Background checks...

Well if you have your own authority, you'll already be a member of a drug testing consortium, so you'll just add the driver to that. Before he test drives, you'll need to have already done the background checks and added said driver to your insurance. Hire right, the evil people behind DAC, have a one stop shop for this. You can get background, dac, mvr, search other states for CDL's, etc all with the click of a mouse. You'll need to setup an account with them prior to needing the check. It's very simple. Once the driver checks out OK, add them to your insurance, and take them out for a spin. I've heard of driver's not passing the driving test before, but even so you might be out maybe $100 in reports, far less than a deductable and insurance increase, plus CSA points if the driver can't drive.

 

40calglock is right. Spend the money now and check out the driver thoroughly. Things can still go south but at least you did what you can. I would make some phone calls to former employers also.

 

Call your insurance agent also & tell them that you want to test this driver.
They'll do all the prelim. checks for you & tell ya NO, or OK test him. If they find that they would'nt cover him anyway, it's a no-go.

 

Sign up w/ the FMCSA to use the Pre-Employment Screening Program, costs $10.00 per use and you get his background from the DOT. They give you 5 years of accident history [of accidents that make it to the DOT] and 3 years of Roadside inspection history.

Only thing is a good percentage of the guys I run come back w/ no record...

The roadside info will tell you where he worked when he was stopped. Use the SMS web-page to look up the carrier by the DOT and that gives you the address and telephone +/or fax number so you can contact his prior employers.

Have you had your new entrant audit? Sounds like you need to make sure you have your drug and alcohol program set up and that you have the negative pre-employment drug screen results b/4 working the driver.

Set up a qualification file and keep the results of sending for his previous work history together with his MVR, a copy of his CDL and Medical, road test and proof that you issued him educational materials on the evils of drug and alcohol.

Do your home work and set things up right, you will be better off this way.

 

First, no driver can driver your truck until you have done all the checks including the DMV. If you show that these checks have been done AFTER that check ride then you are in violation. You are not even allowed to let them drive until you have a clean drug test in your hands. I know if the past many companies would be doing drive test and drug tests on the same day but you are seeing this change as more and more companies are getting hand slapped on this.

Being a small carrier it is easier to get caught on this. And if you are hiring before you new entry audit this is one of the things they look at.

Yes, agents will run an MVR to see if they will cover a driver. I have found it easier to run the MVR before calling that way if there is something minor that may get them declined I can address it from the beginning.

 

All this is good info and things have changed ALOT since I was hireing drivers, BUT your insurance company is the final word. If they won't insure you with him in the truck, it doesn't matter what fmcsa, csa, etc say good or bad. Your relationship with him is OVER. If he get's past your insurance company, then hes probably good-to-go. YES any insurance company will be happy to do the preliminary checks free of charge.
JMO