In transportation, there are four reports that most employers will request when reviewing applicants for driving positions at their company. These are: 

• MVR: Motor Vehicle Records;
• CDLIS: Commercial Driver’s License Information System;
• PRE: Previous Record of Employment; and
• PSP: Pre-Employment Screening Program

In this four-part series, we review these primary reports you need when screening your drivers, as well as best practices when ordering them from Driver iQ, Cisive’s transportation employment screening division. 

What is a PSP report? Why is it important?

PSP stands for Pre-Employment Screening Program. It provides access to the safety records stored in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). The MCMIS is a federal database, separate from the patchwork of Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) databases at the state level. Carriers, commercial drivers, and third-party service providers for the transportation industry can request these safety records.

It is not required to order a PSP report when hiring a new driver. However, motor carriers that use PSP see an 8% decrease in the company’s crash rate, as well as a 17% decrease in out-of-service (OOS) violations, compared to motor carriers that do not use PSP.  

What’s on a PSP report?

A PSP report contains the following:

• Most recent 5 years of crash data,
• Most recent 3 years of roadside inspection data,
• Motor carrier the driver was working for at the time of the event,
• Date and location of the crash or inspection,
• Injuries or fatalities if applicable, 
• Towaways if applicable, and
• Whether the vehicle was placed out of service.

PSP reports may contain whether a crash was preventable or not. It may also contain whether a driver was convicted of a different charge. It may help prospective employers discover previous employment undisclosed by a driver. 

A PSP report does not contain a score, although information found on a PSP will be used to determine a carrier’s Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) score. CSA pulls roadside inspections and crash data from the previous two years. 

What are some tips and best practices for ordering a PSP report?

Driver iQ provides a few reminders when ordering a PSP report:

• Carriers must have a release signed by the driver before running a PSP. Ensure you are using the correct form here. Carriers must keep the signed form on file for 3 years, even if the driver is not hired. 
• Carriers may only run a PSP prior to employing a driver. It is for pre-employment only. Drivers may request a copy of their PSP report at any time. 
• Last name, Driver’s License state and number, and Date of Birth are required to run a PSP through Driver iQ. 
• Do not include spaces or special characters when searching the last name of a driver. It is also a good idea to use multiple combinations of names, as law enforcement might report the name differently. You can search multiple names in one request.
  • Example: If the last name is Doe-James, search Doejames, Jamesdoe, Doe, and James. 
• There is a 20-character limit on the last name.
• Carriers may request a PSP report for free from the FMCSA through the Freedom of Information Act. However, this may take 20 business days or more to receive. 

How can Driver iQ help?

Contact Driver iQ today to develop a background screening program that can help reduce your crash rate and OOS violations, while improving your CSA score.