Better Driver Hiring with Social Screening

As safety and compliance pressures rise, transportation companies are reevaluating how they vet drivers and frontline personnel. Motor vehicle records, DOT verifications, PSP reports, drug screening and criminal checks remain foundational, but social media searches can sometimes provide additional insights.  

Today, a technology-enabled social media screen can act as the “new” reference check for transportation hiring if that person has a social media presence. And since the cost is roughly the same as a traditional reference check (typically $30–$40), it is quickly becoming one of the most valuable insights fleet operators can add to their safety programs. 

Why transportation companies can’t ignore potential online misconduct 

Transportation is one of the most heavily regulated industries. Carriers already invest in FMCSA compliance, DOT physicals, DOT verification, and drug and alcohol screening, but none of these reveal potential online social media postings.  

Meanwhile, public social media activity is widespread among working-age adults.   

What social media screening actually is (and is not) 

Many recruiters already look people up online to see if they have any social media presence and, if so, to review their posts. Still, that approach is sometimes time-consuming, difficult and inconsistent. Unstructured searches can sometimes also expose protected-class type of information that should be avoided.

A formal social media screening program is: 

• Structured and job-relevant 
  Screens focus on behavior related to potentially risky or unsafe conduct, such as violence, threats, harassment, illegal activity, or discrimination. 
• Tech that is scalable 
  AI surfaces potentially concerning content and routes it to human reviewers for confirmation of the online source related to the candidate or employee. 
• Thorough and documented 
  Reports exclude protected-class information and focus only on public online content in customer-configured behavior categories, which may assist in documenting consistent hiring decisions. 

Why social media screening is the “new” reference check

Traditional reference checks are limited because responses are subjective, brief, and often restricted to information already included in the employment verification. A social media screen offers: 

• Additional insights into online social media postings 
  Instead of a single manager’s recollection, social media screenings provide you with an array of online postings over time. 
• Consistency 
  A standardized process applies the same criteria to every candidate. 
• Comparable cost, better insight 
  Since the cost aligns with that of a reference check, companies are choosing the option that yields additional insight if there is a publicly viewable social media presence of the candidate. 

Promoting additional insights into hiring in transportation 

There are many reasons to drive better hiring decisions with social media screening as one of the tools in your processes, including:  

• Mitigate risk 
  Screens can provide insights into social media posting that may include risk-taking behavior, references to reckless driving, substance abuse, or aggression. 
• Supporting a respectful, customer-facing culture 
  Carriers rely heavily on professionalism and service. Social media screens help identify potential issues with social media postings that promote online harassment or discriminatory behavior. 
• Building a defensible safety program 
  A documented process managed by a third party can help to mitigate the risk of claims of unfair or biased hiring. 

Best practices for using social media screening in transportation 

To use social media screening responsibly and effectively in transportation hiring, organizations should follow consistent, legally sound best practices, such as: 

• Work with legal and safety teams 
  Define which roles will be subject to social media screening, which categories will be reported, and how the results will be used. 
• Train recruiters and hiring managers 
  Explain what social media screening covers, what it does not cover and how to interpret reports. Reinforce that they should not conduct their own informal searches outside the process. 
• Communicate with candidates 
  Be transparent so that social media screening is part of your background check process, helping to promote a positive culture focused on respect. 

Putting it all together with First Advantage 

 Social media screening, priced similarly to a reference check but offering additional insight, is becoming an essential tool for hiring. 

First Advantage integrates identity verification, DOT-relevant background screening, and social media checks into a single platform to help carriers hire confidently and mitigate risk for their drivers, customers, and communities. Contact one of our experts to get started. 

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