What New Truck Drivers Need To Know About DAC Reports:
Other people have credit reports. CDL drivers have DAC reports. They are managed by HireRight, a private background screening company. HireRight DAC Reporting Information.
A truck drivers DAC (Drive-A-Check) report will contain their employment history, as reported by their former employers, as well as their Motor Vehicle Record (MVR).
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct.
Drivers are protected under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) The FCRA is a set of federal regulations that covers the collection and use of credit information and forms the basis of consumer credit rights in the U.S. to ensure that the information on their DAC report is accurate, complete, and justified.
What Is In A DAC Report? Not ALL of these things will necessarily be on a driver's DAC report. Companies can pick and choose which items they include in their decision-making process.
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information on their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT), criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate. Approximately 90% of the long-haul OTR carriers use DAC reports as part of their pre-hire screening process.
Employment History:
Most trucking companies will submit information on their drivers, regarding the drivers work record and role within the company. This information will include, for each company:
- License number and information including restrictions and endorsements.
- Name and address of contributing company (employer), and date submitted.
- Employment record (on-the-job performance).
- Driver Identification (Name, Social Security Number, Date Of Birth).
- Period of driver service (month and year).
- Types of freight and trailers hauled.
- Reason for leaving.
- Eligibility for rehire.
The circumstances under which a driver has left previous jobs will affect in a large way, for good or bad, whether a company is willing to hire them. While there are well-documented cases of companies reporting unjust, inaccurate, or erroneous information, negative reports, if found to be accurate, will remain on a driver's DAC report. It is our general opinion that there are not necessarily "good companies" and "bad companies" to work for, and if you can manage to leave an ill-fitting position on a positive note, it will almost certainly assist you in your future job hunts.
Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP):
This will include the most recent 5 years of DOT recordable crashed, as well as 3 years of roadside inspection data from the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).
Motor Vehicle Record (MVR):
Included as part of the DAC is a drivers state motor vehicle record , including accidents, convictions, suspensions, etc. Insurance claims from reported incidents will also show up.
Criminal Background Check:
Employers want to know more about the criminal history of the drivers that they are hiring. Truck driver or not, almost every job you apply for will do SOME kind of background or criminal history check. General, unless otherwise necessary, this will be by county of residence.
Drug and Alcohol Test Results:
Since you will be required to submit to a drug test no matter which trucking company you apply to, this may not be included, but it's a possibility. As always, your history is part of a database somewhere.
How Do DAC Reports Affect Truck Drivers?
In theory, the DAC report is a way for prospective employers to verify that you have been truthful in your job application, and have not left out pertinent facts about your job or driving history. If you leave something out, or bend it too much, it will be obvious and they'll find it.
Negative or less-than-glowing items on your report will not necessarily cause a company to decide that you are not a good fit for them. Some companies will want to know more about "questionable" items, many won't bother asking. It's generally a good practice, for any job in general, to be pro-active in keeping communication open between the company and yourself.
Where Do DAC Reports Come From?
HireRight:
DAC reports are provided by HireRight, a private service provider of employee screening resources and background checks.
HireRight, as an employment background screening company, is required by Federal law to operate according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This means that they are required, among other things, to use reasonable procedures in making sure that your DAC reports are accurate, to provide you with a copy of your file upon request (in specific circumstances), and to update incorrect or out-dated information on request.
HireRight lists as the items that COULD be included in a drivers DAC report on their trucking industry background screening page. Possible items also include DOT physical results, CDLIS reports, reference checks and U.S. employment eligibility.
You can request a free copy of your DAC report from HireRight. This request can be submitted online, by phone or fax, or by mail.
Request Free Copy Of Your DAC Report
Incorrect Information On Your DAC Report:
Disputing An Incorrect DAC Report:
Under the FCRA, drivers are entitled to the same protections and methods of dispute and correction as credit reporting. If you think that there are items on your DAC report that are wrong, or unjustified, you have the right to appeal to HireRight and the Federal Trade Commission to have those items removed.
In the event that a driver feels that any information in their background report is incomplete or inaccurate, they can contact HireRight to file a dispute, for free, here: File DAC Report Dispute.
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