Why do trucking companies ask for my Social Security number?

So the company can pay your Social Security and taxes? Every employer that pays taxes for you asks it. Did you have all cash jobs in the past?

 

I'm sure these companies safeguard all that info so it doesn't end up in the wrong hands (sarcasm).

 

Be very careful what you fill out online.

Ask some members here, that get phone calls from all kinds of trucking companies.

I'd not include my home number online.

They can email you, then give your number over the phone.

 

Cause it is the law.

The FMCSA regulations require that any employment application for a CDL job includes your SS # and your Date of Birth. This is only a requirement in the trucking world. Some small trucking companies are not aware of the regulations and hence do not ask for it. They just can't keep up with the 100s of pages of regulations on CDL drivers...
I include in on my resume, along with my date of birth, as I know the regs require it.

Non-transportation applications may or may not ask for SS# to track the application. Some employers with a fear of keeping the data secure do not ask for it. It depends on the industry and the particular employer.

 

From all the companies I contacted.. they were not upset that I did not include it in the first app.

but some online forms will not allow submission with empty fields.

Mikeeee

 

Read the application carefully. You are probably giving agreement to allow the company to check your credit report as part of background check. SSN is necessary for credit check. Some companies might not want to give a driver with bad credit an $80k truck and unsupervised access to expensive freight.

 

in that case, i have been known to use all X's or all 0's (zero's) although too, sometimes the application will still not advance to the ext page. it does kick it back saying, "invalid number"..