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Monthly Archives: December 2011
The New ISS – What You Need To Know (Part 3)
In Part 2, I discussed the seven standard safety groupings for motor carriers – that is, for motor carriers with sufficient data. In this post, I’ll cover how motor carriers with Insufficient Data are treated under the Inspection Selection System.
Here’s How It Works: The FMCSA identifies motor carriers that do not meet the information requirements of the Sufficient Data Algorithm (discussed in Part 2 of this article). These are, generally speaking, motor carriers with low numbers of inspections. No big surprise there. One key goal of the FMCSA is to have as many motor carriers as possible meet the sufficient data algorithm so you will notice in the graphic above that motor carriers with insufficient data will receive an ISS score in the red range (75-100) or the yellow range (50-74). In other words, if a truck is connected to a motor carrier with insufficient data, the recommendation will either be Inspect or Optionally Inspect. No passes for you! Read more
New Year Resolution or No Resolution
A new year is just days away. What resolutions have you have decided on? Or you are anti-resolutions? Instead of thinking of the typical healthy tasks we usually consider at year end for resolutions (remember a routine takes 21 days to get into your regular regimen to become effective), let’s think about organization and data. You probably have enough monthly, quarterly, and annual tasks to keep track of. Perhaps your goal is to clean off your desk every day before you leave, keep your email inbox under a minimum quantity – you know 2000 perhaps, or to keep your to do list current. While thinking about all those ways personal and professional life improvements, be sure to remember your not so ordinary time line of the FMCSA biennial task. Just out is the friendly reminder from FMCSA regarding VMT & PU updates.
State Enforcement Analyzer – New Product from Vigillo’s IQLab
We have blogged here in the past regarding the issue of disparate enforcement of CSA violations state to state. Well, we’ve run some new numbers and its difficult to know where to begin. We could talk about Louisiana seatbelts, Indiana speeding, Texas lights, Georgia logs or Maryland medical certificates… or we could go on at length on the five public BASICs; Fatigue, Maintenance, Unsafe, Substance and Fitness and how their relative importance meanders across the nation like some serpentine beastie. What is a safety professional to do? What in the heck is a driver to do? We decided to package it all up and make the research and data available to anyone who is inclined to dive in and have a look. (Its $99 at the IQLab)
It’s tempting to look for some unifying theory and to stomp our feet and demand consistency…bottom line, ya just gotta know. Disparate enforcement is how the world exists today, and its critical that these state by state enforcement priorities get communicated to your drivers. The Top Violations by State Analyzer shows you what you and your drivers need to know as you cross state lines.
Vigillo has compiled the latest data on inspections and top violations by state, correlated to CSA BASIC, and bundled it up in an Excel Workbook with Pivot Table tools that can be easily sorted, filtered, sliced and diced to give you the view you need into the enforcement mindset of the states in which you operate. We even included some cool maps. You can print em and roll em up as stocking stuffers.
Visit the Vigillo IQLab and order yours today, just click on the “Top Violations by State” link, and we’ll send it to you promptly.
Happy Birthday to CSA!
CSA launched on December 13th 2010. So, in the manner of my Grandma Doris, we’ll wish CSA a belated Happy Birthday with a card and a check for $20 just a “little late.”
Has CSA lived up to your expectations at a 1 year old?
The Poor, Neglected, Safety Fitness Determinations…
*Tear*
Though I am still in denial, the hard truth of the matter is that 2011 is coming to a close. With December in full swing, preparing for holiday absences, I’ve had time to look back on 2011 and realize that we have been a little remiss in our blogging duties at Vigillo. Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) has been more or less ignored in our blogging. Though we have alluded to the SFD here and there, the most recent post about them was a guest blog by Dave Osiecki: Public “Ratings” of Safety must be Accurate from the Outset.
Which was written in July.
Of 2010.
Red Flags, States and GAO focus on drivers
Heading into 2012, CSA is set to bring new levels of focus directly on commercial truck drivers. Today on RoadDog Radio, I’ll be discussing the specifics with Evan Lockridge. Tune in at 2:00 EST.
Red Flag Violations http://blog.vigillo.com/2011/11/see-drew-anderson-in-a-tie/ & http://blog.vigillo.com/2011/05/red-flags/
Disparate Treatment of CSA between States
General Accounting Office Report GAO CSA Findings
Example of Disparate Enforcement – Seatbelts
