Each year at each of the RCC terminals, we hold two safety meetings. Outside speakers are normally brought in to provide safe practices and compliance information. There are also demonstrations of safe use of equipment along with preparation for unexpected incidents.
The safety department at RCC monitors the FMCSA’s 7 CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) basic scores daily to help drivers stay aware of the likelihood of inspections and be aware of areas for improvement. The 7 CSA basic scores are:
- Unsafe Driving – Operation of CMVs (commercial motor vehicles) by drivers in careless or dangerous manner. (Speeding, reckless driving, improper lane change, etc.)
- Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance – Operation of CMVs by fatigued or ill drivers, or in non-compliance with HOS regulations.
- Driver Fitness – Operation of CMVs by drivers unfit to operate a CMV because of lack of training, experience, or medical qualifications. (Failure to have a valid and appropriate CDL, being medically unqualified to operate CMV, etc.)
- Controlled Substances/Alcohol – Operation of CMVs by drug or alcohol impaired drivers. (Use or possession of illegal drugs, misuse of prescription or OTC medications, or alcohol, etc.)
- Vehicle Maintenance – Failure to maintain CMV properly, or properly prevent shifting loads. (Brakes, lights, other mechanical defects, failure to make required repairs, and improper load securement.)
- Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance – Unsafe handling of hazardous materials on a CMV. (Release of hazardous materials from package, no shipping papers, no markings/placards when required, etc.)
- Crash Indicator – History or pattern of high crash involvement including frequency and severity.
The Safety Measurement System (SMS) uses motor carrier’s data from roadside inspections to quantify the performance in the above BASICs (Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories). A carrier’s measurement for each BASIC depends on the number of harmful safety events, severity of violations/crashes, and when the harmful safety events occurred. When the measurement is determined, the carrier is placed in a peer group, carriers with the same or similar numbers of inspections and placed in percentiles from 0 to 100. A percentile 100 is the worst.
RCC prides ourselves on having our hazmat inspection scores being well below the national average. The lower the score, the fewer violations. All drivers at RCC are expected to be a support group to their co-workers need assistance and assume the role of mentors to new drivers. Drivers of RCC represent our company in a positive relationship with the insurance carrier Great West Casualty. Our dispatch team and safety department director have all been drivers for the company, allowing for driver problems and safety issues at many times to be resolved by a phone call. Drivers have a very good support team with years of experience.