Not reporting a previous employer?

Well, i'll throw my .02 in. It seems that you and a lot of other companies use DAC as a Bible. If you and others cannot judge a driver with your own skills that is a problem in it's self. You can get the info that you need from the release forms that a driver signs when filling out an App. I see nothing wrong with a driver holding back on reporting a job that he/she was at for 1-4 weeks. It seems that he/she has been screwed enough by a company and now gets screwed by some New Breed Desk Jockey that cannot see The Forest Thru The Trees? look it up if you do not know what it means. Relying on DAC is a joke because of the problems past and present, and you need to be a member to use there services. I was on the phone with Hire Right yesterday for about 45 min. and learned some facts, I do check my record once in a while as every driver should. And I would like to see of all the companies out here just how many are members of DAC. Why would you use a bullet holed torn up source like DAC that has law suits against it from drivers because of idiot Mega's that act like unprofessional little school children because they can get away with it. You can get a drivers DMV and PSP on your own, again, my .02

 

Again, the DAC isn't perfect, or the bible. I have hired plenty of guys who's DAC looked pretty bad at first glance. First off, I am just looking at guys who can take care of equipment. Sure, I talk for hours with all my recruits, but guess how many think they aren't an "above average" truck driver? Right about 0.
You have seen a bad truck driver before, right? Would you agree that they exist?
Before I go spending money on hotels and rental cars, I want to be as confident as possible. If one company says 1 bad thing, that doesn't matter to me. If I am paying for a DAC, I already like the driver based on our conversation. But if 4 companies all say you can't back, that is a pattern. Now I have to worry about my equipment. I can always assume there is at least one company (usually the mom & pops, actually) that was super pissed when you left, and leave some thing as legally bad as possible. (or maybe even illegally, those small shops have no problem trashing former drivers over the phone. If they feel you hurt their business, they will try to hurt you back, FYI. And like 'NotHereForLong' says, they care very little about the stupid 'sheeple' rules) But the megas? And most companies over 50 trucks really, just play it safe, report the accidents, and say "rehireable upon review". 90% of all DACs read like that.

 

Again, almost none of the megas use DAC. Swift, Martin, Werner, etc, all use their own systems, or even worse companies like DriverFacts that companies looking to hire you have to pay $25-$35 just to see. Thanks to all the complaints about DAC, most places are using in house programs with NO oversight, and NO chance of getting the record fixed.

At the end of the day, the megas have the most boring reports in the world. They have 20,000 drivers, they don't have time to give a crap about you. Or your DAC. If you hit something, and it's in your employee file, that is about the only thing they report.

 

I agree with what you say about talking with your recruits as that's the way it should be, yes you have a responsibility to make sure your hiring drivers that will not wreck your equipment up. And it is expensive to pay a drivers way to orientation and motel, I also realize about patterns, it's the same as when an audit happens.

 

Ahh yes, Driver Facts I believe I worked for a company that used that, now you got me thinking, When I talked to customer service at Hire Right, I was told that the drivers that had problems were the young trainees, I was told that the trainer would say hit something and he/she would go to safety and blame the trainee and the company would believe it and now the trainee gets a bad rap on DAC, and you talk about bad drivers, and that's giving DAC a bad name and the company that's pulling that crap.

 

Exactly. If that happens at one company, but the other places are clean, who cares? As long as it it not a DOT recordable, preventable accident (also would be on the PSP then), backing damage once or twice at your first job is no biggie. Now if you have "hit fixed object" at your last 3 jobs, I gotta dig into that before I can hire you...

 

Honesty is the best practice.
Tell them it was an extended interview and the new company didn't make the cut.

 

Exactly - we are all very aware that there are crappy companies that lie and break promises out there. I wish more people would search the thread "Report a Bad Company Here" on TTR. Its such a good source of info (if you can read it with your "Realistic" glasses on. Obviously, some of the stories are exaggerated bologna, but again, look for the patterns and you will get a realistic idea of what you are in for!)

On our application, there is a "Reason for Leaving" space - be as specific as possible about why you left. It could lead to a better conversation about what you are looking for in a company.

 

That sounds good in lots cases can be your downfall.
Silence is golden lots of times. Just ask any good defense lawyer.

 

We aren't talking about going to prison here, we are talking about being upfront with the people who want nothing other than to hire you. You know what sucks? Quitting your job to go start somewhere else, "fibbing by omission" on your application...and then getting sent home from Orientation or your first few weeks when they find out you falsified your application. I have seen it, and it sucks for everyone involved.

When the application asks for all accidents in the last 5 years and all employers in the last 5 years, and you purposefully omit them, then sign it, you really don't have a leg to stand on when you get let go for any reason. They will always be able to let you go for "falsifying your application". It's just a scenario to be in.

Seriously guys - with so many companies wanting drivers, all you really have to do make the recruiter like you, and they will go to bat for you as much as possible.