Avoiding CSA severity points and time-weight multiple issues is critical for commercial drivers. One mistake at a roadside inspection can damage a record and career.
Why CSA and Time-Weight Multiples Matter
CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, and Accountability. It’s the FMCSA’s system for monitoring drivers and fleets for regulatory compliance.
Every violation carries a severity score from one to ten. Serious offenses carry higher scores.
Time-weight multiples increase the carrier’s percentile for repeated offenses by its drivers. A violation less than six months old triples the severity’s value, while violations within six months to one year double the CSA severity points. From one year to two years, the severity points are held at face value but remain on the carrier’s file.
How Violations Are Scored
During roadside inspections, drivers receive a Driver Vehicle Examination Report (DVER). Think of it as a federal report card.
For example, a reckless driving violation can carry ten severity points, which could increase to twenty or thirty points with a recent violation.
Examples of Unsafe Driving Violations
Common unsafe driving violations include reckless driving, excessive speeding in a construction zone or 15 mph or more over the limit, an unsafe lane change, following too close, texting while driving, and others.
Unsafe Driving Violations: 10 CSA Points
- 392.2-SLLSWZ: Excessive speeding (15 mph over) in a CMV or any speeding in a construction or work zone.
- 392.80(a) / 392.82(a)(1): Operating a CMV while texting or using a hand-held phone.
- 392.2R: Reckless driving in a commercial motor vehicle.
- 392.2-SLLS4: State or local law violation – exceeding the limit by 15+ mph.
- 392.17DT Using a mobile device to text while driving a CMV.
- 392.2-SLLT State/local law – texting while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Likewise, these are all “serious offenses,” which result in a driver disqualification after a second conviction. That could lead to lost income or a lost career.
Local Inspections at the Weigh Station on I-80 and the Donner Pass near Truckee, CA
We often hear from drivers who have been ticketed at the weigh station on Donner Pass. Nevada County inspections are frequent and thorough.
Truckers traveling along I-80 near Truckee should expect the CHP to pull vehicles into the weigh station randomly, and drivers using the DOT number of a carrier with a 75th percentile or higher safety rating under the SMS.
The local court in Truckee, CA, handles many CDL traffic citations. Possibly avoiding CSA severity points and time-weight multiple could mean hiring a CA traffic ticket defense attorney.
CSA Severity Points Explained
Severity points increase your carrier’s Safety Measurement System percentile. This can put fleet insurance and jobs at risk.
Even the first violation lingers on your Pre-employment Screening Program record. PSP records follow drivers for three years.
What Are Time-Weight Multiples?
Time-weight multiples magnify severity points. The newer the violation, the harsher the impact.
- Less than 6 months old: triple weight.
- 7–12 months old: double weight.
- 13–24 months old: single weight.
So, the carrier that the driver works for would then have 30 (10 CSA severity points x 3) CSA points added to their Unsafe Driving CSA score and their SMS percentile.
The Hidden Cost of Convictions
All moving violation convictions mean fines, NOTS points, and FMCSA notification. These also result in CSA severity points and possibly time-weight multiples, depending on the time period since the last conviction in that category.
The impact reaches both the driver and the fleet. Some fleets terminate drivers after only one violation.
Contact Bigger & Harman About Possibly Avoiding CSA Severity Points & Time-Weight Multiples From the Weigh Station at Truckee, CA
Our traffic law team helps commercial drivers fight tickets that lead to CSA severity points. We appear in Nevada County courts regularly.
Every violation matters. A single citation can damage your record, increase CSA scores, and scar your PSP file.
If you received a citation at Donner Pass or during a roadside inspection, we could help. Protect your CDL, your income, and your reputation with an experienced traffic ticket defense attorney.
Possibly avoiding CSA severity points and time-weight multiple in a CMV in Nevada County Courthouse is much easier with a traffic attorney, call Bigger & Harman, APC, at (661) 349-9300—se habla Español 349-9755.
Bigger & Harman regularly defends clients in Santa Barbara County Court. Call for a complimentary, no-obligation consultation. We have assisted more than 20,000 California drivers in resolving their traffic tickets.
Or, use our on-line contact form to arrange a free consultation, or email us at attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
Download our e-book, Protecting Your Commercial Driver License.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Section
Q: Can the FMCSA use CSA severity points to revoke a commercial driver’s CDL?
A: No, the FMCSA does not have the authority to suspend or revoke a driver’s CDL. Only the DMV in California has the authority and is responsible to issue or revoke/susp[end a CDL. However, the FMCSA can disqualify a driver for specific periods for “major and serious offenses.”
Q: How does the time-weight multiple system work?
A: Time-weight multiples increase the carrier’s percentile for repeated offenses by its drivers. A violation less than six months old triples the severity’s value, while violations within six months to one year double the CSA severity points. From one year to two years, the severity points are held at face value but remain on the carrier’s file.
Q: How could I begin (possibly) avoiding CSA severity points and time-weight multiples problems for my carrier that could impact my driving career?
A: Consult a traffic attorney about challenging every citation in a CMV in court with a CDL traffic attorney.
References:
The My Safety Manager article, CSA Point Value Guide.
The DOT FMCSA article, Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) and Drivers - Separating Fact from Fiction.
The L*OGITY article, Complete CSA Points Guide.
The DMV Portal CA Commercial Driver Handbook.