Going beyond basic driver compliance will give clients and their loved ones peace of mind.
As seniors age, many must rely on others for rides to doctors' appointments, the grocery store, the library, and the like. Often, older adults will turn to various senior transportation services—either national chains or smaller independent businesses.
If you operate a business that provides senior transportation, it's essential you run specific background checks on your drivers. In this article, we're going to review the following:
✔ Why you should go beyond basic compliance requirements when screening drivers
✔ How MVR monitoring can increase safety—and not just for your senior passengers, but for everyone on the roadway
✔ How social media background checks provide insights into people's characters—insights you can't get from typical pre-employment checks
✔ How running the right combination of background checks can be a huge selling point for your company—one that can differentiate you from the competition
Going beyond basic compliance makes smart business sense.
Depending on the size of your senior transportation business, you might not even have complex compliance requirements. But just because it isn't required, this doesn't mean you're off the hook.
Remember, if your business serves seniors, you're often dealing with vulnerable populations. Members of this demographic might have physical limitations or cognitive difficulties. Some might be ill. Others might use wheelchairs, crutches, or walkers. Plenty will need an extra hand getting in and out of vehicles—as well as patience (and, ideally, kindness) from drivers.
Bottom line: Who your senior transportation company hires matters. Screen candidates appropriately.
MVR monitoring promotes safety and peace of mind.
Even if you're not required to run MVR checks on new hires, it still makes sense to do so. First, you could use this check as a first step to weed out candidates who aren't a good fit because of poor driving records. And for those you do hire, you'll have a solid baseline on their driving.
But don't stop there. Because what happens if the person you hire is in an accident two months from now—and they're at fault? Or what if they drive while under the influence one weekend? Or they get a speeding ticket?
Not all employees will own up to these infractions. Some might neglect to tell you because they're afraid of losing their jobs. Others might be so busy that they simply forget. Depending on what happened, some people might not even realize they should tell you about certain infractions, like a speeding ticket during non-work hours.
Don't rely on your employees to self-report. Instead, use a tool like MVR monitoring to alert you when there's a change on the driver's MVR. Then, you can decide what steps to take—if any.
Social media background checks and ongoing monitoring can alert you about problematic behavior.
Older adults might have trouble hearing or seeing. They might move a little more slowly or need assistance with walkers and wheelchairs. Many are retired and come from a generation that craves kindness, good manners, and friendly chit-chat. Drivers who work in the senior transportation industry need more than simply good driving skills—they need good people skills, too.
Running social media background checks can flag applicants who express problematic behaviors, such as racist language or ageist attitudes. Unfortunately, elder abuse is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country. And even more frightening—some of the abusers take to social media to brag about their deeds or to post pics and videos.
Wouldn't you want to know if the person you're about to hire posts items online that suggest they mistreat or discriminate against the community you're trying to serve? Social media background checks can go a long way in doing exactly that.
These checks work just like MVR checks and MVR monitoring. The initial social media check sets the baseline. And with ongoing social media monitoring, you're only alerted when there's a potential problem.
A robust background check policy can instill confidence and differentiate your business.
A robust background check policy can make you stand out among the competition. Promote the fact you go beyond the basics when it comes to screening drivers. Add a page on your website called "How we hire our drivers." You could even feature drivers who are popular with your senior clientele. This is a fantastic way to differentiate your business from companies that aren't taking extra measures to ensure safety with their senior transportation.
Looking for the best background check service to help screen your drivers? Say hello to Good Egg.
We customize screening packages based on your needs—no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solution here. Let's talk about the background checks that will make sense for your business.
