Background Checks On Drivers Can Be a Legal Obstacle Course for Carriers

When it comes to complying with federal regulations regarding the hiring of commercial truck drivers, many trucking managers rely heavily on consumer reporting agencies to conduct background checks in order to obtain more reliable data.

One of the legal obstacles to be overcome, say carriers, is caused by a paradox in the law that makes it difficult to obtain reliable information on job candidates. While Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations re-quire carriers to obtain three years of employment and three years of driving history for every driver they want to hire, current regulations do not require previous employers to share such histories. And often those previous employers face the possibility of lawsuits against them for libel if they give out anything other than dates of employment.

For the full story see the Sept. 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.