May 5, 2025 The Critical Role of Verified Data in Trucking Hires

The backbone of American commerce.

With 13.5 million trucks traveling along U.S. roads, and moving most of the domestic freight across the United States, the trucking industry is essential to our economy. While automation is expected to reshape the industry, one constant remains: the human driver. Given the miles logged and the inherent safety concerns of long-haul trucking, diligent hiring practices are paramount. This is where pre-employment verification steps into the spotlight.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 240,000 openings for truck drivers are projected each year through 2033, with the total number of drivers growing by 5 percent over the decade. This reality underscores the vital need for strategic hiring practices that help minimize turnover, prioritize safety, and help identify candidates who better align with both the organization and the demands of the role. In this landscape, verified data becomes an indispensable tool.

Ensuring Fit and Avoiding Costly Mismatches when Hiring

In an era where approximately 70% of U.S. workers admit to resume embellishment, accurate representation of work experience and tenure is essential. When an applicant for a commercial driving job overstates their capabilities, and is ill-suited for the position, consequences could be severe. Hiring someone who isn’t a good fit for their driving role could lead not only to heightened safety hazards and reputational concerns, but might also cause increased workload and diminished morale for existing employees. Verified data can help trucking companies more confidently assess a candidate’s background and experience.

Additionally, a candidate’s employment history is often a powerful indicator of their reliability and work ethic. In the trucking industry, the stakes are particularly high. Verified data is not just about filing seats; it’s about helping ensure safety and reliability. A driver’s work history, including tenure and past experience, often impacts their ability to handle the requirements of the role. Consistent tenure can demonstrate greater commitment and responsibility, critical traits for long-haul drivers. By using pre-hire employment verifications, trucking companies can gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s work habits and help better predict their likelihood of staying with the company. This can lead to higher retention rates. In fact, a 2024 Equifax study showed a 23% increase in one-year retention within the transportation sector when Equifax pre-employment verifications were used.

Identifying potential mismatches pre-hire is far more efficient than discovering them weeks or months into employment. A poor fit can lead to employee dissatisfaction and self selection out of the company, or could necessitate difficult termination decisions. That can cause the hiring process to restart, compounding the employer’s existing talent shortage.

Safeguarding the Roads: The Essential Role of Data-Driven Background Screening in Truck Driver Selection

Besides verifying previous employment, trucking employers often need to verify a driver’s identity, criminal history and credentials, commercial driving licenses, and in some cases, additional certifications. More comprehensive screening leveraging education, court and criminal data can help mitigate risk, uncover red flags and enhance decision making. Up-to-date, reliable data sources can be indispensable in these instances.

It can be difficult to get these sources in a timely manner, though. The traditional balance between speed and thoroughness in criminal background checks has been challenged by recent trends demanding more innovative criminal history screening methods. Background screeners rely on Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to access court records and conduct in-depth background checks. Yet access to this vital data is increasingly restricted. For example, legal determinations in California have mandated the removal of digital access to most PII, like dates of birth. While driven by privacy concerns, these changes prompt background screeners to sometimes rely on manual verification through court clerks, leading to substantial delays.

In the fast-paced trucking industry, where rapid hiring is crucial, background screeners are increasingly leveraging automated data sources. These tools help accelerate background checks, reduce manual research, and help ensure greater accuracy, even in regions with PII redactions. The 24/7 availability of automated data allows for quicker responses, helping to meet tight hiring deadlines. When trucking companies consolidate data sources through a single provider, they’re often able to streamline processes which can help place better qualified drivers behind the wheel quicker.

In the demanding world of trucking, pre-employment verification is typically not a luxury, but a necessity. It is an investment in greater safety, efficiency, and the long-term success of the industry. By prioritizing more thorough background checks and verifying employment history, trucking companies can better ensure they are putting the right people behind the wheel, better safeguarding both their business and the roads we all share.

About the Author:
Bart Lautenbach is Senior Vice President and General Manager of Talent Solutions, Equifax Workforce Solutions. He has more than 20 years of experience leading product and sales teams in the industrial manufacturing and technology industries. He currently leads a business unit focused on providing HR professionals and background screeners solutions and insights that help them verify and validate hiring candidates.

Read more from the author: How Instant Verifications Help Employers Hire Faster | Industry Today, September 24, 2024

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