New Compliance, Safety, Accountability Act (CSA) Regulations Will Impact Truck Driver Retention

Trucking companies are preparing for the new Compliance, Safety, Accountability Act (CSA), particularly the new regulations for hazardous waste transporters, which are likely to directly impact driver retention. According to ACE Westchester, the US-based wholesale-focused insurance operation of the ACE Group, the basic premise of CSA is simple: driver infractions, incidents, accidents, inspections while on duty will be aggregated and attributed to the motor carrier the driver worked for at the time of the incident. As a result, a motor carrier's rating will be reflective of the drivers they employ. Roger Murphy, Assistant Vice President, ACE Westchester Environmental, sees these new regulations as impacting every aspect of company operations for those hauling hazardous materials. "CSA is our collective new reality, and it will only become stronger as the data is collected, aggregated, and translated into specific motor carrier and driver ratings," he said. "While these new regulations may force some to rethink protocols, the end will hopefully justify the means: to have every driver return home safely, every day." If you're wondering how these new regulations will impact your business, be sure to read ACE Westchester's latest report, What Does CSA Mean for Commercial Trucking Companies? This four-page white paper explains key aspects of CSA and how the new requirements will accelerate the uploading of data regarding roadside inspections, citations and accidents, thus enabling a motor carrier's rating to be updated on a monthly basis. This will be a significant change for the industry, because as ACE Westchester points out, the CSA regulations and associated BASIC (Behavioral Analysis Safety Improvement Categories) scores may have a significant impact on pricing and underwriting decisions from an insurance perspective and may also concern shippers, freight brokers and other stakeholders who are keeping an eye on liability issues and other risk factors.