**FMCSA to Host Webinar on Safety Measurement System Updates**
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has scheduled a webinar on January 16 to discuss upcoming changes to its Safety Measurement System (SMS) ([Land Line](https://landline.media/fmcsa-schedules-thursday-jan-16-meeting-on-safety-measurement-system/)). The SMS helps the agency identify motor carriers that may need intervention.
FMCSA is working on a redesign of the system to improve how safety data is displayed. The webinar will focus on three key updates: reorganizing compliance categories, grouping violations differently, and simplifying severity weights. These changes aim to make the system clearer and more accurate.
In November 2024, FMCSA introduced proposed updates to the SMS. The agency stated that feedback from government officials, industry representatives, researchers, and the public helped shape the changes. FMCSA believes the updates will improve fairness and accuracy in evaluating motor carriers.
However, some in the trucking industry remain critical. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supports certain changes but argues that FMCSA has not gone far enough. Jay Grimes, OOIDA’s director of federal affairs, stated that the modifications fail to properly identify at-risk carriers and reduce truck crashes. He added that much of the data FMCSA collects does not directly relate to crash risk.
The SMS program has been in place since 2006, originally introduced as Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) 2010. Over the years, OOIDA has raised concerns about the quality of data used in the system. The organization believes a major overhaul is still necessary.
FMCSA is expected to announce a launch date for the updated SMS soon. Trucking industry stakeholders can find more details about the changes [here](https://landline.media/fmcsa-schedules-thursday-jan-16-meeting-on-safety-measurement-system/).