On June 6, 2012 the FMCSA’s CSA Web Team issued notification that the SMS System review period has been extended until July 30, 2012. This allows motor carriers additional time to address areas where improved compliance is necessary and provide the FMCSA feedback on the SMS System. Following is the request in its entirety, including information regarding upcoming webinars that will help to explain the SMS improvements:
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing changes to the Safety Measurement System (SMS) (http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms/) to improve the Agency’s ability to prioritize its workload. In keeping with its commitment to continually improve the SMS, and to do so in an open and transparent manner, FMCSA is now providing additional time for motor carriers to preview their data under the proposed improvements and to provide feedback.
Call to action: Motor carriers should log in and see where they stand based on the refined methodology. The SMS Preview gives motor carriers time to take the following actions:
- Improve safety compliance by diagnosing issues and taking action to correct organizational problems, train drivers, or take other appropriate measures to improve safety;
- Request corrections to any inaccurate data; in particular, motor carriers should focus on ensuring that information related to placardable Hazardous Materials inspections is correct; and
- Provide feedback to FMCSA about refinements they think should be made before the changes are implemented.
The SMS Preview comment period has been extended to July 30, 2012. FMCSA will review comments and make any necessary changes prior to implementation. Carriers can access the SMS Preview through two FMCSA websites:
- Visit the Compliance,Safety, Accountability (CSA) Website (https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMSPreview/)and log in with an FMCSA-issued U.S. DOT number and a personal identification number (PIN), or
- Log in to the FMCSA Portal (https://portal.fmcsa.dot.gov/login) and select the “CSA Outreach” link.
On the CSA Website’s Resources page, visitors can access a foundational document http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/SMS_FoundationalDoc_final.pdf) that provides additional information about this first set of SMS changes. A Federal Register Notice (https://federalregister.gov/a/2012-12634) outlining the changes is also available for review. Written comments regarding the changes can be filed to the Federal Docket Management System (http://www.regulations.gov/), Docket ID Number FMCSA-2012-0074.
Attend a webinar to learn more: Motor carriers are invited to attend a webinar that will help explain the SMS improvements and answer frequently asked questions. The webinar will take place on the following three dates:
- Tuesday, June 26, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
- Wednesday, June 27, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
- Thursday, June 28, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
Registration is required to attend one of these sessions and interested parties should register as soon as possible through FMCSA’s National Training Center at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ntc/webinarinfo/CSA_Improvements_Webinar-FMCSA.pdf.
Questions or concerns: The CSA Outreach Website has technical assistants who can answer motor carrier questions about the SMS Preview as well as the CSA program itself. Questions can be submitted by email or phone (http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/CSA_Feedback.aspx).
We encourage you to take an active role in reviewing your company’s information for compliance and assisting the FMCSA in developing the new SMS improvements. If you have any questions that we can help to address, please call us at (800) 596-TRUCK (8782). All of us at the Navigator Truck Insurance Agency work hard at being accessible, helpful and result oriented.