Algorithmic governance and carrier response

1. Algorithmic determinism and Daubert alignment

SafeNY carrier analyses are deterministic outputs of published statistical procedures applied to public FMCSA records. The system is structured to satisfy the four prongs of the Daubert standard for scientific evidence.

Testability and falsifiability

Every score (SNRS, SSR, P90, Tier) is computed by a documented formula. Any third party can apply the same procedures to the same FMCSA inputs and obtain identical results. The methodology is therefore empirically testable and falsifiable.

Known error rate

Methodology v6.5.g documents calibration parameters (Bayesian shrinkage prior_strength = 10, exposure floor = 0.005, EMA α = 0.40) and the false-positive rates these parameters produce on the May 2026 FMCSA snapshot. Confidence intervals (P10–P90) are computed alongside point estimates rather than substituted for them.

Peer-reviewable methodology

The entire methodology — formulas, calibration constants, source data references, version history — is published at /methodology and anchored cryptographically (SHA-256). Each version is immutable once released; calibration changes produce new versioned methodologies, not retroactive edits.

Standards and controls

No human analyst interprets, edits, weights, or overrides algorithmic output at any stage — neither during data ingestion from FMCSA, nor during score computation, nor during page rendering. Analyst discretion is structurally absent from the analysis chain. This is enforced at the data-access boundary: the score-generation pipeline reads only public FMCSA records and the published methodology configuration.

The methodology version applied to a specific carrier analysis is recorded at snapshot generation time and preserved cryptographically in the snapshot's hash. Subsequent methodology updates do not retroactively alter prior snapshots.

2. Carrier response protocol

Carriers analyzed under SafeNY's methodology may submit a formal response within 30 calendar days of any published analysis.

Submission:

• Form: /governance/respond
• Email: governance@safeny.com

Response submission requires:

• USDOT number (validated against current FMCSA carrier records)
• Responder role declaration
• Response category (factual correction / operational context / compliance update)
• Response text or structured fact dispute
• Acknowledgment of representation under penalty of perjury (for factual corrections)

Structured fact disputation

For category "factual correction," carriers are encouraged to identify specific data points contested. Each disputed fact is recorded with its stated correction and any cited evidence. SafeNY's operator review compares each stated correction against the FMCSA record at review time. Verified corrections are incorporated into subsequent analyses. Discrepancies — including those where the carrier's stated value diverges materially from the federal record — are preserved in the response audit log.

Operator review timeline: 30 calendar days from submission. Responses determined to be factually grounded are published alongside the original analysis with "Carrier Response Filed: [date]" notice on the carrier page.

Responses are not published if they:

• Contain personal attacks on SafeNY staff or affiliates
• Demand removal of factually accurate analysis
• Fail to provide verifiable correction or substantive context
• Were submitted by unverified representatives

3. Methodology governance

SafeNY's methodology is governed by:

• Versioning — Each methodology version is hashed (SHA-256), published as immutable, and anchored at /cite/integrity. Methodology version v6.5.g produces output that can be retroactively verified against the published v6.5.g hash.
• Calibration cadence — Parameters are recalibrated quarterly against new FMCSA snapshots; each calibration event is logged with input snapshot hash, parameter changes, and rationale.
• Archive — All historical versions remain accessible at /cite/integrity for retroactive audit of past analyses.
• Limitations disclosure — Known model limitations and miscalibration regimes are documented at /methodology.

Methodology changes do not retroactively alter prior snapshots. A snapshot generated under v6.5.g remains v6.5.g indefinitely and renders as such regardless of future methodology revisions.

4. Scope and limitations

SafeNY analyses are:

• Statistical — estimates of distributions over comparable incident populations, not predictions of specific case outcomes
• Algorithmic — deterministic functions of public FMCSA data
• Decision-support — intended to inform attorney consultation, not to replace legal counsel

SafeNY analyses are not:

• Legal advice (we are not attorneys)
• Verdicts (we do not adjudicate fault)
• Determinations of carrier liability for any specific incident
• Predictions of insurance recovery for any specific case
• Comprehensive (we analyze public FMCSA records; private data not disclosed by FMCSA is not included)

For case-specific legal advice, consult an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction.

5. Data sources and updates

Primary sources (all public):

• FMCSA SAFER (carrier profiles)
• FMCSA SMS (Safety Measurement System: BASIC scores, measures, percentiles)
• FMCSA L&I (Licensing & Insurance, daily refresh via catalog.data.gov)
• FMCSA Crash Reports (5-year window)

Update cadence: monthly snapshots for SMS-derived analyses; daily refresh of L&I records.

Erratum process: factual errors are corrected through the Carrier Response Protocol (§ 2 above).

Source data captures are preserved cryptographically at analysis-generation time. This serves two functions: (a) it defends against post-hoc carrier record modifications by preserving the federal record state at analysis time, and (b) it enables Daubert-grade audit by allowing any party to verify our analysis against the same FMCSA snapshot we used.