Conducting Queries in the FMCSA Clearinghouse
The new FMCSA Clearinghouse is up and running and that means mandatory new steps must be taken when hiring new drivers. If you are an employer looking to hire a commercial driver’s license (CDL) driver, please read on to learn more about the new pre-employment requirements.
Completing Your Pre-Employment Query
In order to maintain safe conditions across our nation’s roads the DOT established the FMCSA Clearinghouse. By identifying drivers who commit a drug and/or alcohol program violation while working for one employer, but who then fail to subsequently inform another employer, potentially dangerous drivers are kept off of the road.
Effective immediately, when hiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL) driver, employers must now conduct a pre-employment query. According to the FMCSA, “This query checks to see if there is any violation information reported to the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse associated with that driver’s CDL information.”
However, before starting the pre-employment query, you must obtain the driver’s electronic consent. This step requires both the employer and potential employee to log into the Clearinghouse. First, the employer (or designated C/TPA) logs in to the Clearinghouse and sends the request. Next, the driver then logs in to his or her Clearinghouse account to respond to the request.
Below are a few common Q&As from employers who have gone through the FMCSA Clearinghouse process:
The Clearinghouse Cannot Verify Driver’s CDL Information
Once you enter a driver’s CDL information, the process should go smoothly. But what if the Clearinghouse can’t verify it? To validate drivers the Clearinghouse uses the States’ CDL system which tracks driver CDLs nationwide. If the information you entered into the system does not verify, confirm that you have entered the driver’s CDL information correctly. Should the CDL number include special characters (such as spaces, dashes, or leading zeros), try entering the CDL number with or without these characters, as requirements vary by State.
What if the Driver Cannot See the Consent Request After it is Submitted?
Most importantly, make sure the driver has a verified CDL in their Clearinghouse profile. Do this by asking the driver to log in to his or her Clearinghouse account. If the driver has not verified his or her CDL information, they’ll see message on their Driver Dashboard indicating the next steps to complete this step. Then, once the driver has verified their CDL, their Driver Dashboard should display the pending consent request.
If the driver still does not see the pending consent request after confirmation that the driver has verified his or her CDL information in the Clearinghouse, try sending a new consent request. Please note, you’ll want to cancel the pending consent request, which will credit your query balance. When you submit the CDL information for the second time, be sure to enter it exactly as the driver entered it in the Clearinghouse, including all zeroes, dashes, special characters, etc.
Partner with SAP Referral Services
The new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse process will take time to get used to. For help with the Clearinghouse or other compliance issues, partner with SAP Referral Services. We make sure that your organization conforms with all the DOT rules. Additionally, should a current employee fail or refuse a drug and/or alcohol test, we provide quick access to a network of thousands of DOT qualified SAPs across the country. For more information, contact us today.
SAP Referral Services (SRS) is the leading facilitator for mandated substance abuse evaluations. SRS maintains an extensive network of qualified providers in more than 3,000 locations nationwide for testing violations that originate from any of the DOT’s modes including FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, USCG and PHMSA, or a company’s internal drug and alcohol testing policy.