Why is No One Talking About this Study?

Several years ago, legislation was passed, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015. In this act, it was recommended that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) fund a study to evaluate the Safety Management System (SMS). In a recent issue of Improving Motor Carrier Safety Measurement, a study by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, detailed their findings. These findings have fallen silent. We haven’t heard anything about the study, opinions expressed, or the potential implications. As you continue to develop your understanding of industry regulations, this study should be a prerequisite to anyone looking to stay ahead of the crowd.

Based on the publication, the study was tasked with analyzing the following;

• The ability of SMS measures to discriminate between low and high-risk carriers
• Assess the public view and usage of SMS
• Review the data and methodology used to calculate the measures
• Provide advice on additional data collection and safety assessment methodologies

Have you heard of the results of their study? If you have been around long enough, you may remember the change from SaferStat to SMS, and how that was far reaching. The implications and potential changes recommended demonstrate another large leap forward is coming. The days of staying under the radar, flying by night, and manipulating mileage and vehicle statistics to show more favorable percentiles in a CSA Basic score, will be long gone. As the industry demands safer results, and technology allows for more oversight on performance, what additional data will be collected and consumed by those who demand it? Based on this study, expectations can be pegged somewhere between pretty much everything to most anything. 

If you or your company have questions or concerns regarding the future of regulations, you should speak with a professional who understands The Fast Act of 2015. AssuredPartners Transportation professionals understand the regulations and can help. To learn more, visit AssuredPartners Transportation.