It should be apart of the hiring process, all truckers should have to give a sample of their DNA. They already do background checks and test for drugs as part of the screening process, why not make giving a blood sample part of it as well? The samples should be submitted to CODIS, then if DNA is recovered during a homicide investigation they would only have to submit it to the national database in order to get a hit. It wouldn't stop a serial killer from offending, but it would make it a lot harder for them to get away with it, and a lot easier for law enforcement. Just an idea.
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Not all companies do background checks. The drivers who apply for the TWIC card are given a background check. The hiring process for a driver (I have been in the hiring position) is to first run a check on the license to ensure it is valid, you woukd be surprised how many times a license is suspended and a driver is not aware of it.
Second check previous employment. A driver is required to report their prior 10 years of employment not just driving jobs, however only the last 2-4 habe to be verified.
The next step is to check with the companies insurance company to ensure they are able to insure the driver for the equipment.
Then a urine drug test is performed.
Most companies will require a driver to have a new DOT physical by the physician the company prefers even if they have a current valid DOT physical.
After these steps have been taken, if the company chooses to hire the driver there is a orientation where stacks of paperwork are completed, and training for certain things are performed before the driver is assigned a rig and starts hauling loads.
There are still some smaller companies out there on the fringe of the law. I worked with one such company last year. (I do freelance compliance work). The companies who are on the fringe of the law are on their way out and I am all for it. The small company who contracted me last year was illegal on many levels. They had purchased a rig, knew a man who held a CDL and hired him without checking anything at all. The truck was stopped in a weigh station, many violations were found and huge fines were implemented. It was then that they came to me to try and sort it all out. I spent 2 full weeks on the case. The company was out over 20k in fines and for my services, had they done things right from the very start they have many thousands of dollars more than they have now.
These outlaw companies are where you will find the drivers who are laying low to avoid the law as much as possible. I'm not saying every one of those drivers at those companies are the ones laying low, I'm only saying it makes it easier for them. I know several drivers who are working for these type of companies for other reasons like part time supplimental employment while retired from full time working.
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