A commercial driver’s license is not immediately suspended by the CSA – Compliance, Safety, Accountability program at any certain CSA point threshold. Governed by FMCSA, CSA constantly monitors commercial drivers and their concerned companies to ensure that no vehicle out on the road doesn’t meet the criteria of safety. When particular violations occur, there are points assigned under the CSA program; too many of them put your CDL in jeopardy. This guide will outline how CSA points are calculated, the types of violations that will add points to your record, and how you can maintain a low score, keeping your CDL intact.
CSA points explanation
CSA points are part of the CDL point system that the FMCSA uses to track and improve driver and company safety performance. Every violation a driver is given adds points to their SMS score (a points total that holds drivers and their employers accountable). The greater the number of CSA points, the higher the risk rating, hence exposing drivers to increased scrutiny, interventions, and even a CDL suspension.
How are CSA points calculated?
CSA points are based on seven BASICs: Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. The point number for a violation is also determined by the severity of the violation and the probable risk from it. Points are weighted, meaning that serious violations carry more points. However, points remain on a driver’s record for a maximum period of three years. In addition, points have implications on the carrier’s score and, consequently, on carriers’ business operations.
Unsafe driving
The unsafe driving tracks driving behaviors contributing to on-road crashes, such as the following:
- Speeding: Points increase based on the amount over the speed limit. For example, 6 – 10 mph over the limit may add less points than 15+ mph over.
- Reckless driving: Traffic violations like tailgating, road rage, and improper change of lanes carry high CSA points.
- Improper lane change: Failure to signal or careless changing of lanes adds to a rising crash risk and points.
- Inattention: Everything from texting and driving to just not paying attention to the road. This is considered a serious offense and can result in substantial points.
- Seatbelt violations: Not putting on one’s seatbelt while driving is included in this category; it falls under a serious safety precaution measure.
Because violations under unsafe driving contribute directly to safety, often CSA points are high, heavy contributors to a driver’s score. When drivers continually commit infractions, points build up quickly and can easily place them in danger of intervention or suspension.
Crash indicator
This category follows the driver’s history of accidents involved in the trucking business. It emphasizes recent crash involvement, and it includes:
- Accident history: Every crash in which a driver is involved can result in additional CSA points because it shows that he or she has a higher possibility of being involved in future incidents.
- Weight of severity: Serious accidents, especially those involving injuries or fatalities, carry more points than minor crashes.
The crash indicator category is unique because even non-fault crashes are taken into consideration; the assumption is that repeated crash involvement may signal a need for additional monitoring or training. Points from crashes typically remain on a driver’s record longer than other violations, impacting both their CSA score and their employer’s score.
Hours-of-service compliance
This is one of the key areas in safety matters since it has to do with driver fatigue. Some violations may be cited for this regulation and include:
- Exceeding driving limits: These are cited when drivers drive more hours than legally allowed without rest. For example, driving over the daily 11-hour driving limit.
- Logbook violations: Drivers must log their hours accurately. Record falsification, missing break logs, and failure to update ELDs all accumulate points.
- Restart violations: There is a requirement for a 34-hour reset under the HOS regulations after an accumulated limit of a 60/70 hour workweek, failing which violations occur.
The consequence of driving tired is tremendous and is considered highly serious in terms of violations on the driving record. The FMCSA views the HOS violations as an unmistakable sign of unsafe driving practices, and thus the motor carrier gets high CSA points in this BASIC.
Vehicle maintenance
This topic covers any pre-trip inspection or general maintenance items that render a vehicle unsafe for the roadway. Some common violations include:
- Brake system issues: Brake-related violations, such as faulty or worn brakes, are some of the most critical and accrue substantial points because of their potential to create specific risks.
- Light issues: Broken or non-operating headlights, brake lights, or turn signals are another very common form of vehicle maintenance that adds on points.
- The condition of tires: Comes up quite often in inspections, blowouts from driving on worn or underinflated tires.
- Windscreen/wipers: This would include points for drivers if visibility is impeded through cracks or faulty wipers.
Vehicle maintenance ensures road safety, hence if not well maintained, it might have serious points for the drivers and the carrier. Regularly check your vehicle using a pre-trip inspection checklist to prevent problems before violations occur.
Controlled substances/alcohol
The controlled substances/alcohol encompasses any use or possession of drugs and alcohol by commercial drivers. Examples of violations in this regard would include, but are not limited to:
- Positive alcohol test: Any test showing consumption of alcohol above the legal limit results in CSA points immediately, with the severity high.
- Drug use: A major violation occurs when there is detection of controlled substances during testing, such as marijuana, cocaine, or any other drugs.
- Drugs/alcohol in the truck cab: A driver can get CSA points for merely possessing drugs or alcohol in the truck cab, even if they are unused.
Violations here are treated as most serious due to the immediate threat they pose to the public. Even a single violation in this category will carry highly serious CSA points and can lead to a summary suspension, considering the zero-tolerance policy of FMCSA toward substance usage.
Hazardous materials compliance
This applies to a driver who operates a vehicle carrying hazardous materials. Examples of violations include:
- Improper labeling or placarding: Lack of proper labeling for the hazardous materials on the vehicle could add up to large CSA points due to the fact that this puts first responders in jeopardy of safety in case there is an accident.
- Improper packaging: Using non-compliant containers or improperly securing hazardous materials will result in CSA points.
- Preparation for shipment/transportation: Violations are tabulated if the driver fails to follow regulations in the loading and unloading of hazardous materials onto or from a vehicle and/or transporting them.
Since hazardous materials bear a special risk to the public, points for violations here are weighted heavily. Proper Hazmat training and strict adherence to guidelines are the keys to avoiding these points.
Driver fitness
Driver fitness covers the driver’s physical qualifications and licensing. Points can be accrued through:
- Medical certification issues: Failure to have a current medical certificate or to drive with a known medical condition that affects safety accrues CSA points.
- Invalid licensing: Operating a vehicle without a valid CDL, driving a vehicle beyond the expiration date, or without appropriate endorsement with respect to the vehicle or cargo to be transported.
- Inadequate training: A driver should be competent and trained to handle his vehicle and the cargo on board. Failure to do so, especially in specialized vehicles or hazardous materials, adds to CSA points.
Driver fitness is crucial to ensure the safe operation of a commercial vehicle. Making sure all CDL medical exams and certifications are up to date is a simple but vital step to avoid points in this category.
How many CSA points does it take to suspend your CDL?
Unlike a fixed-point system for regular driver’s licenses, the CSA program does not automatically suspend a Commercial Driver’s License at any specific CSA point threshold. Instead, FMCSA uses a risk-based approach called FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) whereby scores are monitored across the seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC).
The SMS ranks carriers in BASICs with other carriers that have a similar number of safety events, for example: crashes, inspections, or violations. Then assigns a percentile from 0 to 100, the higher the percentile, the worse the performance (to prioritize carriers for interventions).
No threshold for direct suspension of CDL
The CSA system assigns points for each violation; those points, in turn, contribute to a driver’s overall score within each BASIC. There is no single threshold of CSA points that automatically results in a CDL suspension. Instead, the FMCSA looks at cumulative points and patterns of violations over time. High CSA scores make drivers and carriers more likely to face FMCSA interventions, such as warning letters, investigations, or mandatory compliance reviews, which may eventually threaten a CDL.
Severity and weighting of violations
Violations are weighted in regard to their severity. For instance, a minor violation, such as a broken light, would add a few points while a major violation, such as driving under the influence, would add many points. For example:
- Speeding (6 – 10 mph over the limit).
- Reckless driving.
- Driving under the influence (DUI).
Building up multiple high-severity violations significantly raises the chances of intervention, especially if they occur over a very short time period.
Intervention thresholds by BASICs
There is an intervention threshold level for each BASIC category, and when that threshold is reached or exceeded, this would be an indication to the FMCSA that there could be safety problems. For example:
- Unsafe driving threshold: The driver who continues to gain points based on unsafe driving methods, such as having too many speeding tickets or obtaining repeated tickets for reckless driving, is more likely to face an intervention.
- Vehicle maintenance threshold: A history of maintenance violations or frequent offenses related to vehicle maintenance may lead to an investigation into the practices of the driver or company.
When it surpasses the threshold in one or more BASICs, with repeated violations making a driver a target for intervention by FMCSA, warnings, fines may be imposed, or even a suspension of CDL.
Company and state-level actions
Though FMCSA itself does not directly suspend CDLs for high CSA points, carriers or individual states may have their thresholds and rules. For instance:
- Employers can dismiss or reprimand high-scoring drivers. High scores will eventually bring about fines, the cost of which is expensive, and there is an increase in the insurance premium.
- State-level CDL suspensions: Some states use CSA points as one of the metrics in determining whether a driver is unsafe and will suspend a CDL. For instance, a driver who demonstrates a pattern of HOS violations in states with a zero-tolerance approach may face state-level suspension or even be required to undergo retraining.
In all, there is no certain point limit under CSA that leads to a CDL suspension; however, repeated violations within one or more BASIC categories can lead to FMCSA interventions, state-level suspensions, and employer actions that ultimately will result in the suspension or revocation of a CDL. Staying within safety and compliance standards is important, along with responsibly managing CSA points, to protect your CDL.
How to improve your CSA points?
CSA points can be reduced, and it can be a big chance to keep your driving record clean and your CDL protected. The following are some of the key steps drivers and carriers can observe for improving CSA points:
Highlight safe driving practices
The best way to avoid the accumulation of CSA points is safe driving. Refrain from actions that tend to bring about points such as speeding, tailgating, or driving distracted. It’s the simple practices such as staying within speed limits, signaling properly, and avoiding distractions like using phones that lower unsafe driving violations and increase your overall safety score.
Keep your vehicle well-maintained
Regular maintenance of the vehicle will prevent the problems that generally give rise to vehicle-related CSA points. Carriers and drivers should take the time for necessary pre-trip inspections to identify and repair problems such as faulty lights, brake problems, or worn-out tires. Finding these issues early can help you avoid potential roadside violations that could negatively affect your score.
Keep Hours of Service rules
HOS violations are easily piled on and even happen inadvertently. To avoid such points, drivers must follow the limit on driving time and compulsory breaks as provided by FMCSA. An ELD helps maintain records accurately and logbook errors are avoided, thus reducing the chances of violation of HOS.
Avoid alcohol and controlled substances
Drugs and alcohol are some of the more serious violations in terms of CSA points. Even one can have devastating results. Operate a commercial vehicle on a zero-tolerance policy for drugs or alcohol. Carriers can also help drivers by providing resources or education on driving free from drugs or alcohol. It helps them in reducing high-risk incidents.
Final thoughts
While there is no certain number of CSA points that automatically lead to a CDL suspension, high CSA scores put you and your employer at risk of FMCSA intervention, which may eventually mean suspension or loss of your job. By knowing the BASICs and following safe driving, regular maintenance, and regulatory compliance, you can actually keep the points low in CSA and secure your CDL. Being a responsible CDL driver means being protective not only of your career but also of safer roads for all!
