ARLINGTON, Va. – – In an effort to steel the program with relevance and teeth, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) continues to tinker with CSA 2010 just a couple of weeks before it officially replaces the Safestat module.

Most recently, the agency responsible for the new safety-measuring tool has decided to keep two components of BASIC scores from public view until they’re convinced that releasing the scores will be in the public interest.

The two components that will be kept private until further notice are the Cargo-Related BASIC and the Crash Indicator.

Also, the FMCSA will replace the term "deficient" with "alert" on its public website and insert pop-up disclaimer language alerting users to the intent of the scores, and cautioning against misuse.

Also the highlight color attached to that rating will change from red to orange.

Some carriers felt – and the agency apparently agreed – that attaching the loaded tag "deficient" to carriers who fall short of one or more BASICs could be used against them in litigation.

The agency implements the next phase of the program in On Dec. 1.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) supports to moves

"ATA continues to support the objectives of CSA 2010, FMCSA’s safety monitoring and measurement program, and we are pleased with the Agency’s decision to continue working on its Cargo-Related BASIC to get it right before it’s made public," ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said.

ATA actually identified the Cargo-Related BASIC as something that needed additional work and recently met with FMCSA to present evidence demonstrating that the scores in this category do not accurately reflect carrier safety performance.