Chances are, at some point, one of your drivers will be involved in an accident. The first thing you want to do after a traffic incident is make sure that everyone is ok.
The very next thing you want to do is to ensure that your Driver Qualification Files (DQF) are in order and up to date.
Why? An accident is one of the top five situations that trigger an FMCSA audit. If you are audited and your files are not up to standard or you can’t deliver them in time (sometimes you only have 48 hours), the fines can be as high as $11,956.
In addition, complete and up-to-date Driver Qualification Files will protect you from expensive lawsuits and court appearances after an accident. Plaintiff attorneys want cases they can win easily. If you can immediately demonstrate that you are organized and prepared, they may move on to an easier target.
We have put together the following checklist to help you avoid unnecessary audits or legal complications. The full guidelines are found in FMCSA 391, but we’ve simplified and summarized it to make it easy to understand and follow.
1. Use a DOT-Compliant Job Application
Make sure that the application you are using for hiring is DOT-compliant, and that you keep the application on file for the duration of the driver’s employment and three years afterward. Each application should include:
- The driver’s name, date of birth, and SSN
- The driver’s residency history for the past three years without gaps
- The name and address of the motor carrier employer
- Three years of the driver’s employment history, plus up to an additional seven years if the driver worked in a safety-sensitive role, including the name and address of the previous employers plus the reason for leaving
- Current information for each active license
- The driving experience of the driver, including the type of equipment used
- Three years of driving history including violations and suspensions
- The hours worked by the driver in the last eight days before the hire
2. Motor Vehicle Report
You must order a motor vehicle report for the driver within thirty days of the driver’s official hire date. If you do not hire the driver within the 30-day window, you have to rerun the report before the driver can legally drive.
The motor vehicle report covers the most recent three-year period for every state the driver has had a license in within the past three years.
3. Road Test Certificate
The applicant needs to have successfully completed a road test and received a road test certificate signed and dated by the driver and the trainer. A copy of a current CDL can be used in place of a road test certificate.
4. Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
Scan the front and back of the driver’s license with all the applicable endorsements and classes. It is a good idea to keep a copy of the CDL on file for the entirety of the driver’s employment with your company.
If your driver has other certificates, such as a longer combination vehicle driving certification, you will want to include that in the file as well.
5. Medical Card/Medical Examiner’s Certificate
Drivers are required to complete a DOT physical exam every two years. The doctor must completely fill out and sign the DOT medical examiner’s certificate. For the certificate to be valid, the physician must be an FMCSA-certified medical examiner in the National Registry.
6. Motor Vehicle Record
Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) should be run once a year, starting a year after the first official day of employment.
7. Annual Review
An annual review must be held at least every 12 months between the manager and the driver. The manager will go over the MVR to ensure that the driver is still qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. If the driver had any violations in the past year, these must be noted on the annual review form. If there were no violations, that needs to be documented as well in the paperwork.
Compile the Documents into Two Digital Folders
Once you have gathered and completed all the required documents, separate them into two separate folders. One folder will hold the driver qualification paperwork, and the other file will hold the driver history records.
It is best if your records are digitized. If you are audited, the FMCSA will ask you to submit your records digitally and will want them in short order. Especially if you have a lot of drivers, you don’t want the hassle of trying to scan and upload paper documents for an impending audit.
If you are prepared with organized files for all of your drivers, you don’t need to worry about the possibility of an audit. In addition, completing and regularly updating your files will ensure that your drivers have met all the necessary training and health requirements and will keep your company, drivers, and everyone else on the road safe.
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Infographic
Complete and up-to-date Driver Qualification Files can protect you from costly lawsuits after an accident. Plaintiff attorneys often target easy cases, but demonstrating your organization and preparedness may deter them. Explore this infographic for a checklist to help you avoid audits and legal issues.
