{ "sources": { "sms_inspection": { "dataset_id": "rbkj-cgst", "dataset_name": "SMS Input - Inspection", "dataset_url": "https://data.transportation.gov/d/rbkj-cgst", "rows_updated_at": "2026-10-13T08:22:41+00:00", "extract": "sms_inspection", "columns": [ "unique_id", "dot_number", "insp_date", "report_state", "insp_level_id", "driver_oos_total", "vehicle_oos_total", "oos_total", "unsafe_insp", "fatigued_insp", "dr_fitness_insp", "subt_alcohol_insp", "vh_maint_insp", "hm_insp", "basic_viol", "unsafe_viol", "fatigued_viol", "dr_fitness_viol", "subt_alcohol_viol", "vh_maint_viol", "hm_viol" ], "where": null, "row_count": 5853762, "content_sha256": "39ae1dffcd0b5852cc6dc403dc5d217fb555e181b829671c48667191033a6c3b", "downloaded_at": "2026-11-07T02:12:47+00:00", "file": ".research-cache/fmcsa/sms_inspection.csv" }, "sms_violation": { "dataset_id": "8mt8-2mdr", "dataset_name": "SMS Input - Violation", "dataset_url": "https://data.transportation.gov/d/8mt8-2mdr", "rows_updated_at": "2026-10-13T07:31:00+00:00", "extract": "sms_violation", "columns": [ "unique_id", "dot_number", "insp_date", "viol_code", "basic_desc", "oos_indicator", "severity_weight", "section_desc", "group_desc", "viol_unit" ], "where": null, "row_count": 6784490, "content_sha256": "5aba98c8672d10a363378667fe4d25708667dd553aaafe249d05749c80267165", "downloaded_at": "2026-11-07T02:21:07+00:00", "file": ".research-cache/fmcsa/sms_violation.csv" }, "sms_census": { "dataset_id": "kjg3-diqy", "dataset_name": "SMS Input - Motor Carrier Census Information", "dataset_url": "https://data.transportation.gov/d/kjg3-diqy", "rows_updated_at": "2026-10-13T08:31:57+00:00", "extract": "sms_census", "columns": [ "dot_number", "carrier_operation", "phy_state", "phy_zip", "nbr_power_unit", "driver_total", "authorized_for_hire", "exempt_for_hire", "private_property", "hm_flag", "pc_flag", "add_date" ], "where": null, "row_count": 2132868, "content_sha256": "c6a5c682232caf474f22a1242aaba189692fac26ac9af47943cf14273eb14000", "downloaded_at": "2026-11-07T02:22:55+00:00", "file": ".research-cache/fmcsa/sms_census.csv" }, "company_census_tx": { "dataset_id": "az4n-8mr2", "dataset_name": "Company Census File", "dataset_url": "https://data.transportation.gov/d/az4n-8mr2", "rows_updated_at": "2026-11-06T19:23:25+00:00", "extract": "company_census_tx", "columns": [ "dot_number", "status_code", "carrier_operation", "phy_state", "phy_cnty", "phy_city", "phy_zip", "power_units", "carship", "classdef" ], "where": "phy_state = 'TX'", "row_count": 379302, "content_sha256": "a92e67941901d8418f9d35b08793c56f8461947f302fd7a3c24083fcc84bde5d", "downloaded_at": "2026-11-07T02:23:05+00:00", "file": ".research-cache/fmcsa/company_census_tx.csv" } }, "inspection_window": { "first": "2024-09-25", "last": "2026-09-24" }, "hos_violations": "Rows of the SMS Input - Violation file whose BASIC is Hours-of-Service Compliance.", "hos_relevant_inspections": "Inspections in the SMS Input - Inspection file flagged fatigued_insp = true, meaning the inspection counts toward the HOS Compliance BASIC.", "counts_vs_rates": "Counts are violations. Rates use HOS-relevant inspections as the denominator. One inspection can carry several violations, so violation counts and inspection shares differ.", "oos": "oos_indicator as recorded on each violation. An inspection counts as having an HOS out-of-service violation if any of its HOS violations has oos_indicator = true.", "severity_weight": "SMS severity weights are FMCSA's SMS methodology weights. They are shown for reference and are not crash-risk estimates.", "code_granularity": "FMCSA records HOS violations under 154 distinct codes, and one underlying problem can appear under several codes (the False Log group alone spans 15 codes). Code-level rankings therefore depend on FMCSA's coding granularity; the SMS group and CFR section tables are steadier views.", "eld_overlap": "CFR sections are a classification, not a topic label. Of the 256,556 violations under 395.8 (record of duty status), 19,777 (7.7%) have an FMCSA code or description that mentions ELDs, so ELD-related problems appear in 395.8 as well as in the ELD sections 395.20 through 395.36.", "cfr_sections": "Violation codes are mapped to a Part 395 section by their numeric prefix; section headings come from the eCFR. A one-digit section is used only when no further digit follows, and codes whose prefix matches no current section are reported as unmapped rather than guessed. 395.15 is reserved in the current eCFR; its rows are legacy codes for the former AOBRD rules. A few HOS BASIC codes come from 49 CFR Part 392 (for example state or local hours laws and driving while fatigued) and are listed as not Part 395. Codes and descriptions are FMCSA's.", "fleet_size": "Inspected carrier's self-reported power units in the same SMS census run; inspections of carriers not in the census are excluded from fleet-size rows. Fleet-size bands differ in inspection mix (the Level III share is shown in hos_by_fleet_size.csv), so differences between bands are descriptive, not adjusted.", "texas": "Inspections with report_state = TX (inspections conducted in Texas), regardless of the carrier's home state. The comparison group is inspections conducted in all other report states.", "texas_like_for_like": "Texas and other-state rates are also shown within inspection Levels I, II, and III, for all carriers and for interstate carriers only (texas_hos_by_inspection_level.csv). The standardized Texas share applies Texas's level-specific rates to the other states' Level I-III mix (direct standardization). It adjusts for inspection level only; it does not adjust for intrastate rules, enforcement practice, routes, or carrier mix, and it does not show what share of the gap any one factor explains.", "suppression": "Rates require at least 1,000 HOS-relevant inspections.", "comparisons": "Differences under 1.0 percentage point are described as about the same.", "rounding": "Percentages rounded to one decimal place. Counts are exact.", "quality_checks": { "inspection_rows": 5853762, "duplicate_inspection_ids": 0, "violation_rows": 6784490, "violations_linked_to_an_inspection_row": 6784490, "violations_linked_share_pct": 100.0, "duplicate_carrier_dot_numbers": 0, "inspections_matched_to_census_carrier": 5853762, "inspections_matched_share_pct": 100.0, "hos_violation_rows": 612853, "hos_violation_count_from_inspection_file": 612853 }, "limitations": [ "Frequency is not severity: a common form-and-manner violation is not more dangerous than a rarer driving-limit violation.", "Recorded violations reflect what inspectors looked for and could see; they are not a census of all HOS non-compliance.", "Not every HOS violation leads to an out-of-service order; only violations with an out-of-service indicator do.", "Fleet-size rates depend on self-reported power units and on who gets inspected.", "Texas and other-state rates differ in inspection level mix and carrier population (Texas inspections include many intrastate carriers, which can operate under Texas hours rules). The comparison is descriptive and does not show that Texas carriers are more compliant.", "The SMS files contain only inspections and violations used in that month's SMS calculations.", "Nothing here establishes that any violation caused a crash." ] }