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Nov 07, 2024

How overlooking application gaps can lead to tragic consequences - Bus & Motorcoach News

Too often, I find myself disappointed by a lack of attention to detail when reviewing driver qualification files for Department of Transportation pre-audits. I consult with dozens of companies in the

Too often, I find myself disappointed by a lack of attention to detail when reviewing driver qualification files for Department of Transportation pre-audits.

I consult with dozens of companies in the industry each year, meticulously combing through safety records, driver qualification files, maintenance logs, and equipment checks. Yet, it’s surprising how often I encounter driver applications stating a spotless record – no tickets, no accidents in the past three years – only to discover, upon reviewing the pre-employment motor vehicle reports, that these drivers indeed have tickets, accidents, or both.

The question I raise to safety directors is, “How do we explain this discrepancy?” Often, they reply, “The DOT never usually says anything about that.” While that may occasionally be true, it’s not something on which I’d want to stake my professional integrity if I were in their position. Sometimes, the Department of Transportation’s concerns might be the least of your worries.

This became all too evident a few weeks ago, when Newsday reporter, Anastasia Valveeva, contacted me to discuss driver applications and background checks.

She was investigating a private school bus contractor for Valley Stream Schools in New York, where a driver had attacked a student. She had discovered the driver had a record of similar offenses with another school bus system. However, he had slipped through the hiring process due to an inadequate background check and unchecked details on the application.

The school bus contractor had not completed a proper background check. Just as important, the driver had not checked the box on the application about whether he had been convicted of any previous crimes, nor did he list the former employer, even though the application required a 10-year listing of previous employment or an explanation of any lapses in open times on the application for the previous 10 years.

Had the Safety Director paid attention to the details, any of those empty spaces should have raised more questions about this driver. However, the driver was hired and committed the same crime again on a different student.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Valveeva accessed the driver’s application, revealing these overlooked details.

Her Oct. 14 article in Newsday, “Valley Stream bus driver charged with rape of student faced prior sex abuse allegation, records show,” poses a haunting question: “How was someone with such blank spaces and unchecked boxes hired?”

In this case, Valveeva and the attorney representing the victim’s family have unearthed more than the Department of Transportation might have.

I encourage you to read the article and reflect: could your company withstand that level of investigative scrutiny? Are your applications thorough, leaving no unchecked boxes or blank spaces? It’s not just about passing a DOT audit, it’s about paying attention to detail.

That’s my view from the window this time.

Mark Szyperski owns On Your Mark Transportation, a company that provides transportation consulting, marketing expertise, motorcoach training, and bus website development, among other services.