Open CSA Point Letters and Other PDF Files

As a driver, you might sometimes receive a point letter as a PDF file or a link to download a point letter as a PDF file to your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Follow the same steps you use to view any PDF file. The PDF file format might be used for any number of documents including an invoice, CSA point letter, a bill-of-lading, or a receipt. You can view a PDF file in a text message, attached to an e-mail message, in a web browser such as Chrome or Safari, or in your favorite PDF reader app.

If you experience difficulty downloading points letters, familiarize yourself with your device, operating system, and apps for viewing PDF files, or contact your fleet manager or supervisor for assistance.

 

Each year in the USA and Canada about 410,000 police-reported large commercial vehicle crashes occur, which often result in CSA points and point letters. These points increase with the severity of the violation from a few points for minor violations to many more points for severe violations. As a fleet driver, your goal is to keep that score as low as possible by driving safely and complying with maintenance and hazardous materials requirements.

A compliance, safety, and accountability (CSA) risk score is a safety metric to identify high-risk fleets, carriers, and drivers. CSA scores help enforce safety. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) administers accountability for motor carriers and drivers by monitoring scores. Low-risk CSA scores can help a carrier win new business due to customer safety preferences and lower annual insurance premiums. A carrier might also enjoy fewer DOT audits, fewer roadside inspections, and easier driver recruitment efforts. High-risk CSA scores can result in FMCSA scrutiny and possibly out-of-service order shutdowns.

Drivers sometimes receive point letter PDFs but have not received training or cannot remember how to open these or any other PDF file on their mobile device. To open a point letter PDF (just like any other PDF on your mobile device) you can download a PDF reader app for your Android or iOS device.

On Android devices, as of December 2024, an update to Chrome automatically includes native support for opening PDF files. You can also continue to use an app like the Google PDF Viewer app or Adobe Acrobat Reader app.

Before December 2024, Android users sometimes had to configure Chrome to open a PDF using the steps below:

  1. Launch Chrome Browser on your device.

  2. Set the default behavior to open PDFs in Chrome directly by entering the following in the Chrome search bar:

    chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments

    Or, navigate the long way to Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings, Additional content settings, and then tap PDF documents.

    Select the Open PDF in Chrome option.

 

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