HEADLINES
New CSA 2010 Safety Program Targets Private Motor Carrier Operators
By Ryan Gray By the end of next month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration will implement CSA 2010, the new compliance and safety program for commercial motor carriers replacing the SafeStat compliance reviews. But what does this mean for school bus operators? Te short answer is school district-owned and operated-fleets
are exempt from the new regulations targeting driver behavior and performance that replaces the SafeStat program. While CSA 2010 uses measurement, evaluation and intervention to focus on the operations of some 700,000 motor carrier companies regis- tered with federal DOT numbers, such as private bus companies that contract school bus or charter service, experts say CSA 2010 could still potentially affect the public sector. According to Steve Keppler, the executive director of the Com-
mercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, school systems should remain updated on CSA 2010 and how it could affect them. “Tere’s a recognition that driver behavior and performance
is a major impact on crashes,” he says. “Frankly, it doesn’t matter whether it’s for hire movements or not.” Tose rules focus on the behaviors known to cause crashes,
such as reckless driving, hours of service violations, driver fitness (or lack thereof), controlled use of alcohol or drugs, vehicle main- tenance, and driver and company crash history. But FMCSA has stated that school bus drivers are exempt for most of the basic compliance regulations of CSA 2010. While at least most states already regulate many of these rules, the only FMCSA require- ments for school bus drivers are the pre-employment, random and post-crash drug and alcohol screenings and CDL testing. Congress would need to get involved to address why school buses are exempt from most federal interstate safety regulations. “Tat might relate to Interstate Commerce Commission and
authority [it] had before becoming FMCSA, and the state control of schools,” comments Daran Hansen, an industry analyst with J.J. Keller & Associates. “But we definitely work with contractors, and they’re subject to the rules.” Motorcoach drivers must also comply with CSA 2010, adds
Howard King, general manager of vertical school partners at Vertical Alliance. He also says FMCSA originally said school district drivers would be subject to a rule, but it retracted that statement earlier this year.
30 School Transportation News Magazine October 2010
Oct10_STN.indb 30 9/14/10 12:17 PM
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