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  3. Module 5: Monitoring Carrier Safety Practices

How Can I Improve?

Highway 16 at Decker Lake The good news is, if you’ve been applying the lessons in this course so far to your own work as a carrier, then you’ve already done a lot to make sure your safety plan is in place. But when a carrier’s safety performance continues to decline, CVSE advises them to complete a self- assessment of their safety plan. You shouldn’t wait for a poor safety record to attract the attention of CVSE before you make improvements. You can do your own compliance review right now.

Use the PDF checklist to conduct your own compliance review. Make sure your safety plan is complete, and all your files are in order.

Conduct Your Own Compliance Review

  • Take the last six months of your records (logs, with supporting documents such as motor vehicle inspections (CVIP, CVSA), fuel statements, etc.) and a report of your Carrier Profile. Check your profile for incidents and violations, and then look at the drivers’ logs for the dates these happened. Check that the logs have supporting documents to verify the record for that day.
  • Check your driver’s check sheet. Make sure it is up to date, and that you offer your drivers all the required training as soon as they need it.
  • Make sure your driver’s files are in order. Order any N prints needed.
  • Are any of your drivers not complying? Make sure you enforce your discipline policy.
  • If your vehicles are leading to a poor safety record, make sure your maintenance schedule is in place, and you are maintaining them properly. Make sure your drivers are all trained to do trip inspections properly.
  • If your safety record has hours of service violations that are bringing down your safety record, consider retraining your drivers on HOS rules. Make sure they know they are obligated by law to comply. Help them to understand the rules for every aspect of hours of service that affect them (special rules, sleeping berths, and so on.)
  • You can forward your safety plan to your local carrier safety inspector for review. They would be happy to help. This is a great first step if you feel at a loss for what to check, and a great final step if you want another set of eyes on your records to check your work.