Complying with driver qualification requirements is challenging and labor intensive. You need to understand state licensing regulations as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 49 CFR Parts 383 and 391 (FMCSRs). Your compliance directly impacts your Driver Fitness BASIC score. Failing to certify drivers properly for credentials, experience, or medical qualifications opens your operation to a host of risks and liability that come with using an unfit driver.
Driver Qualification
Ensure Your CMV Driver Fitness
"Encompass helps me keep driver qualification files up to date. It's tough to keep up with 160 drivers across two DOT numbers. If it weren't for Encompass, I don't know how I would keep track of everything."
Theresa Parker
Transportation Safety Supervisor
"The driver qualification section of Encompass is one of my favorite features. It has everything I need to stay in compliance. Encompass helps me oversee everything to do with all of our employees who drive a company vehicle, either CMVs or non-CMVs."
Danielle Bodway
Fleet Compliance Manager
"Encompass keeps everything up to date. I'm able to track DQ file expirations 30 days out. I like the ability to get expiration notices on all our files, to make sure everything is updated in a timely manner."
Theresa Parker
Transportation Safety Supervisor
"I'm at the corporate level and take care of assisting with driver qualification. I get all the data in and make sure it's kept up to date. I send monthly reminders out to traffic managers so that they stay on top of their DLT qualification."
Denise Hall
Corporate Transportation Assistant
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Insightful Dashboard
A powerful dashboard notifies you of drivers with specific expiring qualification requirements so you can stay on top of compliance and reduce your risk of drivers being put out of service. With Encompass, you can search by driver or required topic area to quickly resolve compliance gaps. You can also establish alerts/notifications to be sent to you via email.
Prequalification & Maintenance Checklists
Encompass provides regulation-based prequalification and maintenance checklists. FMCSA regulatory numbers are referenced to substantiate rule requirements. You have the option to add or customize additional items in a checklist, like creating a company policy or a non-compete clause. Maintenance checklists contain the renewable items that carriers must track. Encompass auto-populates the renewal dates based on the regulations, but you can override those dates if you like.
Plus, Encompass makes it easy to import/upload documents into the driver's file as you collect checklist items. If an audit takes place, you simply print out the attachments.
FAQs
DOT files should be stored in an organized and accessible manner. It is legal and more efficient to scan your driver qualification file documents, store them electronically, and purge the originals. However, you may be called upon to print electronic images during an audit based on the discretion of the auditor. You need to ensure the scanned images are as clear as the original before you destroy any document.
If a driver is let go or leaves, and is then rehired, the driver must be treated like a new hire. In addition to keeping the old file intact, a new driver file must be created. Items that may still be valid, for example the road test or medical card, can be recycled and used for the new file. The driver application and MVR, however, must be recreated.
Once you identify a potential violation with your files, the best thing you can do is make a good faith effort to comply. Attempting to hide the violation is considered falsification and carries a hefty price tag, so it’s in your best interest to document your acknowledgement of the violation, show you have taken steps to correct it, and put the proper controls in place to prevent future violations.
Build Your Compliance Knowledge
Expand your safety library with free J. J. Keller resources. Over 200 years of collective experience and education — that's the J. J. Keller difference.
DQ Inventory Worksheet
This fillable checklist will help you identify which driver qualification requirements apply to your operation.
Electronic DOT Recordkeeping
In today's world of off-site DOT audits, you must maintain your records to the highest standards.
Driver Hiring - No Room for Error
Having the right processes in place is essential to hire good drivers. Get expert guidance on how to identify and hire the best drivers.
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