How Small and Medium Truck Fleets use CDL Suite
Small and medium truck fleet owners typically use CDL Suite to administer their truck driver job applications, manage DQ files, for electronic consent forms, custom online forms, driver jobs marketing, background screening, and safety/compliance. Fleets that don’t have their own website also use CDL Suite as their website hosting platform. Most fleet owners manage CDL Suite themselves while others prefer to use an outsourced recruiting or safety manager. Below are the top 10 ways fleet owners use CDL Suite.
- Electronic Driver Applications
- Customization
- FMCSA Driver Qualification File management
- Reporting
- Driver Marketing
- Visual aids
- Websites
- Background Screening
- Custom Forms
- Operational Support
Electronic applications
CDL Suite makes it easy for small and medium fleets to deliver the same high quality recruiting experience to truck driver applicants as the big trucking companies. Starting with an attractive online truck driver job application CDL Suite allows drivers to quickly complete and electronically sign the full application along with all mandated consent forms from any device including a cell phone. No more emailing PDF applications and consent forms to drivers. Each carrier receives a unique application link that can be sent to candidates by email or text, as well as placed on their website as an “Apply Online” button or placed in truck driver job postings and on social media sites. The carrier is notified each time one of their applications is completed, including a ten-year wok history, traffic convictions, accidents, and other critical information used in your hiring decisions. Because CDL Suite online applications are fully DOT and FCRA compliant fleet managers can be confident that they are conforming to all local and federal regulations.
Customization
CDL Suite includes a full set of controls that allow fleet managers to customize various sections of the application to suit their unique recruiting processes. They can easily disable unnecessary sections of the truck driver application, while other sections can be modified to more closely align with their original processes. They can easily add or remove questions to the electronic driver application on the fly, as well as control look-back periods for accidents, convictions, and violations. They choose which consent forms are sent to applicants for completions as well as when they are sent. CDL Suite also provides truck fleet managers with default legal terms for applicants to sign off on that can be revised to suit the fleet’s specific needs.
Driver DQ File Management
CDL Suite takes the complexity out of managing Driver Qualification Files. The default folder setup allows fleet managers to get and stay in compliance quickly, even if they don’t understand how DQ Files should be managed or what their requirements are. CDL Suite allows them to customize the default folder setup so that they conform to the way that the fleet manager already operates. They can easily add or remove folders, group folders and documents to suit their workflow, upload or scan documents, automatically file documents to appropriate folders, monitor missing and expiring documents, send needed forms to drivers electronically for completion, and much more. A visual file tool makes it incredibly easy for fleet managers to audit their DQ File management in seconds, as often as they like, so that nothing is ever missed or overlooked. No safety team needed.
Reporting
Good fleet managers want to know what happened? Simple, and user friendly, the CDL Suite custom reports interface allows curious fleet managers to easily run historical reports on Leads, Hires, DOT Driver Applicants, and QuickSend. Custom Reports give them the ability to create and save an unlimited number of reports that display the data that they select, with Tabular, Summary, and Matrix layouts. They also have access to a growing list of Public Reports which can be used “as-is,” or copied and modified to better suit the fleet’s specific needs. Easy access to historical data is crucial to continuous growth.
Driver Marketing
Drip marketing is a strategy used by many larger carriers where a constant flow of marketing communications is sent to leads over time. Drip marketing increases the fleet’s applicant flow through repeated exposure of leads to open job opportunities. CDL Suite allows fleet managers to add leads to their truck driver recruiting account and then to send periodic emails and/or text messages with the goal of increasing interest in their open truck driver jobs. Drip marketing can be very effective at growing a fleet’s applicant pool in comparison to the typical approach where you post the open truck driving job and pray prospective leads will remember your opportunity. Note that drip marketing differs from mass marketing in that each message or email is sent individually based on a schedule or event rather than as part of a large group.
Visual aids
For small and medium teams with limited resources CDL Suite offers essential tools and visual aids to simplify everyday tasks. Visual Work History is an easy-to-understand illustration of an applicant’s work history. It allows fleet managers to assess each applicant’s driving jobs, non-driving jobs, start dates, end dates, overlapping employers, employment gaps, and missing data, in a fraction of the time it normally takes. One glance tells you whether the applicant is a viable candidate or should be disregarded. Our QuikView tool allows fleet managers to see a snapshot of all documents for any individual employee, showing them which documents are present, missing or expiring. FileView allows them to review and audit the files for their entire team in a single glance. Nothing could easier.
Websites
Small and medium carriers often underestimate the power of a website in growing their business. For carriers that don’t already have a mobile-ready website CDL Suite will help them build their brand identity and increase their credibility with a custom website. Their new integrated website includes a free custom domain, SSL certificate, hosting and support. The ready-to-go website make promoting their business to drivers and customers easier than ever. The simplified control panel is user friendly and requires no technical experience. The carrier simply adds their content and upload any images they choose. If they need help writing content CDL Suite is there to assist with that as well. The carrier’s attractive new website will make it easy for shippers to learn about their services while allowing drivers to view their open job opportunities and apply online.
Integrated Background Screening
CDL Suite allows fleet managers to conduct an assortment of background investigations on their applicants and employees conveniently from a single page. The integrated background screening interface allows them to choose which reports, such as MVRs and PSPs, they wish to run. Because the system is integrated there is no need to reenter the applicant’s data when it comes time to run the background reports. Completed reports are immediately returned to the applicant or employee’s record for your review.
Custom Forms
In addition to the mandated consent forms CDL Suite also allows fleet managers to easily create attractive custom forms that are electronic and can be completed and signed by applicants on any device. The user-friendly interface makes it simple to convert any forms that are currently in use into mobile-ready digital forms, even if you have no graphics experience. Custom forms can be sent manually or automatically to applicants and/or employees. The fleet manager is notified whenever a custom form is completed and automatically saved to the driver’s record. Custom forms are great for consent forms, orientation forms, payroll deposit forms, waivers, and notices.
Operational Support
The essential tasks of driver recruiting, DOT compliance, and DQ File management can be overwhelming for a growing trucking operation. Employing the wrong software tools can further complicate the problem. While CDL Suite is designed to level the playing field for smaller fleets it’s the live support the platform offers that stands out for most users. No chat. No email. Just pick up the phone and call when you need help. You get a live person on the other end eager to assist you. Whether you need to know how to perform a particular function, are having technical issue, need training, or just want to learn more about available options, you will quickly get the guidance you need. While the platform does include a robust knowledge base (Help Center) that thoroughly explains most features and functions, fleet managers invited to call directly to get live support.
CDL Suite also extends its live support to the fleet’s applicants. They are available to assist less technical applicants in completing online driver applications and other documents. Most carriers find that feature to be instrumental in increasing the number of successful applications they receive. Applicants who struggle to complete online documents is unavoidable, and it helps to have a support team that can step in and assist when these problems arise.
To learn more about CDL Suite and how your truck fleet can benefit from Truck Driver Recruitment Tools.