Employers of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) employees are required to run motor vehicle reports (MVRs) annually. Additionally, FMCSA Clearinghouse requires limited queries on drivers performed annually. The FMCSA requires that motor carriers make an inquiry for the MVR of each employed driver. This requirement involves inquiries made at least once every 12 months. Also, employers also must conduct an annual limited query every 12 months on each driver within the Clearinghouse.

In 2019, the FMCSA launched the drug and alcohol Clearinghouse in pursuit of more checks into truck drivers and contractors. This serves as an online database of information about CDL and CLP holders’ drug and alcohol violations.

Motor carriers need to check the database as part of the hiring process. Additionally, they need to query each employed driver annually. A limited query alerts a carrier if any drug or alcohol violations exist within the Clearinghouse. What happens if an employer finds that a driver has unresolved drug or alcohol violations? That employee must immediately cease performing DOT safety-sensitive functions, including operating a motor vehicle.

The Clearinghouse makes it harder for prohibited drivers to seek employment without resolving violations through the return-to-duty process. Last year, the Clearinghouse reported over 56,000 violations. Therefore, this system makes the roadways and your industries safer.

FMCSA employers can order the annual MVR and Clearinghouse Query through TEAM Background to fulfill this requirement. Users place individual orders in the system or place a bulk order through a batch upload.

If you have any questions or would like to utilize TEAM to conduct queries on your behalf, reach out to our Customer Service TEAM at backgroundsupport@teamprofessional.com today.