Vertical Identity vs. New Era Drug Testing (Consortium Pool)
The random testing program with driver qualification files included. Consortium Pool sells its driver-file software separately, with no published price.
Everything a carrier must do to hire and keep a CDL driver. Item by item.
Each row is a federal requirement or a recommended check, with the regulation that creates it. Our column shows how Vertical Identity delivers it: included in the membership (DQF Pro included) or ordered in the same portal at a published price. The Consortium Pool column shows what we found on consortiumpool.com and neweratitans.com, checked October 14, 2026.
| What a carrier needs | Vertical Identity | Consortium Pool |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring a driver | ||
| Online employment application49 CFR § 391.21 | IncludedDQF Pro application link, on a phone or computer; VID Intelligence reads the CDL and medical card | Separate DQF software (New Era Titans), no published price |
| Previous-employer safety history, including drug and alcohol history49 CFR § 391.23(a)(2), (d), (e) | IncludedRequests sent and followed up in DQF Pro; employers answer online | — Not found |
| MVR from every state that licensed the driver49 CFR § 391.23(a)(1) | Published priceMember rate from $14.25 by state, all 50 states | Separate DQF software (New Era Titans), no published price |
| Clearinghouse pre-employment full query49 CFR § 382.701(a) | Published price$12 per query (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate) | Only with their separate DQF software, no published price |
| Pre-employment drug test49 CFR § 382.301 | Published price$69 member rate, collection and MRO review included | $75 |
| Medical certificate on file49 CFR § 391.41, § 391.51(b)(6) | IncludedFiled in DQF Pro; DOT physicals ordered at $129 | "Medical Exam Status" tracked in separate DQF software |
| Road test, or a CDL accepted in its place49 CFR § 391.31, § 391.33 | IncludedTracked and filed in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| CDLIS reportRecommended | Published price$10 | Separate DQF software (New Era Titans), no published price |
| PSP reportRecommended · FMCSA program | Published price$20 | Separate DQF software (New Era Titans), no published price |
| Criminal background checkRecommended · FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b | Published price$39, run by Vertical Identity's own screening company | Separate DQF software (New Era Titans), no published price |
| The testing program | ||
| Random testing pool and Certificate of Enrollment49 CFR § 382.305 | IncludedIncluded, with selection notices and DER reminders until the test is done | Included in enrollment |
| Written drug and alcohol policy49 CFR § 382.601 | IncludedStandard policy included | Included |
| Supervisor reasonable-suspicion training49 CFR § 382.603 | Published price$55 per seat | $55 |
| C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse49 CFR § 382.705(c), § 382.711 | IncludedIncluded at no charge | Clearinghouse help offered, no published price |
| Every year | ||
| Annual Clearinghouse limited query49 CFR § 382.701(b) | Published price$12 per driver (our fee) | Only with their separate DQF software, no published price |
| Annual MVR and your signed review49 CFR § 391.25, § 391.51(b)(4)–(5) | Published priceReview signed and filed in DQF Pro; MVR at the member rate | In separate DQF software, no published price |
| Medical card renewal tracking49 CFR § 391.45 | IncludedExpiration reminders in DQF Pro | In separate DQF software, no published price |
| The driver file | ||
| A driver qualification file for every driver49 CFR § 391.51 | IncludedDQF Pro, organized to the DOT checklist | Sold separately (New Era Titans), no published price |
| Reminders before anything expiresAudit readiness | IncludedIncluded in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| Auditor export and access logAudit readiness | IncludedIncluded in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| Testing when it happens | ||
| Post-accident testing49 CFR § 382.303 | Published price$69 member rate, ordered any time from the portal | $75 drug test · $75 alcohol test |
| Reasonable-suspicion testing49 CFR § 382.307 | Published price$69 member rate | $75 drug test · $75 alcohol test |
| Return-to-duty and follow-up testing49 CFR § 382.309, § 382.311 | Published pricePost-SAP program; return-to-duty $119, follow-up $119 | — Not published |
| Covered (included or published price) | 23 of 23 | 6 of 23 |
All 23 with Vertical Identity: $85/year, driver files included. Switch from Consortium Pool online in about five minutes.
consortiumpool.com/programs (the $65.95 and $165 tiers, add-on driver and pre-employment test prices) and consortiumpool.com/driver-qualification-file-management on 2026-09-05, and re-checked on October 14, 2026 (prices unchanged; driver-file software sold separately through New Era Titans). Competitor pricing changes without notice; verify on their site when you evaluate. Consortium Pool and New Era Drug Testing are the same company (New Era Drug Testing LLC d/b/a ConsortiumPool, per their terms of use); the same programs and prices appear on neweradrugtesting.com/dot-programs.Four services you cannot price without calling
Clearinghouse queries
Offered only "when you purchase our Driver Qualification File Management software and services" (consortiumpool.com/programs). No query price published.
MVR, PSP and background checks
Listed as features of their DQ File Management system (consortiumpool.com/driver-qualification-file-management). No per-report price and no a-la-carte ordering surfaced.
DOT physical
Their DQF system tracks "Medical Exam Status." We found no physical-exam ordering or price on consortiumpool.com.
Random tests after the first
The $165 bundle includes one "FREE Annual Random Test." The only per-test price published is $75 for pre-employment. We found no published price for additional random tests.
Compliance is 23 line items, not one enrollment fee. If you cannot see the price, you cannot budget the year.
What does Vertical Identity publish that Consortium Pool makes you call for?
Vertical Identity is a Phoenix-based Consortium / Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) registered with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, serving owner-operators and motor carriers in all 50 states. Membership is $85 a year for the first driver and $25 a year for each additional driver, or $295 a year flat for unlimited drivers. The drug testing program is included; tests are ordered when needed, at member prices: DOT drug tests at $69, breath alcohol tests at $59, Clearinghouse queries at $12 per driver (our fee), and supervisor training at $55 a seat.
Consortium Pool publishes $65.95 enrollment for one driver, $15 for each additional driver, $75 drug and alcohol tests, $55 supervisor training, and a $165 bundle that adds one pre-employment and one random test. Its driver qualification files, Clearinghouse queries, MVR, PSP and CDLIS reports, and criminal background checks are sold inside separate Driver Qualification File software, with no published price. Vertical Identity includes DQF Pro driver files in the membership and prices every other item publicly in one member portal, so a carrier can total the whole year before enrolling.
Where both publish a price, here they are. Where only one does, we say so.
Every Consortium Pool cell below was read from a public product page on 2026-09-05: consortiumpool.com/programs · consortiumpool.com/driver-qualification-file-management · neweradrugtesting.com/dot-programs. Vertical Identity prices come from our live price list. Where Consortium Pool is cheaper, the row says so.
| Service | Vertical Identity | Consortium Pool | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consortium enrollment, first driver | $85/yr | $65.95/yr, enrollment only (no tests) | Consortium Pool is $19.05 lower on the entry fee |
| Additional driver | $25/yr | $15 each (enrollment tier) or $125 each (enrollment & testing tier) | Consortium Pool lower on enrollment-only; Vertical Identity lower once a test is included |
| Fleet plan | $295/yr flat, unlimited drivers | No flat plan published; $65.95 + $15 per additional driver | Depends on fleet size, see year-1 math below |
| DOT drug test | $69 member rate, every test type | $75 pre-employment. No other per-test price published. | $6 less per test at Vertical Identity |
| Breath alcohol test (BAT) | $59 | $75 (enrollment cart) | $16 less at Vertical Identity |
| Return-to-duty / follow-up test (observed) | $119 return-to-duty · $119 follow-up | Not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| Clearinghouse C/TPA designation, DIY | No charge for members; you designate us using our instructions | "Our dedicated Clearinghouse team can guide you" (consortiumpool.com). No price or tier published. | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup (white-glove, shared screen) | $199 | Not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| Clearinghouse query (pre-employment full or annual limited) | $12 per driver per query (our fee; FMCSA credit separate) | Only with their DQF software purchase; price not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| Supervisor / DER training | $55/seat | $55 (enrollment cart) | Same price |
| MVR (driving record) | member rate from $14.25 by state | Inside DQF software; price not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| PSP report | $20 | Inside DQF software; price not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| Criminal background check (FCRA) | $39 | Inside DQF software; price not published | Vertical Identity publishes; Consortium Pool does not |
| DOT physical ordering | $129 | Not sold; DQF tracks "Medical Exam Status" | Vertical Identity only |
| Written D&A policy | Standard policy included with membership (+ DOT guidebook); completed company-specific version $39 | Included in both tiers | Both include |
| Collection sites | 20,000+ nationwide | "Access To 12K Collection Sites" | 8,000+ more at Vertical Identity |
| Enrollment | Online, about 5 minutes, same-day Certificate | Online ("Enroll Now"), Certificate of Completion | Both online |
| Live support hours | Mon–Fri 6 AM–5 PM AZ, call or text; portal open around the clock | Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM PST (neweradrugtesting.com) |
Solo driver: $290 at Vertical Identity, driver files included. Consortium Pool: $220 to $270.95, plus driver-file software they sell separately and don't price.
The same year-one scenario we use on every comparison page: a single-driver carrier enrolls, registers with the Clearinghouse and runs the pre-employment query, trains one supervisor, and runs the pre-employment test plus one random draw (about what a solo driver averages when the 50% rate is applied across a consortium pool). Consortium Pool has two ways to buy it, so both are shown; the lines it does not price are labeled, not estimated.
| Line item | Vertical Identity | Consortium Pool, $65.95 tier | Consortium Pool, $165 bundle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consortium enrollment (year 1) | $85 | $65.95 | $165 (includes 1 pre-employment + 1 random test) |
| Clearinghouse setup + query | No charge (DIY) + $12 query | Not published | Not published |
| Supervisor / DER training (1 seat) | $55 | $55 | $55 |
| Pre-employment test + one random draw | $138 ($69 + $69) | $150 ($75 × 2, at the only per-test price published) | Included |
| DQF Pro driver qualification file software | Included | Not included. Sold separately through New Era Titans, no published price | Not included. Sold separately, no published price |
| Published total | $290, driver files included | $270.95 + Clearinghouse + DQF software, unpriced | $220 + Clearinghouse + DQF software, unpriced |
Consortium Pool touches more of the driver lifecycle than most consortiums, and on the lines it prices it is the lower bill for a solo driver. But its driver files and every pre-hire report sit in separate software with no published price. Vertical Identity includes the driver files and publishes every other price, so the $290 above is the whole bill.
Everything a compliance program should do, done in one place.
Driver qualification files, included.
DQF Pro comes with the $85/year membership, no add-on fee: a file for every driver organized to the DOT checklist, reminders before a medical card or CDL lapses, previous-employer requests tracked, and a complete file to hand an auditor any time.
Your random program, run for you.
A spot in our DOT random testing pool, a new Certificate of Enrollment every year, selection notices, and reminders to your DER until the test is done. Your selections are visible in the member portal any time.
Order drug and alcohol tests 24/7.
Order any test from the member portal at any hour. The driver gets a pre-paid electronic pass to take to one of 20,000+ collection sites nationwide. DOT drug test $69 at the member rate, with collection and Medical Review Officer review included.
MVRs, PSP, CDLIS and criminal background checks in the same portal.
Vertical Identity is also a background screening company, so we run these ourselves at published prices: MVR from $14.25 by state, PSP $20, CDLIS $10, criminal background check $39. Results land in the driver's file.
Hire a driver in one place.
Send one application link. VID Intelligence reads the driver's license and medical card and fills in the paperwork. Order the pre-hire checks, make your decision, then order the pre-employment test and Clearinghouse query, and the driver file builds itself.
Every price is published, live.
$85/year for the first driver, $25/year for each additional driver, $295/year flat for unlimited drivers. Every price on this page is read from our live price list. No quote call, no "contact us for pricing".
Clearinghouse handled two ways.
We're your C/TPA in the Clearinghouse at no charge: register on the FMCSA portal with our instructions and designate us. Or book the white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) and we do it with you on a shared screen. Queries are $12 per driver (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate).
Your written policy is included.
A standard written drug and alcohol policy and DOT guidebook come with the membership, the § 382.601 paperwork an auditor asks for first. A version completed with your company name, DER and effective date is $39.
Post-SAP program for drivers returning to duty.
Return-to-duty and follow-up tests ordered from the same portal: return-to-duty $119, follow-up $119, observed as the rules require.
DOT physicals near any driver.
Order a DOT physical ($129) with a certified medical examiner near the driver. The medical certificate goes into the driver's file.
Enroll in about five minutes, online.
Type your USDOT number and we pull the carrier name, address and driver count from FMCSA records. Your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day.
Real people, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 5 PM Arizona.
Call or text (602) 899-1606 and reach the team that runs your program, not a call center. The member portal stays open around the clock.
What carriers ask before switching
Don't see yours? Call or text (602) 899-1606.
Hours: Mon–Fri 6 AM – 5 PM AZ
[email protected]
Does Consortium Pool include driver qualification file software with its random program?
No. Consortium Pool sells its "Driver Qualification File Management software and services" separately from the consortium, through New Era Titans, and we found no published price for it (consortiumpool.com, checked October 14, 2026). Vertical Identity includes DQF Pro, its driver qualification file system, in the $85/year membership, and you order drug tests, MVRs, PSP and CDLIS reports, and criminal background checks from the same portal at published prices.
Is Vertical Identity a real consortium, or a reseller?
Vertical Identity is a Consortium / Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) registered with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. We hold our own accounts with SAMHSA-certified laboratories and a nationwide network of more than 20,000 DOT collection sites, and our members order through our portal at the $69 member rate. Nothing is resold through a middle layer.
Does Vertical Identity offer a do-it-yourself Clearinghouse path?
Yes. As a member, we're your C/TPA in the Clearinghouse at no charge: you register on the FMCSA Clearinghouse portal yourself and designate us, using our instructions. If you'd rather have help, the paid Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) is white-glove: we do it with you on a shared screen, because the login.gov sign-in has to happen with you present. Queries are ordered per driver at $12 each (our fee); the FMCSA query credit is separate and is bought in your own Clearinghouse account.
How do I switch from Consortium Pool to Vertical Identity?
Enroll at members.verticalidentity.com/enroll from your DOT number; it takes about five minutes and your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day. Then tell Consortium Pool in writing the date your program with them ends. Do not leave a gap: a carrier must be in a random pool every day it operates (49 CFR § 382.305), and your drivers' prior pre-employment results do not need to be repeated when you change C/TPAs.
Is Consortium Pool the same company as New Era Drug Testing?
Yes. Their terms of use identify the operator as New Era Drug Testing LLC d/b/a ConsortiumPool, and neweradrugtesting.com/dot-programs shows the same $65.95 and $165 tiers with the same add-on prices. If you are comparing both brands you are comparing one program.
Consortium Pool's enrollment is $65.95 and yours is $85. Why pay more?
For enrollment alone, theirs is $19.05 less. The difference is what comes next. Vertical Identity's $85 annual membership includes the drug testing program, your C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse at no charge, a standard written D&A policy, and access to every other service at a published price: $69 tests, $12 queries, $55 training, MVRs from $14.25, $20 PSP reports, $39 criminal background checks. Consortium Pool's Clearinghouse queries, MVRs, PSP, background checks, and training are sold inside Driver Qualification File software or by phone with no published price, so the $19.05 saving is the only number you can actually compare.
Does Consortium Pool's $165 bundle beat Vertical Identity on drug tests?
On tests alone, yes. The $165 enrollment-and-testing tier includes one pre-employment and one random test for one driver, which is a typical solo year; the same year at Vertical Identity is $235 including the $12 Clearinghouse query. A second driver in that tier is $125 ($25 here), and a supervisor seat, a Clearinghouse query on its own, or an MVR are lines we price and they do not.
Switch to Vertical Identity in 5 minutes.
Enroll online from your DOT number, get your Certificate of Enrollment the same day, and price the entire year before you pay for it. $85 a year, every other service at a published rate.