• Multiple variables and steps are used to arrive at a motor carrier's CSA BASIC Score.
• Tracking and acting on the data used in the SMS calculations will assist motor carriers in improving their BASIC Scores.

The math behind the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) BASIC (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category) Scores may seem confusing, with multiple variables and steps to take into consideration in order to arrive at one’s BASIC Score. Note that a motor carrier is only able to take the math to a certain point based on the data it has at hand. It only has the tools to arrive at its BASIC Measure because it is unable to mimic one of the final steps in the process, a peer (i.e., safety event group) comparison. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) assigns a percentile ranking within an assigned safety event group, which ultimately becomes a company’s BASIC Score.

SMS as an audit tool

A BASIC Measure, and the data that goes into computing it, offers insight into a motor carrier’s safety program. By examining the data appearing in CSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS) on a monthly basis, a motor carrier may be able to spot the beginning of a trend or identify long-term patterns within the company, terminals, or drivers. Monthly tracking may even allow managers to begin to see positive change based on the safety data.

A monthly review also may reveal outdated Motor Carrier Census Data (i.e., number of vehicles, miles traveled) that needs to be updated in order to have a more accurate BASIC Scores.