According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data covering its 2021 compliance
audit activity, more than 40% of all carrier audits last year were conducted off-site, that is, away from the carrier’s place of business. FMCSA had begun to transition its safety audits more toward off-site reviews prior to the pandemic, but with the onslaught of COVID-19, the agency began further limiting in-person contact between trucking company personnel and federal and state investigators.
In addition, 52% of audits conducted during 2021 resulted in a Conditional rating, if any rating was issued at all. While the Conditional rating may have been justified, carriers who have experienced a Conditional rating often face an uphill battle trying to remove the Conditional rating and replace it with a Satisfactory rating. Meanwhile many brokers and shippers won’t use their services.
Were you audited in 2021, and if so, was it an off-site audit? Our safety consultants are interested in learning more about your real-world audit experiences. Watch your email for a short survey on compliance audits and be sure to respond. If you have specific comments or questions to share, email us at safety@safecarriers.org.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.