The FMCSA has been promoting changes to the Safer Scores methodology that include two Vehicle Maintenance categories. One will be called Driver Observed while the other will remain Vehicle Maintenance. The change is expected this spring.
There will still be seven basic categories, but they will look different. Currently, the seven categories are Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator, Hours of Service, Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances, Hazardous Materials and Driver Fitness.
The new seven categories will include splitting Vehicle Maintenance into Vehicle Maintenance and Driver Observed. The other five categories will be Hours of Service, Hazardous Materials, Crash Indicator, Driver Fitness and Unsafe Driving. The Controlled Substances category will be rolled into Unsafe Driving.
Changes will also include the number of violations being scored, the weight of violations and the weight of Out Of Services. For the most part, these changes will result in the scoring system being simpler.
However, the Driver Observed category will put more emphasis on what the driver “observes,” or should have observed, during a Pre-Trip Inspection and other routine checks. Of the 50 different violations being scored under the Vehicle Maintenance umbrella, 35 will fall under Driver Observed.
Some of these violations are:
- All reflective taping and all lighting
- Inoperative or missing trailer lights
- Tire treads
- Missing or loose lug nuts
- Brake lines or hoses leaking or chaffing
- Inoperative or missing brake
- Cracked windshield and inoperative windshield wipers
- No or improper tractor protection valve
- Any air leaks
- Defective coupling device
- Cracked or broken framework
- Unsecured load
The list continues but, as you can see from these examples, the idea is to expect drivers to see anything that would be seen by an officer in a Level II inspection.
Drivers will be expected to correct anything they find wrong during a PTI, prior to departing. For more information about the violations, or the changes in general, Google CSA Prioritization Preview.
Happy trails,
Brian
