Safety is not just a goal for the transportation industry; it is a measure of success and sustainability. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) measures how safe carriers and drivers are with the Safety Measurement System (SMS) as part of their Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) initiative. The program helps identify unsafe drivers and determines when to intervene. It also helps track whether a fleet or driver shows improvement after any interventions.

Back to the BASICs

The SMS evaluates fleets on seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs). Fleet managers and drivers need to familiarize themselves with these categories to ensure they do not receive fines, penalties, or out of service orders due to safety violations. The following are some of the elements included in the BASICs.

  1. Crash history. This monitors if a driver or motor carrier has a long history or frequent pattern of accidents. It also inspects the severity of the incidents.
  2. Hazmat compliance. This category inspects whether vehicles transporting hazardous materials ever had an accidental release, lacked the appropriate shipping papers, or failed to display hazmat placards.
  3. Driver qualifications. The SMS uses this category to determine if the driver has the appropriate licensing and medical card to operate a commercial vehicle.
  4. Alcohol and substance abuse. Inspectors will investigate to ensure commercial drivers are not in possession or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  5. Hours of Service (HOS) compliance. The recent electronic logging device (ELD) mandate has simplified HOS compliance since most drivers no longer have to keep paper logs. So long as drivers adhere to the FMCSA’s safety regulations regarding HOS, they will not incur penalties under this BASIC category.
  6. Vehicle maintenance. Some of the most common inspection violations stem from preventable maintenance issues. This category focuses on addressing maintenance issues such as brakes, lights, or tire problems.
  7. Risky driving behaviors. A number of risky behaviors can trigger driver interventions. These include speeding, not wearing a seat belt, distracted driving (i.e. texting or failing to use a hands-free device), or not allowing for an appropriate following distance.

Several factors affect drivers’ and carriers’ BASIC scores. These include the number of times the drivers had adverse safety incidents, how severe they were, and when they occurred. If drivers or carriers exceed the FMCSA’s threshold for any of these categories, they will be the target of an intervention. Interventions start with a warning letter and progress depending on the type of violations leveled against the driver or carrier.

Driver safety is a significant element of the transportation industry. Improving driver behaviors can be the difference between a successful fleet and a motor carrier placed out of service. However, it can be difficult to pinpoint which behaviors or drivers need improvement. DriverCheck’s How’s My Driving? Program can help bridge this gap. To learn more, contact us today.