SAFETY MESSAGE:
How to Improve Your Cargo BASIC Score

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program is now fully implemented. As with all new programs, those who are affected are adjusting to its benefits and challenges.

The benefits of CSA are clear. Companies and drivers are being required to improve their performance, and as a result, the industry as a whole is improving. In addition, the highest performing carriers and drivers are being recognized, encouraging others to meet their standards.

Recognizing high performers, however, has presented new challenges. As shippers have become more educated on CSA, many have begun to require carriers to provide them with regular updates on all of their Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) scores, including the hidden scores for cargo and accidents. Although there are valid reasons to keep these scores from the public, Baldwin & Lyons customers are reporting increasing requests for these scores from shippers.

If your company finds that it is receiving high violation scores with a specific shipper, determine why the conditions exist for that cargo. Work with your shippers and drivers to resolve the issue. Identify drivers who are not having problems with freight and those whose cargo violations are escalating. Because they handle the freight every day, your drivers have unique insight into what is creating the difficulty and could have an idea for a suitable solution. Shippers may also be able to solve the problem by making a small adjustment in packaging, loading or securing the cargo.

With CSA in full effect, it is now more important than ever to identify solutions to cargo issues. Although your cargo BASIC score will not improve immediately upon resolving the issue, your value to your shipper will begin to improve right away and your score will soon see the effect.

Baldwin & Lyons offers video training programs to assist with CSA, roadside inspections and more. Please refer to our Resource Library to access these programs.

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