■ Under the current system, a carrier’s safety rating, or its safety fitness determination (SFD), has been based on the results of acute or critical violations uncovered during an onsite compliance review. Under the new system, SFDs will be determined by the new safety measurement system. This will allow the government to establish SFDs for many more carriers, since the process is no longer tied to labor-intensive compliance reviews.

■ The FMCSA currently uses compliance reviews to penalize carriers with poor safety performance. The new process replaces compliance reviews with a series of increasingly severe interventions. Unlike compliance reviews, which have been mostly focused on punishing carriers for past safety violations, interventions are more focused on improving future performance. Specifically, interventions are intended 1) to determine the cause of safety problems, 2) to recommend solutions to the problems, 3) to encourage corrective actions, and 4) to impose penalties when necessary.

■ The new safety system aims to reduce crashes by improving safety behaviors, which are organized around seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs). Federal research has shown that poor performance in a BASIC is linked to a higher crash risk.

■ Unsafe Driving - Operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) by drivers in a dangerous or careless manner. Example Violations: Speeding, reckless driving, improper lane change, and inattention. (FMCSR Parts 392 and 397).

■ Fatigued Driving (Hours-of-Service) - Operation of CMVs by drivers who are ill, fatigued, or in non-compliance with the Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. This BASIC includes violations of regulations pertaining to logbooks as they relate to HOS requirements and the management of CMV driver fatigue. Example Violations: HOS, logbook, and operating a CMV while ill or fatigued. (FMCSR Parts 392 and 395).

■ Driver Fitness - Operation of CMVs by drivers who are unfit to operate a CMV due to lack of training, experience, or medical qualifications. Example Violations: Failure to have a valid and appropriate commercial driver’s license and being medically unqualified to operate a CMV. (FMCSR Parts 383 and 391).

■ Controlled Substances/Alcohol - Operation of CMVs by drivers who are impaired due to alcohol, illegal drugs, and misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medications. Example Violations: Use or possession of controlled substances/alcohol. (FMCSR Parts 382 and 392).

■ Vehicle Maintenance - Failure to properly maintain a CMV. Example Violations: Brakes, lights, and other mechanical defects, and failure to make required repairs. (FMCSR Parts 393 and 396).

■ Cargo-Related - Failure to properly prevent shifting loads, spilled or dropped cargo, overloading, and unsafe handling of hazardous materials on a CMV. Example Violations: Improper load securement, cargo retention, and hazardous material handling. (FMCSR Parts 392, 393, 397 and HM Violations).

■ Crash Indicator - Histories or patterns of high crash involvement, including frequency and severity. It is based on information from State-reported crashes.

■ Unsafe Driving.
■ Fatigued Driving (Hours-of-Service).
■ Driver Fitness.
■ Controlled substances/alcohol.