Quantification of Mn/DOT Motor Carrier Safety Program Impacts

Summary

This study seeks to measure the safety performance of compliance reviews (CRs) conducted in Minnesota under the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). This study employs data gathered by the Federal Highway Administration surrounding two MCSAP activities: compliance reviews and roadside inspections. It specifically investigates the change in a carrier's annual out-of-service violation rate (OOS) in response to receiving a review or a higher number of inspections. A measurable reduction in a carrier's OOS rate occurs in the year after a CR, according to the data. The annual OOS rate appears to be a viable measure of the impact of a compliance review, given that a carrier's vehicles and drivers are adequately inspected in the year following a CR.