Carrier Basic Scores Explained

Carrier Basic Scores Explained

Load Manager TMS software offers a carrier insurance and data tracking via Carrier Lookout as reported by the FMCSA. 
One of these features is Carrier Basic Score and Statistics.   Here is an explanation of CSA Safety Measurement System and CSA BASIC Scores.

Inspection violations are used to determine the BASIC Measure which are shown on the CSA / SMS website


What does the "Absolute Score" mean? 
The motor carrier "absolute score" is not a peer comparison but a reflection of the individual motor carrier's inspection results in five of the BASIC's.  The problem with peer groups has been addressed, but the state variances remain.

What is the absolute score? -Simple the average time and severity weight in each BASIC of all the motor carrier's inspections.

A Time weight of 1 2 or 3 is assigned to each applicable violation and each relevant inspection based on its age. 

Violations / inspections one to six months ago receive a Time weight of three

Violations / inspections 7 to 12 months ago receive a Time weight of two

Violations and inspections 13 to 24 months ago receive a Time weight of one


This time-weighing places more emphasis on results of recent inspections.  The  time weight is applied to all relevant inspections including those that do not result in a violation in the BASIC. A time and severity weighted violation is a violation’s severity weight multiplied by its time weight.


Note: There is also a driver absolute score that is only available to drivers or motor carriers with the driver's permission. The Driver CSA scores uses the drivers inspections and violations from the past 36 months, not just 24 months


For each BASIC, the motor carriers are grouped into Safety Event. Groups based on the number of ‘Relevant Inspections’ Here is an example for Vehicle Maintenance



How basic scores are calculated?

  1.  Calculate the absolute BASIC measure for each BASIC

  2. Group the motor carrier into Safety Event Groups based on the number of relevant inspections for each BASIC.  Note: A motor carrier can be in a different safety event group for each BASIC

  3. Rank the motor carriers within each Safety Event Group from best to worst. The BASIC Percentage score is the relevant rank of each motor carrier with the safety event group from 1 to 100% 

  4. Determine if the BASIC Percentage is above the threshold value set for each BASIC. If over the Threshold value, then the motor carrier is put on ALERT status for that specific BASIC. 

  5. Based on the BASIC alerts and other factors, an inspection Selection System Score (SS1)  is assigned. Note: Because ISS scores are estimated based on the estimated BASIC scores, the accuracy of the ISS scores may be off by several points.  If near the transition between ISS levels, this can erroneously move a motor carrier ISS score from Pass to Optional Inspect or Optional Inspect to Inspect. Be careful when using ISS scores


Carrier Outlook has determined that the higher the Safety Event group the lower are the average BASIC measurements. This means when a motor carrier jumps from one Safety Event Group to the next higher one, their BASIC Percentage will likely get worse.


For all BASICs, the higher the Safety Event Group, the lower are the average BASIC Measures. Changing between Safety Event Groups can have a significant effect on a motor carrier's BASIC Percentage score and Alert status.





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