DOT Agency Launches Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency of the Department of Transportation, will launch its new Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program to allow motor carriers to check driver inspection and crash records as part of the hiring process. The program is expected to begin in December 2009. The program will allow motor carriers to better assess the qualifications of their drivers, and will also allow drivers to review their records and correct any misinformation.
The Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program will be populated by FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). The information includes driver performance data, including roadside inspection and compliance review results, enforcement data, state-reported crashes and motor carrier census data.
Previously, those records were only available to federal and state law enforcement personnel, and were also accessible to drivers through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Under the new program, all motor carriers in every state and jurisdiction will have access to the information. In accordance with privacy laws, drivers must provide written authorization to allow access to the records.
For more information, see http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/fmcsa0309.htm.