According to Transport Capital Partners (TCP) recent third quarter trucking industry survey, shippers just aren't that concerned about your CSA scores, e-logs are becoming more widely adopted and truck speeds are typically governed around 65mph.
The number of shippers not concerned by carrier CSA scores increased from 15 percent to 22 percent, TCP said. Only 16 percent of shippers are reportedly concerned.
The reason for the increase? TCP isn't sure.
"We are at a loss to explain the increase in shippers not concerned. One possible explanation is that shippers simply do not use CSA scores as a determinant in choosing a carrier," said Richard Mikes, TCP Partner.
It's likely, TCP added, that many shippers simply don't believe CSA scores are an accurate reflection of carrier safety.
Interestingly, more of the smaller carriers surveyed reported that their shippers are not concerned about CSA scores than large carriers — 27 percent versus 20 percent, respectively.
It is likely that many shippers still do not believe CSA scores reflect the actual safety of a carrier. More smaller carriers than larger carriers reported that their shippers are not concerned about CSA scores - 27% vs. 20%.
E-log use is growing, too, the survey found. "Many carriers, on e-logs, tell us driver acceptance is good, HOS compliance is better, and CSA scores have improved since full implementation," noted Steven Dutro, TCP Partner.
With mandated e-logs on the regulation horizon, the number of carriers that have committed to the technology is now at 57 percent, TCP said.
Larger carriers are more commited to e-logs than smaller carriers, coming in at 71 percent to the smaller guys' 27 percent. That may be a result of larger carriers having more financial resources to fund, train, and manage compliance and dispatch TCP said.
For the first time, TCP asked carriers about truck speed limits. Asked what their current limits were set at, 46 percent of carriers said their trucks were set at 65mph, while 31 percent said 63mph. TCP also noted that nearly twice as many smaller carriers than larger ones were governing their trucks at 68mph — 21 percent versus 11 percent.
