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If you are a carrier seeking to reduce your CSA score, the DataQ is a good place to start. Managed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the DataQ system is an official channel for correcting inaccurate safety data about your drivers.
Fleet managers, safety officers, and CDL drivers can request and track a review of federal and state data issued by the FMCSA, believed to be incomplete or incorrect, and that warrant further investigation. If the FMCSA concludes that the disputed safety data is incorrect, this means that carriers can reduce their SMS percentiles and their CSA scores.
What does this mean for you? Each record in the system has the potential to impact your CSA score. And the higher your CSA score, the higher risk your carrier appears to the FMCSA and to insurance providers. Disputing incorrect records and correcting this information through the DataQ is how you protect your CSA ranking and avoid higher insurance premiums.
Your drivers’ safety data is housed in the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), which is the federal database that tracks safety data for commercial motor carriers. You can use the DataQ to request a review of disputed information in the MCMIS, including:
To start the process, you can go to dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov to register for an account. After logging in, you can choose the “Start a New Request” option and complete all the steps and prompts in the request tool. This includes downloading all the documentation (inspection reports, crash photos, affidavits, etc.) to support your claim. After you complete the Submit a Request for Data Review (RDR) detailing the issue, your request is sent and reviewed by the appropriate reviewer at the FMCSA.
Even a minor error in the MCMIS about one of your drivers can have serious consequences for your business. For example:
Essentially, the DataQ system is a way for you to correct faulty information that could harm the reputation of your CDL drivers and your carrier business. It could mean the difference between winning or losing a contract.
Before you file a request with the DataQ, you want to be sure that you have a solid legal basis to dispute the accuracy of a violation, crash report, or other faulty information. While anyone can register and file a request with the DataQ, understanding how to support your case is key to getting a positive resolution for your carrier business.
Fortunately, Drivers Legal Plan® can make sure you and your business are on solid legal ground for disputing safety data about your drivers to the FMCSA. Our legal team helps drivers and fleets navigate the DataQ process with the proper evidence and strategy, giving you the best chance at correcting harmful inaccuracies. This gives you a better chance at a lower CSA score for keeping insurance costs in check and for protecting your hard-earned business reputation.
Remember, in our competitive transportation industry, bad data can be just as harmful to your carrier’s reputation as bad driving. Whether you're managing risk at the fleet level or protecting your individual CDL drivers, we can provide the support you need to use the DataQ to maintain a clean, accurate safety record. With the right legal support, you don't have to navigate the DataQ alone.
Contact Drivers Legal Plan
by submitting this form