People can be particular about the items they buy and use. That trait extends to truckers, too. Some wear only the best in blue jeans or boots. Others carry the latest technology when it comes to smart phones or watches. Some consider their favorite brand of truck to be superior to others and won’t drive anything else. Many are just as discerning about the things they buy and use at home.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting only the best. When it comes to hiring or adding drivers, many carriers want the best, too.
Federal regulations demand that background checks be performed on every driver. Considering the catastrophic impact of a “nuclear verdict,” the large cost of losing a lawsuit, carriers need to hire the best available drivers they can find.
That’s why your background is so important.
It’s also why it’s a mystery that so many drivers don’t work harder to make sure their industry history is as clean and credible as possible. After all, your background is the largest asset you have when you’re trying to get a new job or lease on to a carrier with a truck you’ve purchased.
In the interest of full disclosure, the writer of this story (that’s me, The Trucker’s Cliff Abbott) has managed driver recruiting teams at several carriers. I’ve seen thousands of applications and reviewed so many MVRs (Motor Vehicle Reports), DAC (employment history) reports, PSPs (Pre-Employment Screenings) and a mountain of other documents.
Maintain a clean driving record, and remember that inspections matter
Let’s start with the driving record. I was always amazed at drivers who listed “zero” traffic citations on their application, only to act surprised when a recruiter informed them that we knew about the ones listed on their MVR — all six of them.
Maybe they truly forgot about one or two of those citations, or perhaps they thought the date they received them was outside of the time limit specified on the application. After all, three years ago vs. a decade … who can remember? The Department of Motor Vehicles, that’s who. And employers have access to all of this information.
Checking an applicant’s PSP report was usually interesting, too
The PSP report lists mostly accident or inspection information for the past two to three years — but it also lists any citations issued, even if they were only a warning or the driver was acquitted in court. Sometimes the citations on the PSP showed up on the driver’s MVR, and sometimes not. For example, if the PSP has an entry of “speeding,” some carriers will treat the incident as an actual violation, while some won’t unless it also appears on the driver’s MVR.
The PSP report also shows inspection results. While chafed air lines or inoperative lights aren’t counted as traffic tickets, the PSP can indicate patterns in a driver’s behavior. Multiple violations for the same issues can be a sign that a driver isn’t performing pre-trip inspections or doesn’t properly secure cargo.
Poor performance in the past can trip you up, now and in the future
The employment history report often reveals information the driver didn’t disclose. Many motor carriers subscribe to HireRight’s DAC report, but there are other companies that provide this information as well.
Sometimes the carrier you’re applying with will reach out directly to your ex-employers, too. The information carriers will report about a previous employee’s history varies, with some providing a minimal amount of information — while others don’t hold back about “the good, the bad and the ugly” of a driver’s performance.
For example, there are legitimate reasons a driver might not return a carrier’s truck to a company terminal when resigning. However, if eight different employers report that you quit while under dispatch and abandoned their truck, that’s a major red flag that most recruiters will notice.
Another common issue is whether or not your work record with each employer is satisfactory and if you are eligible for rehire. Conflicts do happen, and not every job ends with good feelings on both sides. But if multiple carriers report that your employment was terminated and your work record unsatisfactory, there is cause for concern.
With the creation of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, positive drug screens and refusals to test are much more difficult to conceal. If you answered the question, “Have you ever tested positive…” with a “no” — and then the prospective employers spots a positive result or a refusal to test on a Clearinghouse query, you can add “dishonest” to your reputation … and you won’t be hired.
Your reputation is more than what you put on the application. You may not need a new job today, but tomorrow you might. Or you may want to purchase your own truck and lease it to a carrier. A background check will be done for that, too.
The best practice is to keep your record as clean as possible. If you need to resign, don’t let your emotions dictate your actions. Even if you’re angry, leave as a professional. Take care of citations. Comply with physical exam requirements. Don’t do drugs.
The first step in looking for a new job, before you fill out the first application, is to find out what’s already on your record. Find out how to order your MVR from the jurisdiction that issued your CDL, then order it.
Know what’s in your reports and make sure your application information is accurate
Order your PSP report. Obtain a copy of your HireRight DAC report. It’s free. Check with the Clearinghouse to make sure there’s no derogatory information in your file.
If you find errors in ANY report, find out how to correct them. Since your employment history is stored and reported by a consumer reporting agency, they are bound by law to investigate anything in your record at your request, and they must include your rebuttal if the problem isn’t resolved.
Finally, you’ll be miles ahead if you make sure the information you put on your job application matches your background records. Your employment history includes your dates of employment. Your MVR will include the dates of each citation, or show that you didn’t have any. Your PSP will show the carrier that employed you when your truck was inspected or in an accident, so make sure you list that carrier on the application.
In an industry that averages more than a job per year per employee, changing jobs isn’t uncommon. It can be tough to remember who you worked for years ago and the dates you worked there. Traffic stops are forgotten and remembering if that speeding ticket was three years ago or five can be confusing. Checking your own background before you apply helps the recruiter see your efficiency and honesty.
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
Hello. There is no mystery why drivers don’t want to play the clean record game. It’s for the criminal insurance companies. It has nothing to do with driver competence, abilities, skillset, or how he gets along with customers and authorities. It’s only about the crooked insurance companies. Too many corrupt games and drivers get fed up.