{"id":404861,"date":"2024-10-22T15:58:22","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:58:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arcpointlabs.com\/martinez\/?p=404861"},"modified":"2024-10-22T15:58:28","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:58:28","slug":"what-is-pre-employment-screening-program-psp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arcpointlabs.com\/martinez\/blog\/what-is-pre-employment-screening-program-psp\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a DOT Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hiring the right drivers is an important part of your job. You want people who are reliable and safe on the road. When hiring somebody with a CDL, you need to know if they are both of those things quickly and easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where the DOT Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) comes in. It’s a way of allowing you to easily check a driver’s complete history and ensure that they are a safe candidate before moving on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to the DOT Pre-Employment Screening Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The PSP is a program designed to give employers better and more comprehensive access to driver’s records. The FMCA initially intended to implement a Driver Safety Measurement System (DSMS), which would have assigned drivers a safety score. The underlying system was maintained and became the DOT screening system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose is not<\/em> to require employers to do anything but rather to provide data employers can use to screen drivers prior to employment. Carriers using PSP have 8% lower crash rates and 17% lower driver out-of-service rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PSP is different from a state-issues Motor Vehicle Report. The latter only includes traffic-related convictions<\/em> and is not as comprehensive. PSP includes the last five years of data, even if the driver has changed CDL numbers (usually because they moved states) and all safety violations. It’s also country-wide. Carriers can enroll in the service to access this data. Drivers can also access their own data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview of the DOT Regulations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The PSP was authorized by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act and is associated with the CSA. Under this law, driver data is available to potential employers, service providers, and the drivers themselves. Drivers can contest anything on their record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only enrolled and approved companies have access to PSP to protect driver privacy. The information may only<\/em> be used for pre-employment screening and must not be shared with anyone but the candidate and HR people. You need the driver’s consent to pull their records, although you can make a job offer contingent on PSP results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Components of the DOT Pre-Employment Screening Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The primary component of the program is a database that contains all drivers with active CDLs, across all states. A driver’s record will follow them if their CDL number changes. Carriers can access records through an online interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each record contains the most recent 5 years of crash data and most recent 3 years of roadside inspection data from the MCMIS database. It shows who they were driving for and the location and date for each incident. It does not<\/em> assign drivers a score and shows a snapshot that is updated about once per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of the DOT PSP for Employers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The DOT PSP is reasonably priced ($10 for each record pull, with bulk discounts) and provides much more comprehensive results than a state-run MVR. You can check the last few years even if a driver has changed states multiple times in this period. Large carriers can pay for a monthly subscription that gives unlimited access. Note that the PSP only contains drivers with a CDL. If you are hiring non-CDL drivers, the state Motor Vehicle Record is better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other benefits include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n