Questions? Concerns? Below are our Frequently Asked Questions. Have a question that’s not mentioned below? Click Here to Contact Us with all of your questions.
Am I required to have worker’s comp coverage?
- You can opt out of worker’s compensation coverage if you are trucking strictly as an independent owner-operator.
Other driver documents you must have that are not part of the qualification file:
- Safety performance information on the driver from employers of the past three years
- Proof that the driver completed a pre-employment drug test that was negative
- Proof that the driver is in a random drug and alcohol testing pool
What do I need to keep in the confidential file? Does it need to be kept under lock and key?
- Federal truck safety regulations do not require that you keep a “confidential” file on each of your drivers or owner-operators. However, as an employer, you don’t want to expose yourself to legal claims from an unhappy employee or contractor for allowing access to information that should be private. It is a good idea to keep the following information confidential. Although it does not have to be “under lock and key,” it should only be available to those making hiring decisions. It is not a good idea to keep it as part of the driver’s or contractor’s qualification file.
- An employee’s or contractor’s medical exam report (long form)
- An employee’s or contractor’s drug and alcohol testing results
- References provided on the individual by prior employers
What is a process agent?
- If a court needs to serve papers on your company in a state, the process agent accepts those documents on behalf of your company. You must designate a person to be your process agent in each state where you operate. In reality, you comply with this requirement by subscribing to a service that makes the designation for you.
What needs to be in a driver qualification file?
- A completed and signed employment application
- Up to four copies of the driver’s motor vehicle record (MVR) one from the time of hire, one for the current year, plus two years prior
- A copy of the driver’s license
- A copy of the medical examiner’s certificate for the driver
- A document indicating that you have reviewed the driver’s motor vehicle record with him or her and a statement of the outcome of that review
- For a driver with less than one year of experience operating a commercial vehicle, a document confirming entry level training
Where do I find the weekly fuel surcharge rate?
- There is no weekly fuel surcharge rate. Each trucking company develops its own formula for determining a fuel surcharge, typically based on the weekly on-highway diesel prices from the Energy Information Administration. You can subscribe to a service, such as Fuel Price Index, that helps you make the calculation.