CSA Score Chart: What Counts as Good, Average, or Bad

For freight brokers, shippers, carriers, and logistics professionals, understanding a carrier's safety information is an important part of the vetting process. One term that frequently comes up is the CSA score.

However, there is an important distinction to understand: FMCSA does not actually issue a single overall "CSA score." Instead, its Safety Measurement System (SMS) uses percentiles in seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) to identify carriers that may need attention or intervention. A higher BASIC percentile generally represents worse performance relative to similar carriers.

This CSA score guide explains how to read those percentiles, what people commonly mean by good, average, or bad CSA performance, and how a CSA review can fit into a broader carrier-verification process.

What Is a CSA Score?

The term "CSA score" is widely used in the trucking industry, but it can be misleading.

FMCSA's SMS analyzes safety-related information from roadside inspections, crash reports from the previous two years, and investigations. It then organizes information into seven BASICs and assigns percentiles to eligible carriers based on their performance compared with carriers in similar safety-event groups. 

The seven BASICs are:

1. Unsafe Driving
2. Crash Indicator
3. Hours-of-Service Compliance
4. Vehicle Maintenance
5. Controlled Substances/Alcohol
6. Hazardous Materials Compliance
7. Driver Fitness

Not every BASIC is publicly displayed in the same way, and the information available can depend on the carrier and the user's access level.

CSA Score Chart: Good, Average, and Bad

Because FMCSA does not publish a universal "good CSA score" or "bad CSA score," the following chart should be used as a general educational guide, not an official FMCSA rating.

The key point is that a percentile is not a percentage of violations and should not be treated like a traditional test score. In FMCSA's system, 100 represents the worst performance within the applicable comparison group. 

Also, intervention thresholds can vary by BASIC and carrier type. FMCSA's current methodology includes different thresholds for general, passenger, and hazardous-material carriers. 

Is a Lower CSA Percentile Better?

Generally, yes.

For BASIC percentiles, a lower percentile indicates better relative performance, while a higher percentile indicates worse relative performance.

For example:

• Carrier A: 18th percentile
• Carrier B: 47th percentile
• Carrier C: 83rd percentile

If the carriers are being compared within the same applicable category and data group, Carrier A's percentile represents better relative performance than Carrier C's.

But this does not mean Carrier A is automatically a safer carrier in every respect. The underlying violations, inspection history, crash information, and other records still matter.

What Does a Good CSA Score Look Like?

In everyday industry discussions, people often describe a lower CSA percentile as a "good score."

A carrier with BASIC percentiles in the lower range may have fewer or less severe safety issues relative to its comparison group.

For example, a percentile around 20 may generally look more favorable than a percentile around 75.

However, don't stop your review there.

A carrier with a low percentile in one BASIC could still have important issues elsewhere. That's why looking at the individual BASIC categories is more useful than relying on a single number.

What Is an Average CSA Score?

There isn't one official "average CSA score."

SMS percentiles are rankings relative to groups of carriers with similar safety-event profiles. FMCSA calculates these percentiles using measures that account for factors such as the number and severity of violations, crashes, time weighting, and exposure. 

For practical carrier screening, a middle-range percentile can be viewed as a reason to look closer rather than immediately approve or reject a carrier.

Review:

• Recent violations
• Violation severity
• Inspection history
• Crash history
• Number of inspections
• BASIC categories affected
• Any available intervention indicators

What Is Considered a Bad CSA Score?

Again, "bad CSA score" is an industry shorthand rather than an official FMCSA classification.

A high BASIC percentile can indicate that a carrier's performance is worse than many of its peers in that safety category.

For general carriers, some BASIC intervention thresholds have historically been around the 65% or 80% range depending on the BASIC. Other carrier types can have different thresholds. FMCSA's methodology and thresholds should therefore be checked before making a decision based on a specific number.

A high percentile should trigger additional review, not automatically mean the carrier is prohibited from operating.

Why CSA Percentiles Can Be Confusing

One of the biggest mistakes is assuming that CSA is an overall safety grade.

FMCSA specifically states that BASIC percentiles are used to prioritize carriers for interventions and do not represent a federal safety rating. FMCSA also warns users not to draw conclusions about a carrier's overall safety condition solely from SMS data. 

In other words:

CSA/SMS percentile ≠ overall safety rating

CSA/SMS percentile ≠ automatic "safe" or "unsafe" designation

CSA/SMS percentile = one piece of safety-performance information

This distinction is important when evaluating carriers.

What Are the Seven CSA BASIC Categories?

1. Unsafe Driving

This category relates to unsafe driving behaviors and violations, such as speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, and other unsafe practices.

A high percentile here deserves careful attention because driving behavior can directly affect roadway safety.

2. Crash Indicator

The Crash Indicator category considers a carrier's history of qualifying crashes.

Crash information needs context. The number and circumstances of crashes can matter more than simply seeing that a crash record exists.

3. Hours-of-Service Compliance

This category relates to compliance with hours-of-service regulations.

Repeated HOS violations may indicate weaknesses in driver scheduling, recordkeeping, or compliance processes.

4. Vehicle Maintenance

Vehicle Maintenance covers issues involving the condition and maintenance of commercial vehicles.

Examples can include problems involving:

• Brakes
• Tires
• Lights
• Mechanical components
• Required repairs

A high percentile in this category may justify a closer look at maintenance practices.

5. Controlled Substances/Alcohol

This category covers violations involving controlled substances and alcohol regulations.

Because of the potential safety implications, issues in this area deserve careful attention.

6. Hazardous Materials Compliance

This category relates to compliance with hazardous-material transportation requirements.

Not every carrier operates under the same hazardous-material requirements, so this category needs to be interpreted according to the carrier's actual operations.

7. Driver Fitness

Driver Fitness relates to requirements concerning whether drivers are properly qualified and fit to operate commercial motor vehicles.

How Is the CSA Percentile Calculated?

FMCSA's SMS uses safety-event information and applies time and severity weighting to violations and crashes. More recent events receive greater weight. The resulting measures are then normalized using exposure and converted into percentiles by comparing carriers with similar safety-event groupings. 

This means you should not compare two carriers solely because one has fewer total violations.

For example, Carrier A might have more inspections than Carrier B. Their raw numbers may therefore tell a very different story when considered without context.

How Often Does CSA Information Change?

FMCSA updates the SMS monthly. The agency explains that it takes a snapshot on the third or last Friday of each month, followed by processing and validation before the information is uploaded. 

That means a carrier's information can change over time.

If you're evaluating an important carrier relationship, avoid treating an old CSA review as permanently accurate.

How to Check a Carrier's CSA Information

A practical carrier-verification process can start with the carrier's USDOT or MC number.

Step 1: Get the Carrier's DOT or MC Number

Obtain the carrier's USDOT number, MC number, or both.

Step 2: Perform a DOT Number Lookup

A DOT number lookup can help you confirm the carrier's identity and locate available FMCSA information.

Check:

• Company name
• USDOT number
• Address
• Operating status
• Company details

Step 3: Perform an MC Number Lookup

An MC number lookup can help you review authority-related information and compare it with the carrier's other records.

Step 4: Review Safety Information

Look at available BASIC information, inspections, crashes, violations, and intervention indicators.

Step 5: Compare the Information

Make sure the carrier information matches the documents provided by the company.

This can help identify discrepancies before you book freight.

How MC LookUp Can Help

For brokers and logistics professionals, checking carrier information across multiple sources can take time.

MC LookUp is designed to simplify carrier research by bringing useful carrier information into a convenient lookup experience. Instead of treating an MC number or DOT number as just an identifier, users can use carrier data as part of a broader verification process.

A dedicated mc lookup platform can be particularly useful when you need to research multiple carriers during onboarding or freight planning.

Choosing a Top MC Number Lookup Tool

When comparing the top MC number lookup platforms, consider more than search speed.

Look for features such as:

• MC number search
• USDOT number search
• Company name search
• Carrier identification
• Operating authority information
• Safety information
• Inspection history
• Crash information
• Easy-to-understand carrier profiles
• Regular data updates

The best platform is one that fits your workflow and makes carrier research easier to understand.

Choosing a Top DOT Number Lookup Tool

A top DOT number lookup platform should help you quickly connect a USDOT number with the correct carrier record.

For brokers and shippers, useful capabilities include:

• Fast carrier searches
• DOT and MC number connections
• Company verification
• Safety-data access
• Clear carrier profiles
• Easy comparison of important information

The goal isn't simply to find a DOT number. It's to understand the carrier associated with it.

How Brokers Can Use a CSA Score Guide

A CSA score guide can be useful during the carrier onboarding process.

Instead of asking only, "Is this carrier's CSA score good?", ask:

1. Which BASIC categories show elevated performance?
2. What violations are contributing to the percentile?
3. How recent are the violations?
4. Are there repeated violations?
5. What does the inspection history show?
6. Are there crash-related concerns?
7. Is there an intervention indicator?
8. Does the carrier's information match its onboarding documents?

This approach gives you more useful information than relying on a single number.

CSA Score vs. Safety Rating

These terms should not be used interchangeably.

FMCSA explains that BASIC percentiles are part of SMS and are used to prioritize carriers for interventions. A formal safety rating can be issued through the separate Safety Fitness Determination process, including after an onsite investigation.

So when reviewing a carrier, distinguish between:

BASIC percentile: Relative safety-performance measure used by SMS.

CSA/SMS data: Broader safety-performance information used for monitoring and prioritization.

Safety rating: A formal FMCSA safety determination.

Common Mistakes When Reading CSA Data

Mistake 1: Thinking 80 Is Better Than 20

With BASIC percentiles, higher is generally worse—not better.

Mistake 2: Looking for One Overall CSA Score

FMCSA does not generate or endorse a single overall "CSA score." Third-party services may create their own scores, but those should not be confused with FMCSA's official BASIC percentiles.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the Individual BASIC

A single percentile doesn't explain what caused the result.

Mistake 4: Treating Every Violation the Same

Severity, timing, exposure, and the underlying circumstances can affect how SMS measures safety performance.

Mistake 5: Using CSA Data as the Only Verification Method

CSA information should be combined with carrier identity, authority, insurance, inspection, crash, and other relevant records.

Final Thoughts

Understanding CSA information is an important part of modern carrier verification, but the term "CSA score" can create confusion.

The most important takeaway is simple: lower BASIC percentiles are generally more favorable, while higher percentiles indicate worse relative performance. But there is no single FMCSA-approved good, average, or bad overall CSA score.

For brokers, shippers, and logistics companies, the best approach is to review the individual BASIC categories and understand what is driving the carrier's results. Combine that information with a DOT number lookup, MC number lookup, authority verification, and other carrier records before making a decision.

With the right CSA score guide and a reliable mc lookup process, you can turn carrier data into a more informed and consistent vetting workflow.

Quick CSA Review Checklist

• Check the carrier's USDOT number.
• Perform a DOT number lookup.
• Perform an MC number lookup.
• Review individual BASIC percentiles.
• Remember that higher percentiles generally indicate worse relative performance.
• Look at recent violations and inspections.
• Review crash information where available.
• Check for intervention indicators.
• Compare carrier information with submitted documents.
• Don't treat CSA data as a formal overall safety rating.
• Recheck important carriers as information is updated.

For carrier verification, the goal isn't to find a perfect number—it's to understand the complete safety picture.