The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) program was less than a month old when I began working at Truck Parts & Service. From my first week on the job, it was clear the subject was going to matter.
The program forever changed the way fleets operate, and its innovative scoring system brought drivers to the forefront of vehicle safety.
Two years later it’s still one of the most discussed issues in the commercial trucking industry. There have always been regulations — but there’s never been anything quite like CSA.
Yet as frustrating and exhausting as it appears to be for fleets, I can’t help but see it as an opportunity for the aftermarket.
One of CSA’s seven BASIC categories is Vehicle Maintenance, and the rules under which the category is governed are quite severe. Fleets and their drivers are assessed points anytime a vehicle component is spotted as failing or not up to code. The two groups are allowed only a certain amount of points before a warning or suspension is levied, and if points continue to be acquired a fleet can be shut down and a driver dismissed.
The only way for fleets and their drivers to avoid these penalties are to stay in compliance. The best way to do that, as we all know, is to acquire parts and service from the aftermarket.
I think CSA provides a great opportunity for all of our businesses.
