Our services help identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to enhance safety performance. Through our SMS Monitoring and Improvement Programs, we offer a proactive approach to managing and reducing scores, making your company more attractive to brokers, plus. preventing audits.Your Safety Measurement System scores.

Our goal is to support your journey toward operational excellence by providing insights and recommendations that drive continuous safety enhancements, ultimately fostering a safer environment for your team and clients.

DO YOU NEED TO LOWER YOUR FMCSA’S SAFETY MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (SMS) SCORES?

Dear Motor Carrier,

Are you aware that improving your SMS scores can result in fewer DOT Safety Interventions (audits), fewer roadside inspections, lower insurance expenses, and increased acceptance by brokers and shippers? SafetyNet’s SMS Monitoring Service has proven methods in place that will help you lower your SMS scores quickly.

What is the FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS)?

A Quick Guide

The Safety Measurement System (SMS) is a tool used by the FMCSA to prioritize workload and identify carriers with potential safety issues for interventions, such as DOT Safety Reviews. This is part of the agency’s Compliance Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program.
Given the importance of maintaining a good standing with this DOT agency, it is crucial to monitor your performance by periodically logging into this system.

How Data in the Safety Measurement System is Organized
The SMS data is categorized into eight areas that impact safety, known as BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories). These categories include:

  • Unsafe Driving
  • Crash Indicator
  • Hours-of-Service Compliance
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Controlled Substances/Alcohol
  • Hazardous Materials Compliance (HM)
  • Driver Fitness
  • Insurance & Other

Motor carriers are grouped with similar carriers for each BASIC based on a comparable number of safety events in each category and are assigned a percentile score that ranks their performance relative to others.

How Can SafetyNet SMS Monitoring Services help you improve?

  • Free SMS Training: SafetyNet will help you understand the SMS and the data it uses, which is the first step towards improvement.

  • Incentive Programs: SafetyNet will help you set up incentive programs. Encouraging and rewarding clean inspections can lead to improved SMS scores, while discouraging bad inspections can also lead to improvements.

  • Online NAS Level 1 Vehicle Inspection Procedures: Proper vehicle inspections are key to keeping the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC scores low.

  • Driver Education: SafetyNet will provide a Driver Factsheet (PDF) that tells drivers what they need to know about CSA and how they can prepare and improve. They will also review FMCSA’s CMV Web-Based Driving Tips with drivers.

  • Leveraging SIRs: SafetyNet will assist fleet safety managers in leveraging the SIRs available within the SMS. SIRs is a compilation of articles, reports, and other tools designed to assist motor carriers with improving their current safety management practices.

  • Free MCS-150 Updates SafetyNet will check and update your MCS-150 carrier registration information, including address, email address, number of Power Units (Pus) and drivers, and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). They will ensure that VMT reflects the previous calendar year and is accurate. If any data needs to be corrected, SafetyNet will update your motor carrier registration information (MCS-150). Keeping DOT registration details up to date is crucial as some of the BASIC scores are influenced by the carrier’s registration details.

  • Monthly SMS Monitoring Services SafetyNet will monitor your SMS scores on a monthly basis. They will help you identify trends and suggest improvements. SafetyNet will also identify drivers who are putting your company at risk and jeopardizing your SMS scores.

  • Free Data Q Corrections If you think any of the data is erroneous, SafetyNet will request corrections through FMCSA's DataQs system. The DataQs program allows motor carriers and drivers to request a data review of information that resides in FMCSA databases.

  • Free Accident Crash Reports and Crash BASIC Analysis SafetyNet will obtain and review crash reports at no cost to the motor carrier. SafetyNet will review your inspection and crash reports data, and request corrections as needed. We will check that all of the inspection and crash reports belong to your company. If any data included in these reports is incorrect, SafetyNet will ensure it is corrected as soon as possible.