Safety ratings and FMCSA SMS data
Carrier Safety Ratings and FMCSA SMS Data
Public CSA percentile scores are no longer shown, but FMCSA still publishes the underlying safety data. Brokers and shippers can use safety ratings and live FMCSA SMS data to judge how a carrier actually operates before tendering a load.
Reading the data
Safety data shows how a carrier operates, not just that it is registered.
FMCSA retired the public CSA percentile scores that used to rank carriers, but it still publishes the underlying data through the Safety Measurement System (SMS). Brokers and shippers can read a carrier's roadside inspections, violations, out-of-service events, and crash history over time — a clean authority with a poor safety profile still carries real risk.
Safety data is context, not a single verdict. It is most useful when weighed against the commodity, the lane, and the carrier's insurance.
Roadside inspection and violation history.
Out-of-service (OOS) rates and trends.
BASIC behavioral categories (e.g., Unsafe Driving, Hours-of-Service).
Crash count and crash exposure over time.
Risk context
Use FMCSA SMS data alongside authority and insurance.
A carrier can be active and insured but still show an inspection and out-of-service pattern that does not fit sensitive or high-value freight. Reviewing SMS data before tendering helps brokers and shippers match the right carrier to the right load.
SureLoadr surfaces these safety signals in the same report as authority and insurance, so the full risk picture is in one place.
Broker & shipper questions
Carrier safety FAQ
Practical answers for brokers and shippers reviewing carrier safety before tendering a load.
What is a carrier safety rating?
A carrier safety rating is an FMCSA assessment — Satisfactory, Conditional, or Unsatisfactory — of how well a carrier meets federal safety standards, based on inspections, violations, and crash data.
Are CSA scores still public?
FMCSA no longer publishes the CSA percentile scores that ranked carriers, but the underlying data is still public through the Safety Measurement System (SMS) — roadside inspections, violations, out-of-service events, and crashes. SureLoadr evaluates that live SMS data instead of a retired percentile.
What safety data should brokers review?
Review the FMCSA safety rating, roadside inspection and out-of-service history, BASIC behavioral categories, and crash exposure — alongside authority and insurance — to judge overall carrier risk for a specific load.
SureLoadr
Know the safety profile before you tender.
SureLoadr evaluates live FMCSA SMS data and prioritization metrics — roadside inspections, out-of-service trends, and behavioral compliance categories — alongside safety ratings, so brokers and shippers weigh real safety signals against authority and insurance.