FMCSA updates SMS to better align with serious violations in its regulations and IT systems

To further the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)’s ongoing commitment to safety, the agency updated the Safety Measurement System (SMS) and its serious violations spreadsheet to better align with all of the Serious Violations in our regulations and IT systems, including five serious violations that are currently used in investigations. These violations took effect in the SMS as of Feb. 1, 2015. Motor carriers cited with any of these violations will see them reflected in the March SMS data release. 

For a complete list of all serious violations and updated descriptions, see the serious violations spreadsheet. 

FMCSA uses the SMS to assess carrier safety performance and compliance. When a carrier’s most recent investigation results in the discovery of a serious violation, the SMS displays a violation in the carrier's Investigation Results for that Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) for 12 months after completion of the investigation.

Serious violations are violations where noncompliance is so severe that they require immediate action by a motor carrier regardless of its overall safety posture—or violations that are indicative of breakdowns in a carrier’s safety management controls.

The list below includes descriptions of the new serious violations in SMS and the BASICs to which they relate. 

• 172.704(a)(4) - Failing to provide security awareness training, Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance
• 172.704(a)(5) - Failing to provide in-depth security awareness training, HM Compliance
• 383.37(c) - Knowingly allowing, requiring, permitting, or authorizing an employee with more than one commercial driver's license to operate a commercial motor vehicle, Driver Fitness
• 395.3(a)(3)(i) - Requiring or permitting a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle driver to drive more than 11 hours, Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance
• 395.3(a)(3)(ii) - Requiring or permitting a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle driver to drive if more than 8 hours have passed since the end of the driver's last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes, HOS Compliance