New Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program

From Professional Safety

U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced October 7, 2009 that it will launch a new Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program which will allow commercial motor carrier companies to electronically access driver inspection and crash records as a part of the hiring process. The program is expected to begin in December 2009.
By using driver safety information during pre-employment screening, motor carriers will be able to better assess potential safety risks of a prospective driver-employee, and drivers will have additional opportunities to verify the data in their driving history and correct any discrepancies.
Commercial driver safety records are currently available to federal and state law enforcement personnel, and accessible to drivers through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Once the pre-employment screening program is launched, driver safety records will be readily available to motor carriers regardless of state or jurisdiction. In accordance with federal privacy laws, drivers must first give written consent in order for their records to be released.
The Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program will be populated by FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). The MCMIS is comprised of driver performance data including roadside inspection and compliance review results, enforcement data, state-reported crashes, and motor carrier census data.