What is a CSA Score?
CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) is FMCSA's safety measurement program that rates carriers based on inspection violations, crashes, and compliance history. Your CSA scores directly impact your ability to get loads, your insurance rates, and whether FMCSA intervenes in your operations.
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Trucking Industry Experts
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O TruckingWhat is a CSA Score? Carrier Safety Guide
The 7 BASIC Categories
CSA uses seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) to evaluate carrier safety. Each category has an intervention threshold — exceed it and FMCSA may take action. Brokers and shippers also use these thresholds to screen carriers.
Unsafe Driving
Speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too close
Intervention
65%
Common violations:
Hours of Service (HOS)
Violations of HOS regulations and ELD requirements
Intervention
65%
Common violations:
Driver Fitness
Driver qualifications, medical certificates, licensing
Intervention
80%
Common violations:
Controlled Substances
Drug and alcohol use and testing violations
Intervention
80%
Common violations:
Vehicle Maintenance
Vehicle defects and maintenance requirements
Intervention
80%
Common violations:
Hazmat Compliance
Hazardous materials handling and documentation
Intervention
80%
Common violations:
Crash Indicator
Crash history weighted by severity
Intervention
65%
Common violations:
Intervention Thresholds
How CSA Scores Work
Percentile Ranking
CSA scores are percentiles, not absolute scores. A score of 75% means you're worse than 75% of similar carriers. Lower is better — 0% means you're the safest, 100% means you're the most at-risk.
Time Weighted
Recent violations count more. Violations in the last 6 months carry 3x weight. At 6-12 months, it's 2x. After 12 months until they drop at 24 months, they're 1x weight. This rewards improving behavior.
Severity Weighted
Not all violations are equal. A tire tread violation might be 1 point. Driving while disqualified could be 10 points. Crash severity, injuries, and fatalities all carry additional weight.
Safety Event Groups
You're compared to carriers of similar size. A small carrier with 10 inspections isn't compared to a mega-carrier with 10,000. This keeps the comparison fair across fleet sizes.
To check your current scores and understand what they mean, see our how to check your CSA score guide.
Improving Your CSA Score
Pre-Trip Inspections
A thorough pre-trip catches issues before inspectors do. Check lights, tires, brakes, and securement every time. 90% of vehicle maintenance violations are preventable with proper pre-trips.
Use DataQs to Dispute Errors
Review your record regularly on the DataQs system. Many violations have errors — wrong VIN, duplicate entries, or dropped charges still showing. File DataQs for any legitimate disputes. See our DataQs challenge guide.
Stay Compliant with HOS
HOS violations are common and easily prevented. Use your ELD properly. Don't push limits. One 11-hour violation can hurt your score for 2 years.
Request Clean Inspections
When you pass an inspection with no violations, it still counts — it dilutes your violation rate. More clean inspections = lower scores. Some carriers actively seek Level 1 inspections when they're confident.
Driver Training & Hiring
Most CSA points come from driver behavior — speeding, HOS, securement. Invest in training. Use PSP reports in hiring to screen for problematic history before it becomes your problem.
For the complete 10-step improvement strategy, see our how to improve your CSA score guide.
Check Your Score Monthly
Impact on Your Business
85%
of brokers check CSA scores before booking
25-50%
insurance premium increase for poor scores
40%
of DataQs challenges result in changes
Bad CSA scores create a vicious cycle: high scores on the Safety Measurement System mean fewer loads and higher insurance costs, which creates financial pressure, which can lead to cutting corners, which causes more violations. For the full breakdown of how CSA impacts insurance specifically, see our CSA score and insurance guide.
How Our Team Monitors Carrier Safety
CSA compliance is foundational to everything we do as a dispatch service. Here's how our team actively supports your safety record:
CSA monitoring before every partnership
Before dispatching for any carrier, we review their CSA scores on FMCSA SMS. We check all 7 BASIC categories, review recent inspection history, and verify authority status. This same diligence is how we verify brokers too — safety goes both ways.
Load planning that protects your safety record
We never pressure drivers to exceed HOS limits or skip pre-trip inspections. Our dispatchers plan realistic schedules that account for loading times, traffic, and weather. A $16,000 fine and CSA points aren't worth any load rate.
Proactive compliance support
We track DOT biennial updates, insurance filing deadlines, and registration renewals for every carrier we work with. A deactivated DOT number or lapsed insurance doesn't just mean no loads — it can trigger FMCSA investigation that damages your CSA profile.
CSA Score Guide Collection
CSA Score FAQ
Common questions about CSA scores and safety ratings
What is a good CSA score?
Lower is better. Scores below the intervention threshold (65-80% depending on category) are considered acceptable. A score of 0-50% in all categories is generally good. Brokers often prefer carriers with scores below 50% in critical categories like Unsafe Driving and HOS. Many top carriers maintain scores under 30%.
How is CSA score calculated?
CSA scores are percentile rankings based on violations from roadside inspections, crash reports, and investigations over a rolling 24-month period. Recent violations (0-6 months) carry 3x weight, 6-12 month violations carry 2x weight, and 12-24 month violations carry 1x weight. You're compared to carriers with similar inspection counts.
Can I dispute CSA violations?
Yes, through FMCSA's DataQs system (dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov). You can challenge factual errors, duplicate entries, incorrect vehicle information, or violations that should have been dismissed. About 40% of DataQs requests result in changes. It's absolutely worth doing — see our DataQs challenge guide for the step-by-step process.
How long do violations stay on my CSA record?
Violations remain on your CSA record for 24 months from the violation date. After 24 months, they drop off automatically. This means consistent safe operations can quickly improve your scores. Focus on clean inspections — they dilute your violation rate.
Do brokers and shippers check CSA scores?
Yes, approximately 85% of brokers check CSA scores before booking loads. Many use automated screening that rejects carriers above certain thresholds. Shippers increasingly require carriers to maintain scores below specific percentiles. High CSA scores directly cost you revenue by disqualifying you from premium loads.
How does CSA score affect insurance rates?
Insurance companies heavily weigh CSA scores, especially Unsafe Driving and Crash Indicator categories. Carriers above intervention thresholds can see premium increases of 25-50% or face non-renewal. Improving your CSA score is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance costs — see our CSA and insurance guide.
Let Us Help Protect Your Safety Record
Our dispatchers plan loads to minimize risk and keep you compliant. We don't rush drivers — safe drivers make better money long-term, and good CSA scores open doors to premium freight.