Driver Qualification File Management, Electronic Logging
Driver shortages hit all-time highs in 2021, making recruiting and retention a top priority for both large and small motor carriers. How can fleet managers and business leaders attract and retain drivers to fill their needs today and prepare for the demands of the future?
All employees want to feel supported by their employers, so having an employee-first (or specifically a driver-first) culture is important. Having access to the latest tools for communication, efficiency, and safety are important to them.
Offering a company culture that includes these technologies is the first step in building and maintaining a company that drivers want to become part of. Here are a few tools that are helping companies attract drivers and are helping driver stay safe, stay in touch, and efficiently complete their routes so they can return home to their families.
Becoming a Driver-First Focused Company
The right company focus that gives employees a sense of belonging, purpose, and tangible benefits is the first step toward retention. In this article, we present you with the top tools to consider in order to build that driver-first culture in your company.
Telematics Solutions
Your drivers spend most of their day behind the wheel and on the road alone. What better way to support them during the most difficult part of their job than with telematics-based software solutions that clearly offer a positive impact on driver experience and efficiency.
With mandated ELD regulations, drivers are concerned about planning their drive time accurately to avoid HOS violations. One extremely helpful tool in getting drivers home faster is a weigh station bypass system. Bypass systems not only make the driver feel cared-for and their time appreciated, but they also save the company time and money when drivers do not have to stop, produce the required information, and wait for law enforcement review. Some bypass systems offer e-inspection capabilities which streamline the process even if the driver is required to stop. Inspection time can be reduced from over a half hour to just minutes, enabling the driver to get back on the road more quickly.
Electronic Driver Qualification File Management
Another impressive tool that speeds onboarding and seasonal hiring, is online driver qualification file software. Online access for applying, re-hire, and getting the necessary documentation for compliance helps companies streamline their operations and present themselves to prospective employees in a professional and organization manner.
These driver qualification file systems also offer driver communications to help facilitate the gathering of compliance documents while on the road. When a driver applicant sees how easy the onboard and compliance process is, the driver-first company benefits.
In Conclusion
At VLC, our TripDawg and DQMConnect™ products are helping companies improve recruitment and retention by helping them with a driver-first culture. Let’s explore these opportunities and others that can help your business build an efficient, exciting technology strong company that drivers want to be part of. Contact us for a discovery call.
Vehicle Licensing Consultants
A Virtual Projects, LLC Company
Fleet & Driver Compliance…Fleet Tracking Software
530-384-3884
DOT Compliance, DQMConnect™
Accidents are an unfortunate fact of life in the transportation industry. With millions of trucks on the road every day, incidents will occur – and when they do, you need to be protected. Even though over half of accidents are due entirely to driver error, investigators will still expect you to demonstrate due diligence to reduce your own liability. Proper DOT driver qualification file management makes this far easier to achieve!
Why DQ File Management Matters
The Driver Qualification (DQ) file is a set of documents, mandated by the Department of Transportation regulation, demonstrating the fitness of a driver for their job. You must maintain a DQ file on all commercial drivers operating machinery weighing 10,001 pounds or more.
This file includes:
- Current driver’s license and status
- Motor vehicle records
- Credit and background check records
- Drug tests and results
- Driving record and previous violations if any
- Medical evaluations and certifications
- FMCSA clearinghouse queries
- And more
This file is your master record of a driver’s fitness – and your go-to source of proof that you have done your job properly as an employer. Without this information, you could become liable for drivers’ mistakes on the road.
For example, if you were unable to produce proof that you conducted background checks on your driver, that could be used against you if they had black marks on their past driving record. If they were not given regular physical checkups, or you lack documentation, a physical failing on the job could also become your legal responsibility.
In other words, good DOT driver qualification file management isn’t just the law, it’s also a very good idea. If your DQ files are well-maintained while being constantly reviewed and updated according to standards, your operation will be on much better legal footing should an accident occur on the road.
If not, your operation could end up on the hook for any and all damages done, and potentially face criminal action as well, depending on the severity of the situation. This must be avoided at all costs because a single case could be financially disastrous.
DOT Driver Qualification File Management
Vehicle Licensing Consultants specialize in helping professional fleets manage and maintain their fleets and drivers while staying fully within legal requirements. DQMConnect™ is your all-in-one tool for DQ file management! Click here to learn more, or request a free 30-day trial.
DQMConnect™, Driver Safety
Due to the genuine danger that can come from large trucks, it’s absolutely vital to know that your drivers are capable of doing the job – and that’s not just good advice; it’s the law. Under Federal Rule 391, anyone employing professional drivers operating vehicles over 10,000 pounds must maintain a Driver Qualification (DQ) File for every driver.
The DQ file contains numerous documents and information necessary to prove, on-demand, that your drivers are capable of doing their jobs safely. That makes this a critical piece of documentation to have and maintain.
Documentation Needed for Driver Qualification File Management
There are numerous pieces of information on your drivers that you must be able to produce on-demand as part of their DQ file. These include:
Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs)
You must maintain documentation of vehicle records for every driver, covering every state in which they’ve held a license or permit in the last three years. These records should be updated on an annual basis, to reflect the most current past-three-year period.
Previous Employer Requests and Responses
As with MVRs, you must also maintain personnel investigation requests and responses from the past three years, for every employer the driver has previously worked with during that period. This includes all responses from previous employers, as well as any situations where previous employers failed to respond to requests. If the driver has held no previous DOT-regulation positions, this should be documented as well.
Medical Examination Certificates
You must maintain documentation on the physical fitness of every applicable driver. At a minimum, medical examinations must be conducted at least once every 24 months. In some cases, if the worker has documented health problems, this minimum may be lower. This information must always be kept on file, including the medical examiner’s status.
Pre-Employment Drug & Alcohol Testing
All employers must drug and alcohol test their drivers prior to employment, for anyone holding a Commercial Driver’s License. The documentation of the test – and their passing of it – should be kept in your DQ file.
Driver Qualification File Management Solutions
Driver qualification file management can be a hassle, but VLC makes it easier with DQMConnect™ – our custom solution for managing and automating DQ-related tasks. Click here to learn more, and schedule a 30-day free trial!
