NBC Connecticut Investigates has learned A & S Services Group, LLC, the company that owns the truck that triggered a fatal, multi-vehicle crash on I-84 Monday, is considered a high-risk carrier by at least one measure.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has several yardsticks to gauge trucking safety.
The FMCSA website gives the York, Pennsylvania company a satisfactory safety rating.
However, there’s another measure not visible to the public called an ISS2 algorithm.
It goes from zero to 100. A rating above 75 means the carrier is high risk and its trucks should be inspected.
A & S Services Group has a 97, according to vehicle inspectors who spoke with NBC Connecticut Investigates.
For perspective, one of the inspectors says FedEx has an algorithm of 63, which means it’s optional to inspect.
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That inspector also explains larger carriers may have a higher algorithm because of the number of trucks they have, and they often get written up for violations on the trailers they are towing, even if they don’t own them.
Other safety data on A & S Services Group says in the past two years, there have been four other fatal crashes involving the company.
Motor vehicle inspectors and a state trooper tell us that’s not a high number, when you consider the company has almost 1000 vehicles.
We reached out to A & S Services Group for comment about its ISS2 algorithm and the crash. We have not heard back.