What is driver screening and registration, and how does it work?

Have you heard about driver screening and registration? It is a process also known as driver checking or simply driver registration, and it is very common in the road freight transport sector.

Every shipper and carrier is seriously concerned about choosing the right person to transport a given load. After all, the driver is the one chiefly responsible for getting the goods to the end customer safe and sound. And if you work in freight transport, understanding this concept is practically mandatory if you want to avoid steep losses.

If you still have questions about screening, checking and registering drivers and vehicles, do not worry: we have gathered here everything you need to know — what it is, how it works, how to do it, when it is mandatory and much more.

Read to the end to master this topic and avoid major problems in your operation.

What is driver screening and registration?

Registering, checking and clearing a driver is a process that is part of the risk management of the RCF-DC cargo insurance policy (cargo theft), and it is considered indispensable for keeping your operation secure.

This screening and registration, for both the driver and the vehicle, is carried out as part of the risk management process in freight transport and aims to identify whether those responsible for moving the cargo represent a risk and whether they inspire confidence. See below how this screening works and when it should be performed.

How does driver and vehicle checking and clearance work?

Insurers consider verifying driver profiles essential to issuing RCF-DC insurance policies. This check is also useful to avoid risks such as accidents, given that a large share of them is caused by reckless driving.

As mentioned, this checking and clearance is performed by cargo transport risk-management firms. They analyze, in detail, the profile of the driver and the vehicle (when required) using software built specifically for this process.

To run the driver check correctly, some of the driver’s information must be entered so the tool can retrieve the data and assess the profile of the professional who will be involved in the operation.

This analysis checks the driver’s license (CNH) details, the history of certifications and training, and a socioeconomic review (within the limits set by Brazil’s Truck Driver Law, Law No. 13,103/2015), all to make the daily routine of shippers and carriers safer.

Starting from the vehicle’s license plate and the owner’s tax ID (CNPJ/CPF), the contracted system retrieves financial information about the owner and the vehicle, such as:

• Payment of the motor vehicle ownership tax (IPVA);
• Licensing with the traffic department (DETRAN);
• Restrictions and/or court orders.

For this screening and registration of drivers and vehicles to be as reliable and transparent as possible, you need an efficient tool for your operation.

With complete software, you gain access to information that reveals each driver’s performance, behavior and other important data mentioned above.

The most common question about these platforms is: is a static database really safe?

Our answer is no — and we will explain why.

GUÉP has operated in the cargo transport market for years and can state that a static database is not the best option for assessing a driver’s profile for your operation.

That is because databases can hold outdated information about the main driver of your goods, which can create serious problems for the operation. After all, what the driver did wrong last week may not yet appear in systems that rely on this method.

That is why GUÉP developed a driver screening and registration solution that does not rely on a static database but instead retrieves, in real time, all the information needed for a safer clearance. Score queries more than 400 sources simultaneously for the best decision-making, delivering more accuracy than any other option on the market.

At what point in the shipment is this validation done?

The validation/screening is done with the risk-management firm before the cargo is transported. If, at the time of loading, the driver, helper or vehicle is classified as not recommended, nonexistent or unauthorized, the insured loses the right to indemnity — meaning the transport was not approved according to the risk-management firm.

Now that you know what driver screening and registration is and how it works, the next step is to rely on a good tool in your operation so this process is as safe and reliable as possible.

With the right choice, you can rest easy about the security of the operation and focus on the strategic priorities that bring more results to the business.