FMCSA says report validates safety data levels

In compliance with a Congressional request, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today issued a report that it said confirms the amount of data used in the agency’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) is “clearly sufficient” to allow it to “identify” high-risk trucking and bus companies and thus take advantage of “intervention opportunities.”

FMCSA said its report found that SMS effectively identifies trucking and bus companies involved in 90% of the more than 100,000 crashes involving commercial vehicles annually, with “high-risk carriers” tallying crash rates that are twice the national average. 

The agency added that its analysis also revealed “no significant difference” in actual crash rates between small carriers and those with 20 or more roadside inspections. 

FMCSA also said it continues to “disagree” with a report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) back in March that recommended the agency increase the minimum number of required roadside safety inspections needed before prioritizing truck and bus companies for interventions.

FMCSA countered that suggestion by stating that “a delay in responding to known non-compliant carriers would needlessly jeopardize the safety of the motoring public.”