The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration should regularly update Congress on executing its Compliance, Safety and Accountability program, which would benefit from creating a driver fitness ratings implementation timetable, a federal oversight agency reported.

The Government Accountability Office advised the FMCSA to routinely report to Congress on CSA implementation issues and how it would mitigate any connected risks. It also should develop a reasonable timeframe to put driver fitness ratings into effect. The agency told the GAO it would consider the recommendations.

In 2009, Congress had asked the GAO to monitor the program’s implementation and the office conducted the performance audit through the end of last month.

The FMCSA had indicated consideration of implementing driver fitness ratings, but confirmed this intention to the GAO Sept. 23. The agency is seeking clarification on its authority to prohibit drivers, if determined to be unfit based on ratings, from operating in interstate commerce. It believes it has this authority, but is seeking congressional clarification as part of the next surface transportation reauthorization. The last extension of that funding expires March 31.

The FMCSA has prioritized implementing carrier oversight activities, agency officials told the GAO. Also, they now have more driver data than before, so implementing the driver component is not as critical to CSA’s ability to improve safety as they had believed when designing the program.

Delays are routine when adding a major program such as CSA, but the FMCSA has carried out most CSA oversight activities and briefed congressional staff on CSA periodically, agency representatives said.