TIA Calls for Removal Of CSA Scores from Public View

The TIA is the latest transportation industry stakeholder to call for the removal of CSA scores from public view. As we have previously covered in our blog, a growing number of transportation companies and industry lobbying groups have voiced the opinion that the CSA's methods for scoring brokers and forwarders are highly flawed, with the TIA stating they have "serious concerns" about the methodology behind the scores.

While the TIA has had reservations about the scoring system for a while-- the group successfully influenced the introduction of a US House bill designed to reduce the CSA score's ability to influence the hiring of carriers-- the TIA's Board of Directors has pivoted on the issue, calling for a complete removal of CSA scores from public view.

The TIA isn't the only group calling for CSA score removal-- the following groups have also called for revisiting the methodology behind the CSA scores:

• The Government Accountability Office
• Truckload Carriers Association
• American Trucking Associations
• Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

The common complaint about the CSA's scoring methods is that the methodology unfairly targets small carriers and owner-operators. The average CSA score for small carriers is extremely low because most small carriers don't even have a public score, but the ones who do have enough inspections to be rated often receive negative (high) scores. Furthermore, the smaller carriers who do have enough inspections to be rated typically receive comparatively negative scores in relation to the larger carriers in the market. This stems from the fact that larger carriers have more trucks to be inspected, meaning that one or two negative inspections don't weigh as heavily on their scores as one or two negative inspections for a carrier with less than 15 trucks.

Furthermore, negative CSA scores unfairly assigned to smaller carriers result in a host of problems including increased insurance premiums and issues obtaining freight from brokers and shippers (who often rely on the CSA's BASIC scores as part of their carrier qualification guidelines). Some carriers and brokers are even facing frivolous lawsuits from attorneys who are attempting to use the CSA as a basis for negligent hiring and vicarious liability lawsuits.

Plainly put, the CSA's faulty scoring system threatens the livelihood of smaller carriers (who make up the vast majority of the trucking industry itself), as they cannot afford increased insurance premiums while also battling freight shortages due to the same scoring system.

As we have stated since this issue arose, we believe the government should work towards a true SFD (Safety Fitness Determination) to tell the public whether carriers are authorized (or unauthorized) to haul freight. Until the government institutes a common sense policy to fairly grade all carriers on the same scale, the industry segment of small carriers - who make up the majority of the transportation industry - will continue to suffer the consequences of a faulty scoring system.