• Employers should verify that all information on a driver application is accurate and complete.

Perhaps the most critical step for employers in the initial driver screening process is a thorough review and verification of the written application. Responsible employers need to verify that all information on the submitted driver application is accurate and complete.

In addition to the requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSR), driver applications should ask for very specific information such as:

• Names, addresses and phone numbers of all past employers. Remember, this information should be listed in a logical and chronological order.
• Names and titles of previous supervisors and managers. Drivers who forgot, or don’t remember, the names of former supervisors may be trying to hide a negative reference.
• The driver’s full legal name, and all other names, aliases, or nicknames the applicant has ever gone by. Simple changes such as listing “Bill” instead of “William,” or failing to include a middle initial, can throw a background investigation off track.

HR topics to review as you hire motor carrier employees: Americans with Disabilities Act and Discrimination.

See also to Driver Qualification and Drug and Alcohol Testing.