Turnover and Safety Metrics

IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP?

A data mining firm specializing in trucking released the conclusions reached in a study of the correlation between CSA scores and turnover. They examined motor carriers that had low turnover rates and compared them to carriers that had higher than average turnover rates. They found significant differences in all seven BASIC categories.

Ever since CSA was rolled out there has been much debate about the significance of the data and how it’s analyzed to formulated the BASIC scores. FMCSA has always maintained that the CSA scores actually predict future performance, and particularly potential crash risk. These recently released findings don’t put an end to that debate, but they certainly seem to indicate that there is a strong relationship between turnover and a motor carrier’s safety metrics.

High turnover carriers had an out-of-service rate almost twice that of low turnover carriers. For the carriers that they studied the low turnover group had 303 DOT reportable crashes contrasted against the 1,177 for the higher turnover group.

Regardless of the debate on CSA, we can all agree that turnover impacts recruiting and training costs as well as service levels. This study has added a new dimension by helping to quantify the effect that turnover has on other cost centers such as accidents and out-of-service time. It also means that the best way to counteract rising BASIC scores isn’t necessarily compliance initiatives but rather dealing with the root cause which is high turnover. It might not be an easy task but the paybacks seem significant.

Regulatory Update

EXCEPTIONS, DECISIONS AND DELAYS

ELD Exemption Request

The Truck Renting and Leasing Association has requested that trucks leased for 30 days or less be exempt from the requirement to have an ELD installed. Trying to figure out a way for short term rental trucks to comply has been a problem ever since the regulation was first proposed. If a waiver is granted that will put an end to this potential compliance roadblock. A driver operating a short term rental would use a paper log during that time period and it will allow fleets to adapt to temporary volume increases or the need to obtain a substitute for a trucks down for repairs.

Safety Fitness Determination

As you have probably heard this regulation has been withdrawn and it’s not likely to resurface any time soon. The Safety Fitness Determination regulation would have replaced on-site inspection as a means of determining a safety fitness rating. CSA data and scores would have been the determining factor and the rating would have been automatically updated periodically.

Drug Testing – Use of Hair Samples

The deadline for a congressional mandate that a rule be promulgated has come and gone. In fact, it’s not likely that the proposed rule will be published this year. The delay is caused by concerns that the Department of Health and Human services has raised. They are the agency that is ultimately responsible for issuing the rule. Meanwhile, six large motor carriers led by J. B. Hunt have asked FMCSA to allow hair testing in place of urine based testing until the final rule is approved. Hair samples offer a longer drug detection window and carriers who have used hair testing have found a higher rate of positives. However, until decided otherwise, they must also conduct the standard urine test.

Split Sleeper Berth

When the 14 hour rule came into effect it eliminated the possibility of using split sleeper berth to extend the work day. The 14 hour clock couldn’t be stopped or delayed. Over a year ago FMCSA announced that they had awarded a contract to the Virginia Transportation Institute to perform a study of various sleep schedules and how they affected safety. However, that study is still in the planning stages. Once it ramps up the study will cover 150 drivers from various
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company sizes and will also include some teams. It will likely be several years before we can see the effects of this study.

34 Hour Restart

Basically it remains the same or it has changed depending on whether you’re looking at the 2013 rule or the 2016 rule. The rule adopted in 2016 dropped the requirement that the restart contain two periods from 1 – 5 am and that the restart could only be taken once every 168 hours. This change was made pending the outcome of a study on the safety effects. Now that change has been made permanent – a driver can take the restart at any time as long as they’re off for at least 34 hours.

You can count on us to provide expert guidance to keep your safety and compliance programs on track.

Ryan Billet
National Transportation Consultants, Inc.