Every transportation company has to run background checks. Most of them think that means they're hiring safe drivers.
They're wrong.
A clean MVR and a spotless criminal record tell you what someone hasn't done. They don't tell you what happens when that driver's alone on a midnight run, under pressure, making a decision no one will see until it's too late. Screening creates the illusion of certainty. That illusion can be expensive in an industry where one bad hire can mean an accident, a lawsuit, or a contamination event that makes the evening news.
On this episode of Cisive’s podcast, Don't Get Played, Carlo Solorzano, Senior Director at Cisive Driver iQ, sits down with Mitch Ashby, VP of Talent Management at Andrews Logistics, and Jared Alexander, VP at Cisive Driver iQ.
Andrews Logistics hauls chemicals and lubricants all across North America. It’s freight that doesn't forgive mistakes. That’s why Mitch has spent 15 years building a hiring system that refuses to confuse compliance with competence. His position is uncompromising: Screening is necessary, but it's never sufficient.
“You can never predict human elements, human decisions,” he says. “Everybody makes a bad decision, but there’s a difference between a bad decision and the wrong overall hire.”
We dig into how Andrews built a hiring system that layers judgment on top of data, why screening creates false security, and what it takes to hold standards when you're desperate for drivers.
Mitch came up through safety before moving into talent at Andrews Logistics. That path shaped everything. “I knew exactly what safety was looking for,” he says. “So it's really helped knock some of the barricades down that you run through when you have recruiting and safety.”
Andrews built a three-tier system. Talent screens first, safety reviews next, and then terminal managers make the final call. Every hire goes through all three.
That third layer matters most. A resume might look perfect. The background check might be spotless. However, if the terminal manager senses something off during the in-person interview, Andrews is comfortable walking away. “Everybody sees something different,” Mitch explains.
Jared sees the opposite approach constantly, as companies desperately try to fill openings. “Just because somebody has a clean background check and their CDLIS is clear, their MVR is clear, they're PSP, and they're good on FMCSA doesn't mean they're a good driver.”
Which raises the question: when something does show up on a screen, how do you know whether it matters?
When a flag appears on a background check, Andrews doesn't just cut bait. Hard flags, like multiple accidents or disqualifying violations, are automatic nos. But soft flags require investigation.
Name mismatch because the applicant listed their middle name first? They fix it and rerun the check. Employment gap that turns out to be medical leave? They dig deeper before making a call.
What separates Andrews from most carriers isn't just how they investigate flags. It's what they do when the answer is no.
“We try to show them that, ‘Hey, we're here to work with you even if we can't hire you,’” Mitch says. If a driver doesn't have the right endorsement, Andrews doesn't ghost them. They explain what's missing, when to reapply, and follow up when that timeline hits.
It works. Drivers get their hazmat certifications and call Andrews first. “They're blowing us up or shooting us a text or whatever. 'Hey, I got it now. I'm very excited. Is there still an open position?’”
The loyalty starts before anyone's hired. Drivers tell their friends that Andrews was straight with them, explained the gap, and treated them like people. Those friends call, too.
Most companies treat disqualified candidates as dead ends. Andrews treats them as future hires.
Early in his career, Mitch would accommodate candidates who needed to start immediately. "I shaved off a day,” he says. “Well, there's a reason you shouldn't shave off that day.”
When a candidate pushes to compress the timeline now, Mitch asks why. Maybe they genuinely need income. Or maybe they had a crash last week, and they're trying to slip through before it hits the system.
The problem isn't legitimate urgency. It's that you can't tell the difference until you've done the work. Skip steps to move faster, and you lose the visibility that would have caught the problem.
Jared sees it constantly. “There are bad actors everywhere, and people slip through the cracks.” Even robust screening can miss recent incidents that haven't hit the system yet. Compress the timeline, and you're betting nothing recent exists.
Andrews holds the line. Mitch won't start someone tomorrow, even when desperate for drivers. “Everything's at stake because one accident, one spill, contamination, something to that aspect could change the whole game.”
In transportation, that's a gamble you can't afford to lose.
Trust in safety-critical hiring is built on systems, judgment, and the discipline to stay true to your process when pressure mounts. The companies that thrive are the ones that balance speed with thoroughness, not the ones that fill seats fastest.