CSA Score
A safety measurement system used by the FMCSA that ranks motor carriers across seven behavior categories (BASICs) based on inspection, crash, and investigation data.
What Are CSA Scores
CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, Accountability. It is the FMCSA's system for measuring the safety performance of motor carriers and drivers using data from roadside inspections, crash reports, and investigations.[^1] CSA scores determine which carriers the FMCSA targets for intervention and influence everything from insurance rates to broker relationships.
Your CSA data is tied to your USDOT number. Every inspection, every violation, and every reportable crash feeds into the system. The FMCSA uses this data to calculate percentile rankings that compare your safety performance against other carriers of similar size.
For the regulatory context behind CSA, check our FMCSA compliance guide.
The Seven BASIC Categories
CSA organizes safety data into seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories, known as BASICs. Each BASIC tracks a specific area of compliance.
Unsafe Driving
Covers violations related to dangerous driving behavior: speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, texting while driving, and seatbelt violations. This BASIC carries heavy weight because unsafe driving is tied directly to crash risk.
Hours of Service Compliance
Tracks violations of HOS rules: driving beyond allowed hours, failing to maintain accurate logs, operating without a functioning ELD, and falsifying records. Repeated HOS violations point to fatigue-related risk.
Driver Fitness
Monitors whether drivers are properly licensed and physically qualified to operate commercial vehicles. Violations include expired CDLs, missing medical certificates, lack of proper endorsements, and failure to meet physical qualification standards.
Controlled Substances and Alcohol
Tracks violations related to drug and alcohol use. This includes positive test results, refusal to test, and possession of controlled substances. Even a single violation in this category can have severe consequences.
Vehicle Maintenance
Covers mechanical violations found during inspections: brake deficiencies, tire problems, lighting issues, coupling device failures, and other equipment defects. Regular pre-trip inspections and preventive maintenance directly impact this BASIC.
Hazardous Materials Compliance
Applies only to carriers that transport hazardous materials. Tracks violations related to proper labeling, placarding, containment, and handling of hazmat loads.
Crash Indicator
Records involvement in reportable crashes regardless of fault. The FMCSA includes all Department of Transportation-reportable crashes, which means crashes that result in a fatality, injury requiring immediate medical treatment away from the scene, or a vehicle being towed from the scene.
How Percentile Scores Work
CSA scores are percentile rankings, not absolute scores.[^2] A score of 75 in Unsafe Driving means your violation rate is worse than 75% of comparable carriers. Lower percentile numbers are better.
The FMCSA calculates percentiles by comparing your violation data against carriers in your peer group based on the number of inspections you have received. More inspections give the system more data and can improve or worsen your percentile ranking.
Violations are time-weighted. Violations from the past 12 months count at full value. Violations from 13 to 24 months ago count at half value. This means recent performance matters more than older history.
Severity also matters. A speeding violation 15 mph over the limit carries more weight than a 5 mph over violation. Out-of-service violations carry more weight than non-OOS violations.
How CSA Scores Affect Your Business
Insurance costs. Insurers use CSA data to assess risk. Poor scores, especially in Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, and Vehicle Maintenance, directly increase premiums. Keeping your scores clean is one of the best ways to lower your insurance premiums.
Broker access. Many brokers set CSA score thresholds for carriers. If your scores exceed their limits, they will not tender you loads. This is especially true for larger brokers with strict compliance departments.
FMCSA interventions. High percentile scores trigger escalating responses from the FMCSA: warning letters, targeted inspections, compliance investigations, and potentially an unsatisfactory safety rating that forces you off the road.
Driver retention. CSA scores are visible to prospective employers and carriers. Drivers with poor individual records may have difficulty finding work. Carriers with poor fleet scores may struggle to recruit quality drivers.
Checking Your CSA Scores
Access your CSA data through the FMCSA Safety Measurement System at ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms. Enter your USDOT number to view your BASIC percentile scores, inspection history, and violation details.
Check your scores monthly. Early detection of score increases allows you to address issues before they trigger interventions or impact insurance renewals.
The DataQs Challenge Process
When violations on your record are incorrect, the DataQs system provides a formal challenge process.[^3]
When to challenge: When a violation was recorded against the wrong carrier or vehicle, when the cited equipment passed a subsequent inspection proving the violation was incorrect, when a citation was dismissed in court, or when the inspection data contains factual errors.
How to file: Go to dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov, create an account, and submit a Request for Data Review with supporting documentation.
Success rate: Not all challenges succeed, but many carriers successfully remove incorrect violations. Focus challenges on violations with high severity weights for maximum score impact.
Improvement Strategies by Category
Reducing Unsafe Driving Violations
- Implement a speed management policy (reduce speed by 5 mph below the limit in all conditions)
- Install dashcams that provide driver coaching feedback
- Address following distance habits through training
- Enforce cell phone policies strictly
Reducing HOS Violations
- Train drivers on proper ELD usage and duty status management
- Review driver logs weekly for accuracy and compliance patterns
- Use the HOS hours calculator for trip planning
- Address the root causes of time pressure that lead to HOS shortcuts
Reducing Vehicle Maintenance Violations
- Implement a structured daily pre-trip inspection with documented checklists
- Focus on the top violation areas: brakes, tires, and lights
- Schedule preventive maintenance based on mileage intervals, not just when something breaks
- Address DVIR defects immediately rather than deferring repairs
General Strategies
- Monitor scores monthly through the SMS website
- Challenge incorrect violations through DataQs promptly
- Increase clean inspection volume by maintaining equipment and training drivers
- Work with your insurance agent to understand how score improvements translate to premium reductions
For the regulatory framework behind CSA, see our FMCSA compliance guide. For preparation guidance if your scores trigger a review, see our DOT audit preparation guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I check my CSA scores?
- Check your CSA scores through the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) website at ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms. Enter your USDOT number to see your BASIC percentile scores, inspection history, and violation details. Scores update monthly. The public can see some of your data, but full details including specific percentile rankings are only visible to carriers and enforcement through the authenticated portal.
- What CSA score triggers an FMCSA intervention?
- The FMCSA uses different intervention thresholds depending on the BASIC category. For Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance, carriers above the 65th percentile may receive warning letters. Above the 75th percentile, targeted investigations become likely. For Crash Indicator, the threshold is the 65th percentile. Hazardous Materials carriers face lower thresholds. These are general guidelines -- the FMCSA considers multiple factors when deciding intervention actions.
- Do CSA scores affect insurance rates?
- Yes. Insurance companies review CSA scores when setting premiums and deciding whether to offer coverage. Poor scores in Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, or Vehicle Maintenance BASICs can significantly increase your insurance costs or cause insurers to decline coverage entirely. Some carriers have reported premium increases of 20-50% after CSA score deterioration. Maintaining clean scores is one of the most effective ways to manage insurance costs.
- Can I dispute violations on my CSA record?
- Yes. The FMCSA DataQs system allows carriers and drivers to challenge inspection violations they believe were recorded in error. Submit a Request for Data Review through Dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov with documentation supporting your challenge. Common successful challenges include violations where the equipment passed a subsequent inspection, violations based on incorrect vehicle identification, or violations that were later dismissed in court. Not all challenges are successful, and the process can take several weeks.
- How long do violations stay on my CSA record?
- Violations remain on your CSA record for 24 months from the date of the inspection. However, the FMCSA applies a time-weighting system where more recent violations carry greater weight than older ones. Violations from the most recent 12 months are weighted at full value, while those from 13-24 months ago are weighted at half value. After 24 months, violations drop off your record entirely.