Measuring the FMCSA's Safety Objectives from March 2000 to September 2004

https://doi.org/10.21949/15029792006PDFTech ReportFMCSA-RI-06-038Safety programsMeasurementMotor carriersStrategic planningTruck crashesTrucking safetyCommercial driversUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationNixon, Julie L.Stevenson, CourtneyBalbaky, SamerJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Analysis DivisionNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway SafetyAGR-FREIGHT-Motor CarriersVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center;United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationThe Volpe Center was requested by FMCSA to establish metrics and benchmarks against which to assess progress in attaining the FMCSA safety objectives. This was to be done objectively, emphasizing the use of SafeStat information. SafeStat (short for Motor Carrier Safety Status Measurement System) is a data-driven analysis system that utilizes a comprehensive variety of safety data to determine the relative safety fitness of individual motor carriers on a periodic basis. Additionally, however, SafeStat results can collectively be applied to assess the safety performance and status of the entire motor carrier industry or specific segments, such as high-risk carriers. The Volpe Center was requested to conduct studies and research different approaches to utilizing SafeStat-based and other relevant measures that would quantify FMCSA\u2019s progress towards achieving its specific safety objectives. During this review, specific metrics were formulated for five of the eight specific safety objectives along with the general objective of reducing commercial motor vehicle crashes. In order to further refine and confirm the analysis, the metrics were calculated on comparative, longitudinal, and peer group bases. This resulted in a set of over forty different analyses and metrics that tracked safety improvement comparisons for various segments of the industry. Separately, the analyses/metrics were each associated with a FMCSA safety objective. Collectively, the results provide a complete view of FMCSA\u2019s progress in achieving the safety objectives. This approach allows the FMCSA to monitor trends to determine changes in safety, and measure the extent of those changes.84