TIA releases updated Carrier Selection Framework

Third-party logistics provider (3PL) trade group the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) has released the latest version of its guide for helping 3PLs select motor carriers to haul their customers' freight, in an announcement from the organization's annual conference in Orlando, Fla.

The group's 2019 update of the TIA Carrier Selection Framework is focused on the latest status of the CSA Reform contained within the FAST Act, a contentious regulatory debate that has moved congressional party members to pick sides in a policy feud between industry groups. On one side, proponents such as trial lawyers and highway safety advocates support certain standards, while they are opposed by others who view those rules as overly zealous and harmful to business interests.

The Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program is a federal methodology for grading a carrier's fitness to haul freight, based on roadside performance data. That program is controlled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a unit of the Department of Transportation (DOT) that oversees truck and bus safety. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act is a transportation funding law that authorizes infrastructure funds and sets safety standards under the DOT's Federal Highway Administration (FHA) arm.

According to TIA, the CSA initiative is going through a potential overhaul with many different changes theoretically on the way, including how the scores are calculated and the role of publicly displayed data. "On behalf of the 3PLs, forwarders, shippers and the insurance companies who desire quantitative data to make decisions about carriers, TIA is pleased to continue leading the dialog in carrier selection," TIA CSA-Carrier Selection Framework Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Tucker said in a release. Tucker is CEO of Tucker Company Worldwide and former Chairman of the TIA Board of Directors.

In a related announcement, the TIA subcommittee included language on a new California law that will hold transportation intermediaries jointly and severally liable for contracting with port drayage motor carriers who have unsatisfied judgments regarding unpaid wages, damages, expenses, penalties and workers' compensation liability.

"TIA remains focused on helping our members navigate the complexities of carrier selection, and the Carrier Selection Framework is the key piece in this puzzle," TIA Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Burroughs said in a release. "I appreciate all the hard work of the Subcommittee and Chairman Tucker on continuing to refine this framework and provide our membership with the latest information and findings."