On Jan. 6, CVSA sent a letter to FMCSA asking the agency to consider a number of improvements to the New Entrant Safety Audit Program, including:
- Screen for and remove:
- companies that will not be operating a vehicle that weighs 10,001 pounds or more
- agricultural carriers operating covered farm vehicles that are exempt
- “new” carriers that are a division of an existing carrier with demonstrated good safety and compliance practices or allow states to conduct streamlined audits for these carriers
- Examine the current training requirements for new entrant safety auditors to determine if a less time-consuming training standard may be appropriate for individuals who are only conducting new entrant safety audits. For example, does a new entrant safety auditor need to conduct 32 inspections annually to maintain their certification and/or do they need to be required to complete the North American Standard Inspection Part B Course
- Consider reducing the two-week New Entrant Safety Auditor Course.
- Examine ways to make training available more frequently and consider offering online courses.