Driver Verification

“A driver engaged by a private security agency gave the slip to its staff when they went to collect money from a petrol bunk in Mallapur and escaped with Rs 41.97 lakhs cash on Monday afternoon” - A case in example is the recent story in The Times of India.

With rising cases of crimes and abduction in the country, it is very important that the identity and credentials of the driver are verified before employing him on duty. Drivers are great folks - think of the trouble we would have if we had to drive everywhere on our own. But occasionally some of these great folks fall victim to greed or other such human weaknesses! As the mutual fund disclaimers say ‘Past performance is not an indicator of future performance’, a similar maxim can apply in the world of verification ‘Absence of criminal history is not an indicator of future honesty’. Still, it makes sense to be as sure as possible.

Here are five top tips for driver verification:

• Verify the address and ID proofs of your driver and retain a photocopy for your records.
• Visit the current address and confirm the residence. Ask the local neighbours too.
• Inspect the driving license. Ensure that it is valid for the current period and vehicle category (for example, Light Motor Vehicle). Retain a photocopy for your records.
• Verify the driving license credentials with the issuing RTO.
• Ask for previous employer references even if the driver is coming through word of mouth referral. Call the previous employers and ask questions to confirm and learn more.

JantaKhoj provides background check services for driver you may hire at your home. You have the option to perform the following checks before you hire someone:

Address Verification

Turnaround Time: 7 working days        Charges: INR 375 - INR 500 per check

This involves checking the permanent address given by the driver to ensure that he can be tracked down in case he goes missing. This lends authenticity to the identity of the driver, who has an address where he can be reached.

Criminal Verification

Turnaround Time: 15 working days        Charges: INR 950 per check

This verification entails checking a person's criminal history to assess his or her trustworthiness. In most cases, the verification lists all non-expunged criminal offenses and may also include traffic offenses such as speeding and drunk-driving. Criminal record check ensures that some additional facts, information and background data on the driver come to the forefront allowing the person to make an informed decision.

Driving License Verification

Turnaround Time: 30 working days        Charges: INR 800 per check

This is to verify with the issuing Road Transport Office (RTO) the driving license held or reported by the driver is genuine, not expired and for the suitable vehicle class (LMV - Light Motor Vehicle, HMV - Heavy Motor Vehicle).

Reference Verification

Turnaround Time: 5 working days        Charges: INR 200 per check

References are conducted with past employers/managers to whom a driver specifically reported, providing impartial references and a valuable perspective of the driver’s past performance and behaviours.