UNLOCKING THE UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF THE PASTMYSTERIES OF THE PAST

How to Verify Driver History

Are You A Slacker ?Are You A Slacker ?

People who only do what it takes to get by usually are not very successful

The same goes for your safety The same goes for your safety program !!program !!

Aim High to Succeed

Verifying an applicant’s past history should not just be about compliance

Federal regulations are minimum standardsminimum standards a.k.a – just getting by!

Set you goals high to attract the best drivers

What is Your Goal

If your goal is the minimum standards, what kind of driver are you looking for?

If your goal is to attract poor drivers, hiring poor drivers will take care of that for you

Good drivers attract other good drivers!

What Is A Driver?What Is A Driver?

Employee, independent contractor, etc… Witness, exhibit A, evidence Keep in mind – all driver records are

potential evidence in a court case AND all drivers are potential witnesses in a

court case!

Hiring is a Two Step ProcessHiring is a Two Step Process

Step 1Step 1 - Know what you are looking for in a driver

Step 2Step 2 – Investigate the applicant to see if he/she is what you are looking for

Step 1 – Know What You Step 1 – Know What You Are Looking ForAre Looking For

Establish company hiring standards– Min age– Min years and/or type of experience– Max number of accidents– Max number moving violations– Desired radius, home time, pay, etc…

Step 2 – Investigate the DriverStep 2 – Investigate the Driver

STOP THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION Investigate the driver to make sure he/she

fits the established standards Use the four keys to unlock the mystery of

their past

The Four Keys The Four Keys

Interviews – telephone and/or in-personApplicationMVR(s)Employment History Checks

InterviewsInterviews

Use as a screening tool Make a list of qualifier questions

– Use established company hiring standards– If driver does not meet these qualifications tell

them why and cut your loses

Take notes for future reference

ApplicationApplication

Have consent forms in application pack Do not accept incomplete applications

– No blank sections, unexplained gaps, at least month/year on dates of employment, etc

Review application with driver if possible– Can catch errors/omissions and get clarification – ASK QUESTIONS!!!

MVRMVR

Must check ALL CDLs held in past three years

Watch for “surrendered” CDL comment – means there was a CDL from another state

“Failure to appear”, “Failure to comply” etc. goes to driver’s responsibility

Require driver to maintain current address

Background History ChecksBackground History Checks

Studies show that more than 35% of people lie on their application – CHECK IT!

“That sounds right” is not a good response – Ask for exact dates when verifying employment

Ask the question – “Would you re-hire this driver?”

Listen to their tone, and listen to your gut!

Why Insist On Exact Dates?

Applicant lists Company A: from Jan 99 to March 00, and Company B: from April to Dec 00

Both companies say “that sounds right” Actually, he worked at Company A from Jan 31,

1999 to Feb 25, 2000 and Company B from April 30 to Dec 1, 2000

During this 63 DAY gap he worked at Company C and was fired for a positive drug test and has never been evaluated by a SAP

Background Checks ContinuedBackground Checks Continued

What do you do with these?– Out of business– Self-employed– Unemployed – Gaps in employment

How do you find company information?– Telephone– Mailing address

Information ResourcesInformation Resources

Call Information (area code) 555-1212 DAC Safersys.org Internet search engines & directories Friends, associates in industry State trucking associations Chamber of Commerce Tax Statements

Compare All Sources of Compare All Sources of InformationInformation

Crosscheck all of the information– Do all the pieces fit?…don’t try to put a square

peg in a round whole

Did a key open a hidden skeleton closet• Gaps in dates of employment

• Hidden jobs

• Hidden moving violations and/or accidents

Stay Off the Slippery Slope

When you make an exception – you are changing your standards

One exception quickly becomes the rule This fuels your addiction

Who Cares Who or How We Hire?

The DOT Your Insurance Carrier Your Current Drivers A JURY

Stop Gambling With Your Stop Gambling With Your Company’s FutureCompany’s Future

The next roll of the dice could cost more than you can afford to lose

For addiction counseling, feel free to contact us any time…800-457-5255

Dmayer@mjai.comLnugen@mjai.com