Last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a set of documents that detail the Agency’s signature investigative tool: the Safety Management Cycle (SMC). With an SMC tailored to each Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC), these resources provide carriers and drivers with a tool to help them evaluate their safety practices and identify and address safety and compliance issues.

There are two SMC resources dedicated to the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC: one that focuses on cargo securement and another focusing on inspection, repair, and maintenance. By examining the six Safety Management Processes that make up the SMC—from defining policies and procedures and clarifying roles and responsibilities to taking meaningful action—carriers and drivers can gain a better understanding of the potential gaps in current safety practices and identify ways to improve. 

For example, who is responsible for informing a manager or mechanic if a safety-related problem is discovered or repairs are necessary before operating a vehicle? And, does the company have a system to ensure this communication happens and vehicles are repaired before being driven? Explore the Vehicle Maintenance SMC resources on the CSA Website’s SMC webpage to make sure you and your company have addressed these and many other important questions to ensure every vehicle is safe before it hits the road. Also make sure you review the safety regulations at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrguide.aspx.