J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., an industry leader in helping companies with safety and compliance since 1953, is warning companies of all types that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) initiative is not just for trucking companies. With the program officially kicking off on this November 30 the transportation industry and beyond will soon feel the effects of CSA 2010.
Robert Rose, transportation management editor at J. J. Keller says: “A huge misconception is that CSA 2010 only applies to trucking companies. When the term ‘motor carrier’ is used, many people immediately connect this to mean only ‘trucking companies.’
“In actuality, this new initiative applies to all carriers with a US DOT number engaged in the furtherance of interstate commerce, no matter what ‘type’ of carrier they are. Landscaping, welding, and pest control companies will be as much a part of this program as will over-the-road truckers, tankers, and heavy duty haulers.”
“The FMCSA has over 500,000 carriers in their database ranging from the smallest fleet of one CMV to the largest of all fleets, from the sole proprietorship to the corporate entity, and from the parts delivery service to the intermodal carriers,” Rose continues. “The common denominator is their US DOT number which makes them all a part of CSA 2010.”
It’s not too late for companies with a US DOT number to get on top of the CSA 2010 initiative with the first step being to check their scores at http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov. Companies should use this information to find out where they are the weakest and take steps to move their operation in the right direction such as training and policy development.
“It is extremely important for companies to understand that it isn’t only roadside inspections that are going to affect their scores,” says Rose. “A simple traffic violation can impact a company’s score depending on how investigative a law enforcement officer wants to be. Companies and drivers need to pay attention to CSA 2010 because each violation is impacting both the driver and the company that they are driving for.”
Since managing a fleet can be a daunting task for any company, J. J. Keller offers companies a variety of solutions to help them track and manage their safety programs under CSA 2010. Information can be found at www.jjkellerservices.com.
