribute to the greater good, rather than causing confusion.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety Measurement System rankings, known generally as “CSA scores,” do appear to be ready for prime time. That is, they appear to be accurate, recent and relevant. But that’s not enough. Now the challenge for our nation’s hardworking shippers and carriers is using and understanding this information so that it enhances safety – which, after all, is the point.
The problem is that while the CSA scores may be the most valid measurement we have, it can take time to sort through them to assess the potential risk – or benefits - of dealing with carriers. This is where automation and technology become our true friends. My company, for example, automates the entire shipping process, from matching loads to carriers to price negotiations to payments once the load is dropped. In addition, we’ve engineered a way to automate the collection of CSA scores and display them in real time.
As a result, our shippers can set predetermined CSA score levels for their carriers, so that when they bid out a load on our system only carriers that meet or exceed their requirements can bid on their loads. This saves shippers the time and trouble associated with manually vetting carriers. Instead, shippers can focus on getting their loads to the right place at the right time at the right price – and on growing their business.
The system is an advantage for carriers as well, because if they operate safely, as most do, they will be escorted to the front of the bidding pack. Thus, safety is rewarded, as it should be, and it’s done fairly and impartially, thanks to the happy marriage of CSA scores and technology.
Civil engineer and construction manager
9 年.. In USA you actually have a auction house for shipping stuff? How close to the start date of the run does the auction end, 3 weeks? Those reports.. as they affect the bidding, do they get checked if their accurate as that's a lot of power in statistics if it affects biddings like you describe.
Transportation Technologist
9 年I agree with the principle of your approach. In my opinion, CSA should measure 'great' performance vs. reporting on violations. By inversing the calculation of 'safety score' you actually encourage fleets to demonstrate (and get rewarded) on their investment in being a great fleet.
Safety Health Influencing Leader / Systems Auditor / Mentoring Teacher
9 年I will not go into a lot of details but I think CSA is needed and it is a great start. Is it perfect? no. Has it impacted our ability to educate our drivers? YES! I recommend that as an industry we change the mindset from removal to improvement is key to the success for all. The results will revolutionize our current system. I for one will continue to use it to improve and teach our most valued resource...Our drivers. They deserve to know and grow with this great tool.
Currently unattached
9 年It seems that CSA is aimed at the wrong target. If a carrier has a driver who is "playing bumper cars" with their truck, firing the driver should be sufficient remediation to correct the CSA score. However, since CSA scores are tied to carriers, rather than to both carriers and drivers, this is not the case. So a carrier which has a bad run of luck in hiring can find themselves in the toilet. Likewise, a carrier that that hires good drivers, and then forces them into unsafe practices or use of unsafe vehicles, could easily ruin a driver's reputation. It seems that what you'd want is to divide the scores based on those factors attributable to the driver, and those attributable to the carrier, and provide separate scores for each. Right now, there appears to be a dearth of OTR drivers, so no reform of this system would likely be expected in the near or mid term, which makes this comment just an observation that getting to a CSA score more quickly or easily seems of little value, as long as the scores themselves are of little value.