Transportation companies and drivers bear a large responsibility. Every driver represents the business and must keep other drivers, themselves, and their freight safe and secure, each time a truck leaves the dock.
If you recently started a trucking company and wonder what to do when hiring safe and reliable truck drivers, you might need some information to get started, especially when conducting truck driver background checks. These screenings are mandatory and vital to your company’s health, so we want to share important information and some vital steps in the process.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates trucking companies and requires background checks for all commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders planning to drive for a transportation company. This means you must perform employee screenings to ensure continuous compliance with government regulations if your business employs individuals who use commercial vehicles to transport passengers or freight.
The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports more than 400,000 accidents and crashes involving large commercial vehicles annually in the U.S. Approximately 4,000 of those reported accidents end in fatalities and other tragedies.
A background check helps protect your business from lawsuits associated with driver-related accidents. Your ability to quickly and easily provide proof of a background check for your qualified commercial drivers will save you from additional legal issues in the event of an accident.
What Is a Standard Background Check for Truck Drivers?
A standard truck driver’s background check focuses on:
- Driver and motor vehicle records
- Background checks
- Pre-employment screening via DOT data
- Verification of CDL
- Drug testing and verification of a clean record without drug or alcohol-related violations
- Criminal history
- Employee history verification
- Credit reports
Conducting thorough and professional employee vetting screenings can save your business from a poor hiring choice.
What Does a Trucking Company Background Check Consist Of?
Either you or your professional background check company will take the following steps to comply with employee laws and DOT’s mandates:
- Research and compile identifying information for each candidate or employee, including full name and any aliases, current address and social security number.
- Perform a credit check, employment history verification, criminal history and driving record check.
- Conduct a national theft database check and a national background check.
How Long Does a Truck Driving Background Check Take?
Depending on your HR team’s experience performing background checks and the complexity of the truck driving candidate’s history, the timeline for conducting background checks and receiving the results varies.
You can expedite the process when you invest in working with a professional screening company whose team members perform thorough and legally compliant employee screenings for the transportation and logistics industry regularly.
How Far Back Does a Background Check Go for Truck Drivers?
According to The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and under the code of federal regulations number 49 CFR § 391.23, background checks for prospective truck drivers must go back three years.
GVN Performs Truck Driver Background Checks for Consistent Compliance and Protection of Your Business
Our Global Verification Network team of professionals is here to help you maintain regulatory compliance and peak road safety for your drivers and the public. We understand the legal matters associated with screenings, making it easy for us to quickly and thoroughly perform detailed background checks that give insight into each employee’s professional background, training record, character and driving history. We deliver answers to your crucial questions to get to know and build trust with prospective employees.
We serve the transportation and logistics industry, including local delivery, long-haul truck drivers and much more. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you hire the best truck drivers who will keep themselves, others and your business’s reputation safe.