Carrier Safety Indicators: BASICs, Ratings, and Estimated ISS

The seven BASIC categories

FMCSA's Safety Measurement System groups information into seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. Availability varies; do not assume all category percentiles are public.

• Unsafe Driving
• Hours-of-Service Compliance
• Driver Fitness
• Controlled Substances/Alcohol
• Vehicle Maintenance
• Hazardous Materials Compliance
• Crash Indicator

Public data and estimates are different

Crash Indicator and Hazardous Materials Compliance percentiles are not publicly displayed in SMS. When a product shows an estimate, identify the source, method, and date before using it. An estimate is not an official FMCSA percentile or safety rating.

A percentile is not a probability

Relative measures compare a carrier with a comparison group; they do not tell you the probability that a particular shipment will have an incident. Read inspection volume, fleet context, observation dates, and available safety ratings together. Insufficient data does not mean zero risk.

Use ISS information carefully

ISS is an inspection-selection aid. A vendor's estimated ISS score should be labeled as estimated and should not be presented as a guarantee of roadside inspection, shipment delay, or fitness to haul your freight.

Turn indicators into a documented review

• Use indicators to trigger review under your written policy.
• Explain what a Red, Yellow, or Green indicator means to your team.
• Record supporting information and unresolved questions.
• Review material changes instead of relying on a single historical snapshot.