I'm reading this:

http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documen...ethodology.pdf

I understand the system a lot better now. First we have to understand that the pre-employment screening program is completely different from the driver ranking program. Drivers ARE ranked. However this is not available to anyone except law enforcement.

Violations are kept on the carrier record for 24 months, 36 months for drivers. This is only for computing the percentiles. Keep in mind that the FMCSA has also stated that just because you think you're in a good percentile that does not mean anything. They will go after carriers they feel are not safe regardless of how many more unsafe carriers there are.

Keep in mind *ALL* violations within the BASICS as well as crashes have a time multiplier. The multiplier is different for carriers then it is for drivers. The 3X multiplier sticks with drivers for 12 months but only 6 for the carrier. Also keep in mind that per inspection report, each basic can only hit 30 points (before multiplier). OOS violations add 2 points(pre-multiplier I believe).

For the carrier score, each basic is calculated a little differently. For example the unsafe driving and controlled substance/alcohol basic are only compared to the same peer groups(average power units over time). All carriers with less then a certain amount of violations are removed from the peer groups. That helps the guys that just have one or two violations, because they will be at the bottom of the peer rankings. Getting more inspections does not "normalize" these peer groups.

Equipment BASICS (vehicle maintenance and cargo securement) are affected by how many inspections occur. Only relevant inspections affect your carrier score.

Driver related BASICS ( HOSR and fitness) same thing, only relevant inspections and violations affect this score.

Crash indicator is a whole different animal, but still has the multiplier. Number of inspections does not affect this score.

So only 4 out of 7 BASIC's will be lowered by having more inspections.

The driver score is similar to the carrier score, except not all violations in the matrix apply to the driver. The driver is also placed in peer groups like the carrier. However this is based on numer of inspections (1-3, 4-6, 7+). However for the carriers each peer grouping is different for each different BASIC.

Here's how the multiplier works:

for carriers:

1-6 months 3X
6-12 months 2X
12-24 months 1X

For drivers:

1-12 months 3X
12-24 months 2X
24-36 months 1X

So to give a good driver example (me)

About two months ago I had an inspection where I received an overweight (7 points in the cargo securement basic)

That gives me 21 points plus 3 points for "time weighted inspection"

Last fall I had a full level one that I passed, so that gives me 3 more "time weighted inspection" for all 4 relevant basics.

Last summer I had an inspection where a corner light was burnt out, giving me 6 points in the vehicle maintenance(2 weight X 3 time weight) basic plus 3 more for "time weighted inspection". AFAIK, all 3 inspections were relevant to all 4 basics. So that gives me 9 time weighted points (3 inspections in the past 12 months 3 X 3 = 9)

So my score in the BASICS(under the driver scoring system)

Vehicle maintenance is 6 / 9 which is 0.6666666

Cargo securement is 21 / 9 which is 2.33333333

All the other 5 basics score is 0 because I have no problems.

Now because all zero scores are not put in the percentile, I could very well be right at the bottom for the vehicle maintenance basic but somewhere in the pack for cargo securement.

Here's a good quote:

"Neither drivers nor employing motor carriers will have access to DSMS. However, both drivers and employing motor carriers will have access to driver data through the Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP). PSP differs from DSMS in that it does not compare or assess driver inspection/crash performance. Instead, it provides a list of crash and inspection activity associated with the driver over the previous 3 years of inspections and 5 years of crashes."

 

Good grief Allan, I'm glad you understand it, it is baffling and confusing to me.

 

I think the CSA 2010 site needs to be rewritten. I could very easily compress what they say in about 20 pages into 2-3 pages.

 

Yes, but you are not a lawyer who gets paid by the hour or perhaps by the word. issedoff:

 

i got one in Oxnard, CA driving my car. Only thing on my record for at least 3 years.

 

Page 41, 1 point.

 

Next question, why would anyone drive without a seatbelt?

 

i got an overweight ticket in wyoming. how does that affect my score? i asked the fellow at the poe and he told me he doesn't know.

 

Overweight is in the load securement section, I think its 15 points