Giving Carriers Credit for Using Key Safety Tools
By now you have probably heard of the “Beyond Compliance” program. In the 2015 infrastructure bill, Congress required the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to establish a “Beyond Compliance” program that would provide motor carriers “credit” on their Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scores for adopting tools, technologies and programs that exceed minimum regulatory compliance and improve safety. While the FMCSA has held hearings and requested public input on which safety tools to use in the program, nothing of substance has been accomplished in the intervening years.
To move along the process of creating the program mandated by Congress, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and several private companies have created a demonstration program that intends to select various safety tools to be used by carriers. Their intent is to show the FMCSA that (1) these tools obtain safety results and (2) carriers who adopt such tools should receive the “credit” to their CSA scores mandated by Congress for using those tools. ICSA is the only association representing small carriers to be involved in the demonstration program, in part because ICSA has shown through its own safety programs that these tools work to reduce risk and crashes.
The first safety tool that will be reviewed in the program is in-cab forward facing cameras. ICSA is uniquely positioned to provide aggregated information and data about the use and benefits of cameras by single-truck operators and small fleets. Recently, ICSA responded to a critical survey about the next steps of the demonstration program and emphasized the importance and value of ICSA’s safety programs, including in-cab cameras and hair drug testing.
As the demonstration program proceeds, ICSA will remain involved and provide updates to our members.
In March, ICSA’s executive director Shawn Nelson was privileged to attend the annual conference for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). Truckload 2026 was packed with information that ICSA is committed to bringing back to its members.
Safety is a priority not just because it prevents accidents; it also helps make a carrier profitable. Every smart decision behind the wheel can save lives and reduces costs.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a Final Rule, effective March 16, 2026, on non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses – CDLs held by foreign-domiciled truck drivers operating in the U.S.