Maximizing Commercial Driver Insights: The CDLIS Advantage

Meet Sarah. As the HR lead for a large logistics company, she’s responsible for hiring commercial drivers who will keep the company’s supply chain moving. But for Sarah, hiring isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about ensuring safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Every driver she hires represents the company on the road, so having a complete and accurate view of their driving history is critical.

The challenge? Not all motor vehicle records (MVRs) are created equal.

While a standard MVR provides a record of a driver’s history in a single state, commercial drivers operate under a different set of rules. The hiring process for commercial drivers requires a deeper level of verification, including medical certifications and compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.

That’s where Checkr’s commercial MVR check comes into play—the even better choice is commercial MVR with CDLIS.

This enhanced screening tool goes beyond standard MVRs, giving hiring teams a comprehensive, multi-state view of a driver’s history, supporting regulatory compliance, and helping to mitigate risk before an offer is made.

A standard MVR provides an overview of a candidate’s driving record in a single state. This type of check is commonly used for roles that involve operating non-commercial vehicles or for non-CDL commercial drivers.

A standard MVR typically includes:

While this report is useful, it lacks the depth required for hiring commercial drivers who must meet federal safety and medical standards.

A commercial MVR expands on a standard MVR by including critical medical and regulatory information required for commercial driver compliance. This includes:

This is the baseline check needed for hiring commercial drivers—but for full transparency into a driver’s history across states, HR teams often choose a CDLIS.

CDLIS (Commercial Driver’s License Information System) is a federal system that tracks commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) across all 50 states.

Why is this important? Commercial drivers may not hold multiple CDLs at the same time. Federal law requires that a driver can only have one valid CDL issued in one state at any given time. However, without CDLIS, previous licenses or violations in other states may go unnoticed.

CDLIS is critical for compliance and risk management because it:

For HR teams hiring commercial drivers, CDLIS is not just a useful add-on—it’s a necessary step to ensure compliance, safety, and informed hiring decisions.

When hiring commercial drivers, ensuring compliance with FMCSA regulations is not optional—it’s essential for mitigating risk and avoiding costly violations.

A commercial MVR with CDLIS provides a nationwide view of a candidate’s CDL history, ensuring that critical information is found. For companies with multi-state operations, this is especially important to maintain compliance across different jurisdictions.

Hiring a driver without a full CDL history can expose a company to safety risks and potential liability. CDLIS helps ensure that HR teams can spot red flags early, such as a driver with multiple CDLs or a history of violations in another state.

For HR professionals like Sarah, making informed hiring decisions is key to building a safe and compliant workforce. A commercial MVR with CDLIS enables teams to prioritize safety, protect their brand, and maintain compliance without unnecessary delays in the hiring process.

Beyond running background checks, Checkr provides tools to help HR teams streamline and standardize decision-making when evaluating MVR results.

Checkr’s adjudication toolset enables hiring teams to:

Checkr’s modern platform helps HR teams easily scale their hiring efforts without compromising compliance or safety standards.

For organizations looking to streamline their background check process, Checkr Assess provides even more robust capabilities. 

From within the Checkr Dashboard, adding CDLIS to your commercial MVR check is straightforward:

By integrating commercial MVR with CDLIS into the hiring process, companies can make more informed hiring decisions, reduce compliance risks, and build a workforce that meets the highest safety standards.

For HR professionals and hiring managers responsible for bringing commercial drivers onboard, the right screening tools make all the difference.Safety and compliance aren’t just about meeting legal requirements—they’re about protecting your business, employees, and customers.

Checkr’s commercial MVR with CDLIS ensures that hiring managers, like Sarah, get the complete picture to make informed decisions that prioritize safety, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Want to streamline MVR evaluations at scale?

Checkr’s robust adjudication suite helps HR teams streamline and standardize how MVR results are assessed—reducing manual work and improving decision-making. 

Sarah has hired hundreds of drivers over the years, and she’s seen firsthand how incomplete or inaccurate driving records can lead to costly mistakes. Before using Checkr’s commercial MVR with CDLIS, she relied on standard MVRs and found herself digging through additional records, requesting clarification, and sometimes missing key details that only surfaced later.

Now, with commercial MVR and CDLIS, she has one clear, reliable view of each candidate’s complete driving history. She no longer worries about missing past violations from another state or hiring a driver who is not in  compliance with FMCSA regulations. She can focus on building a strong, safe team—without second-guessing the background check process.

For HR professionals like Sarah, hiring the right drivers isn’t just about checking a box—it’s about ensuring safety, compliance, and long-term success.

With Checkr’s AI-powered screening solutions, companies aren’t just filling seats in their trucks. They’re building a workforce that drives efficiency, protects their brand, and upholds the highest standards of safety and compliance.

Ready to make better hiring decisions? Get started with Checkr today.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.