Rewarding owner-operators for safety? FMCSA looking at ‘Beyond Compliance’ incentive program

Carriers receiving credit on their CSA SMS rankings is one idea floated by FMCSA for rewarding carriers in the agency’s “Beyond Compliance” program, which would reward those who take proactive safety measures.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is set to publish April 23 a request for comments on a proposal to incentivize carriers to implement “practices and technologies” that go beyond simple adherence to federal safety regulations.

Incentives proposed by FMCSA include credit on CSA scores, credit on ISS scores and fewer roadside inspections.

The program, to which FMCSA has assigned the working title “Beyond Compliance,” could reward carriers who “exceed regulatory requirements and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicles and drivers operating” in the U.S., the agency says in its upcoming Federal Register filing.

The agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee has been tasked with providing recommendations to the agency by June. MCSAC is made up of stakeholders representing a broad range of industry interests, including small and large carriers, drivers, brokers, safety advocates, enforcers and regulators.

FMCSA asked the committee to provide feedback in three areas relative to any Beyond Compliance program. Directly from the agency’s upcoming filing:

What voluntary technologies or safety program best practices would be appropriate for beyond compliance?
What type of incentives would encourage motor carriers to invest in technologies and best practices programs?
How would FMCSA verify the voluntary technologies or safety programs were being implemented?

The agency poses the same questions to carriers and other stakeholders for its public comment period, along with a few others, including:

What events should cause the incentives to be removed?
Should this program be developed by the private sector like PrePass, ISO 9000 or Canada’s Partners in Compliance?
How would FMCSA verify that the voluntary technologies or safety programs were being implemented?

Public comments will be accepted for 60 days following Thursday’s publication. Click here to see the Beyond Compliance Docket on regulations.gov and to make a formal public comment.

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