Let’s talk facts. The FMCSA just shook up the game with some big-time changes to how your trucking operation is scored, monitored, and targeted for intervention.
Whether you’re a freight broker, dispatcher, fleet owner, or an owner-operator, these changes directly affect how your CSA scores are calculated — and how you're judged for safety, compliance, and even insurance premiums.
Here’s what’s happening (and why you should care):
1. The 7 BASICs Got a New Look
The same seven BASIC categories still exist — like Unsafe Driving, HOS, and Driver Fitness — but now FMCSA has reorganized them to better reflect crash risk and enforcement focus.
Notably:
Controlled Substances & Alcohol violations are now part of Unsafe Driving
Vehicle Maintenance is now split into two:
One for stuff drivers should catch on pre-trips
One for stuff mechanics are responsible for
Want to dive deeper into the BASICs? Here’s a great overview from FMCSA.
2. Over 2,000 Violations Got Reorganized
Yup. FMCSA grouped similar violations into about 100 violation clusters. So now if a driver racks up three violations during an inspection, but they all relate to the same problem — they won’t be triple counted. Fairer scoring is coming.
3. Severity Weights Just Got Simpler
FMCSA ditched the old 1–10 scoring scale. Now violations are weighted either:
1 (normal violation)
or 2 (OOS or disqualifying)
That’s it. Less confusion. More clarity. More fairness.
4. Intervention Thresholds Updated
FMCSA is adjusting the percentile thresholds that trigger warning letters and audits. This means:
Higher thresholds for Driver Fitness & Hazmat
Adjustments to reflect real crash correlation data
It’s all about targeting the right carriers for enforcement.
5. Percentiles Now Use Real-Time Math
FMCSA ditched the old Safety Event Group cutoffs in favor of Proportionate Percentiles. This means your score won’t wildly swing anymore just because your inspection count changed slightly.
6. Recency Now Matters More Than History
If you haven’t had a violation in the past 12 months, FMCSA won’t calculate a percentile in that BASIC category. In other words, recent violations carry more weight.
So if you’re cleaning up your act? That’s finally going to help your score.
7. Small Fleets Finally Get Some Respect
FMCSA added segmentation by truck type (straight truck vs. combo vehicles), and even split Hazmat carriers into cargo tank vs. non-cargo. Finally, apples-to-apples comparison.
What Should You Do?
If you’re a carrier:
Review your CSA profile regularly at SMS Portal
Update your VMT and power unit counts
Audit your recent violations
Implement strong pre-trip and driver coaching programs
If you’re a freight broker or dispatcher:
Revisit how you vet carriers
Prioritize those with clean SMS scores under the new structure
Learn to read grouped violations and severity updates
Bonus Resources:
Federal Register Final Rule Notice (search for SMS methodology updates)
Final Thoughts from Logistical Forwarding Solutions
This isn’t just another regulatory shuffle. This is the future of compliance — simplified, smarter, and more realistic. At Logistical Forwarding Solutions, we don’t just teach freight brokering and dispatching — we coach you on how to win long-term in this industry.
Need help interpreting your CSA score? Want to get your drivers compliant under the new thresholds?
Let’s chat. Or sign up for our Freight University portal and train like the pros.
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