The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program is scheduled to begin in December. It will provide employer access to potential hire driving records, including inspections and crash records. But, in accordance with federal privacy laws, the applicant must give written consent for their records to be released.

“This new initiative will help trucking companies ensure the safest drivers are behind the wheel of commercial trucks and buses," said LaHood in a recent statement. "Making this information more transparent will make our roads and highways safer for everyone."

The Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program will be populated by FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System, or MCMIS, which is comprised of roadside inspection data, compliance review results, enforcement data, state-reported crashes and motor carrier census data. Previously, this information was only available to federal and state law enforcement personnel and the drivers themselves through the Freedom of Information Act.