近年来，随着旅客寻求更便宜、负担更轻的汽车和航空旅行替代品，巴士行业经历了快速增长。伴随着如此快速的增长速度，联邦机构承诺加强监管，惩罚甚至关闭违反规定的运营商。
遵守联邦法规的关键是实施有效的驾驶员筛查和药物测试计划。
可能这些新的“路边承运人”由于意识到此类计划的成本而不愿对他们的司机进行适当的检查，但实际上，从长远来看，一个好的筛查计划可以通过避免昂贵的罚款、雇用更好的司机，以及来自潜在乘客的更多信心。
公交运营商可以采取许多简单的步骤来实施有效、负担得起且合规的驾驶员筛查计划：
从淘汰不符合基本标准的候选人开始。
订购一揽子筛查产品，例如DAC 就业历史文件、DAC 宽屏犯罪搜索、社会安全号码追踪和商业驾驶执照信息(CDLIS) Plus，可以帮助公交运营商排除不合格的司机。此类产品非常具有成本效益，周转时间短，因此可随时掌握信息以快速做出决定。对最有前途的候选人进行额外筛选。
从这里，您可以扩大背景调查的范围，以包括机动车记录、就业证明（如果前雇主不参与 DAC 就业历史档案）、药物和酒精违规历史证明以及内部-根据申请人的居住历史进行深度犯罪背景调查。此步骤提供了一个额外的背景信息层，您可以使用它来做出更有根据的就业决定。满足药物、酒精和健康检查的要求。
执行合规的就业前药物测试，以排除任何受控物质的使用者并进行体检。安排持续的筛查以保持安全。
随机和事故后进行的药物和酒精测试是合规驾驶员安全计划的关键要素，每月监控计划（如驾驶员违规警报）也是如此。最后，年度驾驶记录审查和驾驶员体检（每 2 年到期）完成有效筛查计划所需的持续筛查。
随着联邦监管的加强，公交运营商有责任确保他们的司机筛查计划符合所有必要的规则和规定。尽管满足这些管理要求似乎是一项艰巨且昂贵的任务，但将流程分解为易于执行的步骤将有助于运营商聘请最优秀的司机、留住人才、吸引新乘客并避免高昂的罚款。
bus industry has experienced rapid growth as travelers seek cheaper and less burdensome alternatives to auto and air travel. Accompanying this fast rate of growth is a promise from federal agencies to exact more oversight and punish or even close those operators who violate regulations.
Key to complying with federal regulations is the implementation of an effective driver screening and drug testing program.
It may be that these new “curbside carriers” have been reluctant to properly check their drivers because of the perceived cost of such a program, but in reality, a good screening program saves money in the long run through avoidance of costly fines, the hiring of better drivers, and more confidence from potential passengers.
There are a number of easy steps a bus carrier can take to implement an effective, affordable and compliant driver screening program:
Start with eliminating candidates who don’t meet basic criteria.
Ordering a package of screening products like a DAC Employment History File, DAC Widescreen Criminal Search, Social Security Number trace, and a Commercial Driver’s License Information (CDLIS) Plus can help bus carriers exclude unqualified drivers. Products like these are very cost-effective with quick turnaround times, so information is in hand for a speedy decision.Perform additional screening on your most promising candidates.
From here, you can expand the scope of a background check to include elements like motor vehicle records, employment verifications (if former employers do not participate in the DAC Employment History File), and drug and alcohol violation history verification as well as an in-depth criminal background check based on your applicant’s residential history. This step provides an additional layer of background information you can use to make a more educated employment decision.Meet requirements for drug, alcohol, and health screening.
Perform a compliant pre-employment drug test to rule out any users of controlled substances and conduct the physical exam.Schedule ongoing screening to maintain safety.
Drug and alcohol tests performed randomly and post-accident are a key element of a compliant driver safety program, as is a monthly monitoring program like a Driver Violation Alert. Finally, annual driving record reviews and driver physicals (due every 2 years) complete the ongoing screening necessary for an effective screening program.
With growing federal oversight, it is incumbent on bus carriers to ensure that their driver screening programs meet all necessary rules and regulations. Though meeting these administrative requirements may seem like a daunting and expensive task, breaking down the process into easily performed steps will help carriers hire the best drivers, retain that talent, attract new passengers and avoid costly fines.
