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New Driver Screening & Selection

Although your organization’s purpose statement might not describe it, you are – at some level – in the transportation business. Whether your fleet has one vehicle or dozens, each of your vehicles and drivers represent both an investment and a risk. Your commitment to transportation safety will help keep your resources focused on making positive change possible in your community.

The screening and selecting of qualified drivers are critical to your fleet’s efficiency. Incompetent drivers may cause legal liability, unnecessarily high operating costs, delay service to customers and harm public relations. With this in mind, it is crucial that adequate information is obtained concerning a driver applicant’s background, ability and driving history. Consider having the following elements in your organization’s driver screening and selection process.

Driver’s License

Each applicant must have a valid driver’s license. The license should be appropriate for the type of vehicle the applicant will be driving.

Motor Vehicle Records Check

It is recommended that motor vehicle reports from the State Department of Motor Vehicles – or the DMV counterpart in your state – be obtained and reviewed regularly for all drivers (subject to applicable privacy laws in a given jurisdiction). The driver applicant should also be required to provide references and a record of previous employment, and these should be thoroughly checked.

The screening and selection process can be made simpler if driver qualifications and requirements are made a part of the driver’s position description. A detailed, accurate job description can help make sure that persons hired (or selected as a volunteer) for driving positions have the proper qualifications for the position.

Drug and Alcohol Screening

Fleet safety policies should prohibit operating a company vehicle or personal vehicle for company business while under the influence of alcohol or any mind-altering or fatigue-symptom inducing substance, including illegal, prescription and over-the-counter substances. The policy should also describe any drug testing measures.

Ready to begin your fleet safety journey? Ask your GuideOne agent about our Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, where you can work one-on-one with risk control consultants to improve your fleet’s safety and efficiency. You can also find more information on Vehicles & Drivers by visiting our blog or our Safety Resources library.

© 2024 GuideOne Insurance. GuideOne® is the registered trademark of the GuideOne Insurance Company. All rights reserved. This material is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to give specific legal or risk management advice, nor are any suggested checklists or action plans intended to include or address all possible risk management exposures or solutions. You are encouraged to retain your own expert consultants and legal advisors in order to develop a risk management plan specific to your own activities.