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How to Make PSP a Part of Your Driver Screening Process

Representatives from NIC Federal, LLC, the company that manages PSP on behalf of FMCSA, provided vendor demos at the TazWorks User Group meeting earlier this month to inform the TazWorks community about this important source of safety data.  If you missed the meeting, this article will tell you all about PSP. It also explains how to make PSP a part of your TazWorks InstaScreen platform.
What is PSP?
FMCSA developed PSP in response to a 2005 congressional mandate, included in the SAFETEA-LU legislation, requiring FMCSA to provide rapid electronic access to safety data from the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Driver Information Resource (DIR).  The MCMIS database contains information recorded by DOT officers and their state partners nationwide.  Access to this data is provided in the form of a PSP record, which contains a commercial driver’s most recent five years of crash information and three years of roadside inspections.  During the hiring process, companies may request PSP records to obtain supplemental safety history that allows for more informed hiring decisions.
 

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PSP Safety Study Results
PSP enhances potential employers’ ability to consider safety concerns, and identify training opportunities, before sending drivers onto the road.  A 2013 FMCSA safety study found that PSP users averaged a 17% drop in driver out-of-service (OOS) rates, and an 8% reduction in crash rates, as compared to companies who did not use PSP during the screening process.  Moreover, an estimated 3,592 OOS incidents, and 863 commercial motor vehicle crashes were avoided by trucking and bus companies using PSP during the time period studied.
 

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Adding PSP to InstaScreen
The good news is that PSP is fully integrated with the TazWorks system, allowing efficient, seamless access to this critical safety history.  After your company enrolls in PSP, you can add PSP to your existing TazWorks InstaScreen platform.  Annual subscriptions are $100 and each PSP record costs $10. Invoices are sent on a monthly basis.
When you activate your PSP account, you will receive PSP credentials allowing you to connect your InstaScreen platform to the PSP system.  Once you enter these credentials into InstaScreen, you will be able to use the standard InstaScreen process to add PSP as an available product and assign it your clients.  The TazWorks Support Team is always available to assist with the set-up process.
 

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Then, you will be able to begin requesting PSP records by following the standard InstaScreen steps.  PSP will use the driver’s name, date of birth, and license information to generate a PSP record.  Make sure to provide a full five years of license information in order to obtain a complete record.   You can add more licenses by selecting the “Another License” link.

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Finally, TazWorks will transmit the driver information to the PSP system, which then returns the driver’s PSP record on the search editor page.

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Driver Disclosure and Authorization Requirements
As you begin using PSP, keep in mind that Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requirements apply to the program.  FMCSA requires you, or your client, to obtain each driver’s written authorization to request his/her PSP records, using FMCSA’s mandatory disclosure and authorization form.  Drivers may provide authorization with a handwritten or electronic signature.

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When submitting a PSP request, InstaScreen will ask you to confirm that the driver has completed the required form.  Under the terms and conditions of the PSP enrollment agreement you are subject to random audits of the disclosure and authorization forms to ensure compliance.
 

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Next Steps
If you’re ready to offer your clients a new option to consider safety in their hiring processes, begin by completing the enrollment agreement.  To learn more about PSP, visit www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov, review the FAQs, or contact us today.  We’re glad to help you get started!

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