10 Steps to a DOT-Compliant Job Application

A DOT driver application must contain specific candidate information to comply with federal regulations.

If you're hiring drivers in 2024, there are specific rules you must follow when collecting candidate information during the job application process.

A DOT-compliant job application must be signed and dated by the applicant and include information that not only meets federal and DOT recordkeeping requirements but also helps you make smarter hiring decisions. 

Dash, Foley’s hiring, screening, and onboarding platform, includes a DOT-compliant job application that’s designed with drivers in mind. But what exactly does this mean?

• It’s mobile-friendly — The job application can be accessed and completed on any mobile device. 90% of today’s drivers apply for driving jobs on mobile devices. 
• It’s driver-friendly — Drivers likely apply for jobs during their limited off-duty time. The ideal job application can be saved and completed at any point in the process, instead of all at once, making it convenient for the candidates you want to attract.  
• It’s driver-file friendly — As a DOT-regulated employer, you need to create and maintain compliant driver files for each of your employees who operate commercial vehicles. Candidates should be able to upload documentation like CDLs and medical cards. These documents should then be automatically used to create their driver files if they're hired. For this reason, the job application also works as a driver qualification file management software solution. 

With the intuitive job application in Dash, the Foley Platform, candidates can apply to your open positions faster, which means you can get employees behind the wheel in record time.

Foley even reduced one company’s employee onboarding time from four weeks to two days. Introducing a DOT truck driver application to their hiring process was a huge component of their success. Click here to read their story.

10 Requirements for a DOT-Compliant Job Application 

Here’s what a DOT-regulated driver application, like the one featured in Dash, should include: 

1. Your business name and address. 

2. The applicant’s name, address, date of birth, and Social Security Number, as well as any other addresses at which they’ve resided in the past three years.  

3. The issuing state, number, and expiration date of each valid commercial motor vehicle license or permit held by the applicant.  

4. A detailed account of the applicant’s experience operating a motor vehicle, including the type of vehicle they operated.  

5. A detailed list of all accidents the applicant was involved with in the past three years. This must include the date, nature of the crash, and whether there were any fatalities or personal injuries sustained.  

6. A list of all the applicant’s motor vehicle violations in the past three years (not including parking).  

7. A statement detailing the facts and circumstances of any denial, revocation, or suspension of license, permit, or privilege to operate a motor vehicle (or a statement certifying that no such circumstance occurred).  

8. A list of all the applicant’s employers over the last three years, including the dates employed, reason for leaving, and whether they were subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) while employed; also, whether their job was designated as a safety-sensitive function in any DOT-regulated mode subject to alcohol and controlled substances testing requirements.  

9. The names and addresses of all CMV employers that the applicant worked for in the seven years prior to the three-year period documented above, along with the dates of employment and reason for leaving each company.  

10. Certification that the application was completed by the driver and is accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge.  

In addition to these 10 must-haves, you must also uphold applicant rights during the hiring process.  

Applicant Rights & What They Mean for Employers

Because the information contained in the DOT-compliant application will be used as part of the required background screening process, applicants must also be given a Summary of Rights. This summary informs drivers that they have the right to review the information provided by previous employers, as well as to dispute any findings.

This could require a previous employer to resend the correct information, or, if an agreement can’t be made, allow the applicant to include a rebuttal statement with the information. Applicants can submit a written request immediately upon applying or up to 30 days after being employed or denied employment. Prospective employers must provide information within five business days of the request. 

Create a Compliant Hiring Process from the Beginning

By using a DOT truck driver application like the one included with Dash, you can achieve complete compliance without having to second-guess if the right candidate information is collected, all the correct forms are signed, or how the background check process is going. DOT recordkeeping requirements are also a breeze.

With Dash, you’ll be notified whenever a candidate applies for your open position. From there, you can review their information and decide if they should move on to the phased background screening process. If they make the cut, job-specific background checks are easily initiated, and you’ll be the first to know when the results are in via immediate email notifications.

Start Customizing Your DOT Driver Application Now 

In addition to the above requirements, the Dash driver-first application is customizable to fit unique positions you would like to fill within your company. (It's not just a truck driver application.) From the moment an applicant hits “submit,” you’ll have all the information you need to make better hiring decisions. 

Stop losing valuable hires due to a frustrating or non-compliant application; get a demo of Dash for FREE and start bringing in the top talent your business deserves.