Effective Strategies to Improve Safety: Case Studies of Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Advancement

Although previous research has documented safety improvement strategies, many carriers may not have real-world data and/or information on the strategies that other carriers have successfully used to improve safety. This study identified strategies that CMV fleets have successfully used to improve their safety outcomes. The research team worked with CMV insurers and state trucking associations to identify nine CMV carriers that successfully improved safety outcomes. Safety improvements involved Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-reportable crashes, less severe crashes, insurance claims, and/or Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) scores. After verifying these improved safety outcomes, the research team recruited the nine carriers to participate in an hour-long interview to document the strategies they used. Successful strategies included comprehensive driver training, collision mitigation technologies, onboard safety monitoring, strict hiring criteria, and developing a strong safety culture.