BASIC Scores - FMCSA Site

[crackers]

Just curious as to how many trucking companies are researching other carriers BASIC scores on the FMCSA website?

I have found some rather "unflattering" scores for a large amount of our Ontario based carriers.

Just wondering if anybody else is seeing the same trend?

 

[lowmiler88]

We check out every new carrier and make a decision on whether or not to use them, if they have bad scores we reject them.

 

[lowmiler88]

The other thing you should look at is if they have tickets or warnings because we are finding that if the driver is disrespectful they now give warnings and usually 3 for the same offence in different categories so you cannot accuse them of pyramiding offences and with warnings you have no recourse to fight them unlike a ticket you can take to court. If the company has warnings then chances are the DOT officer did not like the driver.

 

[ralphthetrucker]

If the company has warnings then chances are the DOT officer did not like the driver.

Or the DOT officer was on a fishing expedition when the vehicle was stopped and when they found nothing they issued a "warning" ticket for doing 58 mph in a 55 zone!

Warning can be challenged by doing a "data Q" challenge/inquiry BUT the problem is the that the warning goes to the officer's superior who discuss' it with the officer. How many officers are going to say"Geez Sarge, it was a fiching expedition and I found nothing so I gave them a chitty warning ticket/infraction".

 

[theman]

Sounds like the FMCSA is doing its job. I'd say that a lot of the black marks on scores have to do with HOS violations.

No question there would be equipment issues too, but less prevalent. When I was doing a driving trip in the US, I found most of the Canadian trucks I saw were in pretty good shape.

The odd really scary looking combination though. And they generally were, sad to say, the small GTA upstarts where people think they can buy a $25K truck that has come off lease, a few $5K trailers from fleets renewing (most of these are just barely above storage trailer quality, IMHO) and run a trucking company. I can't see this continuing.

 

[Dave in London]

Lowmiler has hit the nail on the head, except I disagree with the driver input. Its a rare case where they will pull you over without a warning of some description.
DataQ is useless for speeding or mechanical defect warnings, becasue they contact the officer, and the defense ends there.
I have had success on Dataq with HOS warnings. Most US officers do not know the Canadian HOS rules, and will issue warnings based on US law while on Canadian soil. It is very easy to get removed though, just attach the logs and upload.
What is interesting, I had a truck in a NY roadside, they ran his plate, then waved him through and said "you guys are good".

 

[Salma]

Now that the new US highway bill is ready to be passed, what does everyone think about the CSA scores being removed from public view for an unknown period of time? How will a carrier's safety / fitness be determined?