Motor Carrier Safety Screening Modernization Act
This bill allows commercial trucking and bus companies to access the official safety and crash histories of their current drivers, rather than just job applicants. Under existing law, employers can only use this federal safety screening database during the hiring process. Under the new rules, companies can perform these safety checks on active employees at any time during their employment, as long as they obtain the driver’s written consent.
The provisions, in plain language.
Allows commercial trucking and bus companies to use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's database to run safety background checks on current drivers, rather than only on job applicants.
Requires commercial trucking and bus companies to obtain the written consent of a current driver before pulling their safety records from the federal database.
Removes the rule that restricts federal safety screening to the hiring stage, allowing these evaluations to be conducted throughout a driver's employment.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- commercial trucking and bus companiesGains the ability to use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's database to run safety background checks on current drivers, rather than only on job applicants (49 U.S.C. 31150(a), (c)).
- current commercial truck and bus driversGains the protection of requiring their employer to obtain their written consent before pulling their safety records from the federal database (49 U.S.C. 31150(b)).
Who it burdens
- commercial trucking and bus companiesTakes on a new requirement to obtain the written consent of a current driver before pulling their safety records from the federal database (49 U.S.C. 31150(b)).
- current commercial truck and bus driversBecomes subject to federal safety background checks throughout their employment, rather than only during the hiring stage (49 U.S.C. 31150(a), (c)).