May 31, 2010 8:00 AM, EDT

Getting Ready for CSA 2010

This Editorial appears in the May 31 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

Clearly, apprehension over the potential ramifications of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new truck safety ratings program is growing as we move closer to full implementation of the plan.

Two stories on the front page of this week’s Transport Topics illustrate this concern. The first details freight broker worries about how they can guarantee they’re working with safe motor carriers when they won’t have access to much of the data FMCSA collects under the program known as CSA 2010, short for Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010.

The other story tells of rising fleet interest in locating and hiring safety directors to make sure the carriers are in compliance with CSA 2010, and the overall heightened interest in safety that we’re all seeing.

Meanwhile, we at TT felt another indicator of interest last week when we e-mailed an offer to about 40,000 of our readers for an electronic copy of the CSA 2010 Special Report we produced for our weekly subscribers and published with the April 26 edition. Click here to download the report: www.ttnews.com/CSA2010

On the first day after the e-mail, the 40-page special report was downloaded more than 8,500 times, a very high number for an e-mail solicitation such as this.

We think this notable interest underscores how much concern there is within the trucking community over complying with CSA 2010, a program that will truly reshape the federal government’s motor carrier safety regime.

This high level of interest is a two-edged sword:

• It’s terrific that fleets and related businesses are taking CSA 2010’s introduction seriously, and that they are seeking information to make sure they’re in compliance.

• On the other hand, it’s a bit concerning that so many fleets tell us that they’re really not ready for the shift, or that they’re not sure if they’re ready.

We think that ultimately CSA 2010 will be a great step forward for the vast majority of motor carriers that are very committed to improving highway safety. And we believe that FMCSA is moving to fix at least some of the flaws that we and others found in our review of the initial proposal.

Right now, it’s important that FMCSA answer the remaining questions and concerns with the program. After the agency does so, the trucking industry can move forward with ensuring that it is ready to go when CSA 2010 is fully implemented.