If you have a trucking business, hiring the right people is crucial. Having drivers who are committed to safety is so important for maintaining good loss history and DOT scores – they’re the people who are operating trucks for you and who are delivering loads for you. That’s why MVR checks are a big part of being an employer for a trucking business, and why it’s so important to do pre-employment screenings as well. Here are a few reasons why MVRs and pre-employment screenings are such a big deal.
The importance of doing MVR checks for trucking business.
Trucking businesses must be careful to hire drivers with good driving records. If a trucking business has a DOT Number by DOT rules, they are required to have MVRs included in their drivers’ employment files. The MVRs are required to be updated once a year. Trucking businesses that aren’t keeping track of MVRs and following the applicable requirements risk getting caught in DOT audits and random DOT inspections that can really hurt their DOT scores.
However, doing MVR checks is not just about staying in the DOT’s good graces. It is a good defense from a litigation standpoint. Doing MVR checks can help you prove that you hire safe, trustworthy drivers to operate your vehicles, and that can help you avoid claims of negligent entrustment if something ever did happen, like an accident. You can show that as an employer you are committed to hiring safe drivers with good driving histories.
The importance of pre-employment screenings.
MVRs aren’t the only “checks” trucking businesses can conduct on their drivers. The pre-employment screening (PSP) is a new tool available for when you’re hiring a new driver, and it’s more informative than the MVR. Essentially, it gives an overview of how the driver performed for their last employer. When you’re considering a potential driver, you can see their claims and inspections to get a sense of what kind of employee they’ll be.
The purpose of all of this is to see if the driver is conscientious and committed to safety. By doing a pre-employment screening through the FMCSA, you can see if the driver has been a good employee for their former employer. (And it can give you an idea of why they’re looking for employment in the first place. Have they had a poor driving history? Have they wreaked havoc on someone else’s DOT Number?) Though pre-employment screenings may be more expensive than running MVRs, running a PSP is an important part of hiring a driver for your business. That way you can rest assured that you’ve got good drivers running loads for your business.
Get the truck insurance you need to protect your business.
So, that’s why doing MVRs and pre-employment screenings are so important for trucking businesses from a DOT standpoint and a litigation standpoint. Safety needs to be a top priority. And another thing that’s really important for trucking businesses is that they have the right truck insurance. Our team can help you get insurance quotes – get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or message us on LiveChat. We’d be happy to help you get the coverage you need to protect your business.
For more details on MVR checks and pre-employment screenings, check out our partner, MVRcheck.com for more details. Our customers save 15% at MVRcheck.com!
