CSA DATA * USA - Carrier group, FMCSA settle suit over public CSA data

Washington,DC,USA -Today's Trucking –10 March 2011: -- A small group of small truckers has settled its suit with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration over carrier information made public under CSA...  In exchange for dropping the suit -- brought on by the National Association of Small Trucking Companies, the Expedite Alliance of North America and the Air & Expedited Motor Carriers Association, which represent about 2,700 small carriers --  FMCSA agreed to change how it publishes carrier scores...  Starting March 25, FMCSA will replace the orange "ALERT" symbol on its website with an exclamation mark inside a yellow triangle. As well, there will be an explanation that the symbol does not imply a specific safety rating...  The carrier groups were concerned that the language and presentation on the website could imply that carriers with 'alerts' as unsafe, which could be used by opportunistic plaintiffs' attorneys to brand a company negatively...  The carriers had attempted to block the FMCSA from releasing carrier safety data before CSA was launched in December, but that challenge was quashed by a federal court, giving the agency the green light to proceed...  CSA is now underway and the FMCSA has already begun sending out intervention letters to carriers who exceed at least one safety category threshold... (Photo from cpatrucking: FMCSA inspector)