Glossary · Operating Authority & Compliance
CSA Score (CSA).
FMCSA Compliance, Safety, Accountability program scoring system that rates carrier safety performance using roadside inspection and crash data.
What it is
CSA — Compliance, Safety, Accountability — is the FMCSA program that scores carrier safety performance using roadside inspection and crash data. The Safety Measurement System (SMS) compiles every inspection and crash event over a 24-month rolling window and translates them into percentile rankings.
Carriers are scored across seven BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories): Unsafe Driving, HOS Compliance, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Hazmat, and Crash Indicator. Intervention thresholds run from the 65th to the 80th percentile depending on the BASIC and operation type. Scores above the threshold flag the carrier for FMCSA intervention — warning letters, off-site reviews, on-site investigations, or compliance reviews.
Public-facing scores are visible through the FMCSA SMS website. Insurance carriers, brokers, and lenders all pull CSA data as part of their own underwriting workflows.
Why it matters for trucking finance
Insurance carriers price primary liability heavily off CSA scores — high BASIC percentiles produce material premium increases or outright non-renewal. High BASICs can also disqualify a carrier from major brokers' load boards.
Lenders flag deteriorating CSA trends as elevated default risk. Equipment financing decisions sometimes incorporate CSA percentile checks. The 24-month rolling window means today's bad inspection compounds for two years before it ages off — clean-up takes time, and the financial impact lasts longer than most carriers expect.
Related terms
- DOT Number (USDOT) — USDOT-issued registration number identifying any vehicle subject to federal safety oversight, including private and for-hire carriers.
- MCS-150 — Biennial update form filed with FMCSA to refresh a carrier's operational data and keep DOT/MC authority active.
- ELD — Electronic Logging Device that automatically records driving time, replacing paper logbooks; mandated for most CDL operators since December 2017.
- Hours of Service (HOS) — FMCSA rules limiting daily and weekly driving time for commercial drivers, designed to prevent fatigue-related crashes.
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