Vertical Identity vs. National Drug Screening
The random testing program with driver qualification files included. National Drug Screening does not offer driver qualification file software; its compliance bundles include a policy and forms binder.
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 National Drug Screening column shows what we found on nationaldrugscreening.com, checked October 14, 2026.
| What a carrier needs | Vertical Identity | National Drug Screening |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | — Not found |
| 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 | — Not found |
| Clearinghouse pre-employment full query49 CFR § 382.701(a) | Published price$12 per query (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate) | $10 pre-employment query |
| Pre-employment drug test49 CFR § 382.301 | Published price$69 member rate, collection and MRO review included | $75 (included in the $230 owner-operator package) |
| Medical certificate on file49 CFR § 391.41, § 391.51(b)(6) | IncludedFiled in DQF Pro; DOT physicals ordered at $129 | DOT physical $129; no driver-file storage found |
| 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 | — Not found |
| PSP reportRecommended · FMCSA program | Published price$20 | — Not found |
| Criminal background checkRecommended · FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b | Published price$39, run by Vertical Identity's own screening company | — Not found |
| 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 | $155 per driver per year, random tests included |
| Written drug and alcohol policy49 CFR § 382.601 | IncludedStandard policy included | Policy binder in the $395 bundle; custom policy $450 |
| Supervisor reasonable-suspicion training49 CFR § 382.603 | Published price$55 per seat | $99 live webinar |
| C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse49 CFR § 382.705(c), § 382.711 | IncludedIncluded at no charge | Included (NDS acts as your C/TPA) |
| Every year | ||
| Annual Clearinghouse limited query49 CFR § 382.701(b) | Published price$12 per driver (our fee) | Included in the $230 owner-operator package |
| 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 | — Not found |
| Medical card renewal tracking49 CFR § 391.45 | IncludedExpiration reminders in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| The driver file | ||
| A driver qualification file for every driver49 CFR § 391.51 | IncludedDQF Pro, organized to the DOT checklist | — Not offered; bundles include a policy and forms binder |
| 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 | $75 test + $50 direct-observation fee; $395 RTD package for unemployed drivers |
| Covered (included or published price) | 23 of 23 | 11 of 23 |
All 23 with Vertical Identity: $85/year, driver files included. Switch from National Drug Screening online in about five minutes.
nationaldrugscreening.com/product/owner-operator-dot-random-consortium-only-package-fmcsa/, /product/owner-operator-dot-consortium-package/, /product/dot-urine-drug-test/, /product/breath-alcohol-dot, /product/fmcsa-clearinghouse-pre-employment-query/, /product/return-to-duty-dot-drug-test-for-unemployed-drivers/, /product/dot-physical/, /product/dot-fmcsa-drug-alcohol-testing-policy/, /product/fmcsa-random-program-for-companies-with-40-drivers, /supervisor-training-reasonable-suspicion/, plus the 11–40 driver rate on /consortium-dot-drug-alcohol-testing-owner-operator/ and the bundles at /product/fmcsa-complete-compliance-bundle-for-up-to-10-drivers/ and /product/fmcsa-complete-compliance-bundle-for-11-40-drivers/. Competitor pricing changes without notice; verify on their site when you evaluate.Driver files and three pre-hire checks not in their catalog
National Drug Screening sells the testing program, Clearinghouse queries, DOT physicals, a written policy, and supervisor training. These four are not in its product catalog or site pages as of October 14, 2026.
Driver Qualification Files
No driver-file software found. Its compliance bundles include a policy and forms binder. Vertical Identity includes DQF Pro in the membership.
MVR Checks
Required at hire and annually (49 CFR § 391.23, § 391.25).
PSP Reports
Pre-hire crash and inspection history from FMCSA's MCMIS. Recommended, not required.
Criminal Background Checks
FCRA-compliant pre-hire screening. Recommended, not required.
Compliance is 23 items, not one random pool. The driver file and the pre-hire checks are the other half of the job, and they should not take a second vendor.
What does Vertical Identity offer that National Drug Screening doesn't?
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 and DQF Pro driver qualification files are included; tests and checks 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), MVRs from $14.25, PSP reports at $20, criminal background checks at $39, DOT physicals at $129, and supervisor training at $55 a seat.
National Drug Screening sells a $155 per-driver consortium that includes random tests, a $230 owner-operator package that adds the pre-employment test and Clearinghouse queries, DOT drug tests at $75, DOT physicals at $129, a custom-written policy at $450, and a $99 live supervisor webinar. We found no driver qualification file software, MVR checks, PSP reports, or criminal background checks on its site. For one driver on a typical year (one random draw, one supervisor seat), Vertical Identity comes out $39 lower, and National Drug Screening's flat fee wins if that driver is drawn twice or more. Vertical Identity is the lower bill from the second driver on, and it includes the driver files and sells the pre-hire checks in the same portal.
Where both publish a price, here they are. Where only one does, we say so.
Every National Drug Screening cell was read from one of its product pages on 2026-09-06 and re-checked on October 14, 2026; Vertical Identity prices come from our live price list. Where NDS is cheaper, the row says so.
| Service | Vertical Identity | National Drug Screening | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consortium enrollment, first driver | $85/yr (tests billed separately) | $155/yr per person, random tests included; or $230 package with pre-employment test + Clearinghouse queries | Vertical Identity lower on a typical solo year; NDS lower if drawn twice or more (see year-1 math) |
| Additional driver | $25/yr | $155/yr per person, random tests included | Vertical Identity lower once tests are counted (see 3-driver math) |
| Fleet plans | $295/yr flat, unlimited drivers, tests billed separately | 11–40 drivers: $60/driver/yr with random tests included (nationaldrugscreening.com/consortium-dot-drug-alcohol-testing-owner-operator/); 40+ drivers: $320 ($100 setup + $220/yr stand-alone pool), tests billed separately | Consortium + random tests at the FMCSA minimum rates (50% drug / 10% alcohol, rounded up), Clearinghouse queries excluded on both sides because NDS does not publish them for this program: 11 drivers NDS $660 vs Vertical Identity $827; 25 drivers NDS $1,500 vs Vertical Identity $1,369; 40 drivers NDS $2,400 vs Vertical Identity $1,911 |
| DOT drug test | $69 member rate | $75 (+$50 directly-observed fee when required) | $6 less per test at Vertical Identity |
| Breath alcohol test (BAT) | $59 | $75 (Breath Alcohol DOT product page) | $16 less at Vertical Identity |
| Return-to-duty test (observed) | $119 | $395 "Return to Duty DOT Drug Test for Unemployed Drivers," includes Clearinghouse reporting | $276 less at Vertical Identity |
| Clearinghouse C/TPA designation and setup | No charge for members (DIY, using our instructions); white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup on a shared screen $199 | Included in the $155 and $230 packages | Both include the designation |
| Clearinghouse queries | $12 per driver per query, pre-employment full or annual limited (our fee; FMCSA credit separate) | $10 per pre-employment query; annual query included in the $230 package | Comparable |
| Supervisor / DER training | $55/seat, self-paced online | $99 live webinar on scheduled dates; links to on-demand training on a separate site | $44 less at Vertical Identity, and on-demand |
| Driver qualification file (DQF) software | Included (DQF Pro) | Not offered. Bundles include a policy and forms binder | Included at Vertical Identity |
| MVR (driving record) | member rate from $14.25 by state, all 50 states | Not in their product catalog (checked October 14, 2026) | Sold by Vertical Identity; not listed by NDS |
| PSP report | $20 | Not in their product catalog | Sold by Vertical Identity; not listed by NDS |
| Criminal background check (FCRA) | $39 | Not in their product catalog | Sold by Vertical Identity; not listed by NDS |
| DOT physical | $129 through a nationwide examiner network | $129 (DOT Physical product page) | Same price |
| Written D&A policy | Standard policy included with membership (+ DOT guidebook); completed company-specific version $39 | Employee education included with the consortium; custom-written DOT policy $450 | Both provide; Vertical Identity includes it |
| Collection sites | 20,000+ nationwide | Nationwide network (count not stated on the product pages) | |
| Enrollment | Online, about 5 minutes, same-day Certificate | Online checkout; signed services agreement and card authorization by email during setup | Both online |
Solo driver: $290 at Vertical Identity vs $329, driver files included. Three drivers: Vertical Identity is $179 lower, and National Drug Screening does not offer driver-file software.
Scenario one is a single-driver year: enroll, register with the Clearinghouse and run the pre-employment query, train one supervisor, run the pre-employment test, and one random draw, which is about what a solo driver averages when the 50% rate is applied across a consortium pool. NDS includes random tests in its per-driver fee, so the more often you are drawn the better its flat fee looks; two draws would make it $359 vs $329. Scenario two is a three-driver carrier in year one: three pre-employment tests, the Clearinghouse queries, and random tests at the FMCSA minimum rates of 50% for drugs and 10% for alcohol (49 CFR § 382.305(b)), which for three drivers we count as two drug tests and one alcohol test. NDS includes random tests in its per-driver fee; Vertical Identity bills them per test.
| Line item | Vertical Identity | National Drug Screening | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo driver: consortium + pre-employment test + Clearinghouse queries | $85 + $69 + $12 | $230 package (consortium, PE test, both queries, all randoms) | |
| Solo driver: random draws in year one (one drug test, the average for a single driver at the 50% pool rate) | $69 | Included | |
| Solo driver: supervisor training (1 seat) | $55 | $99 (live webinar) | |
| Solo driver: DQF Pro driver qualification file software | Included | Not offered. Its bundles include a policy and forms binder, not driver-file software | |
| Solo driver: year-1 total | $290 | $329 | Vertical Identity $39 lower, driver files included; if you were drawn twice, $359 vs $329 |
| 3 drivers: consortium | $85 + 2 × $25 = $135 | $230 (owner) + 2 × $155 = $540 | |
| 3 drivers: 3 pre-employment tests + Clearinghouse queries | $207 + $36 (3 × $12) | $150 (2 × $75; owner's test is in the package) + $20 (2 × $10 pre-employment queries) | |
| 3 drivers: random tests at the FMCSA minimum rates (2 drug + 1 alcohol) | $197 | Included | |
| 3 drivers: supervisor training (1 seat) | $55 | $99 | |
| 3 drivers: DQF Pro driver files for all 3 drivers | Included | Not offered. Its bundles include a policy and forms binder, not driver-file software | |
| 3 drivers: year-1 total | $630 | $809 | Vertical Identity $179 lower, driver files included |
National Drug Screening's per-driver fee is built for one person. Vertical Identity's $25 add-on driver, $69 tests, and $295 flat fleet plan pull ahead from the second driver on, and the MVR every hire needs, plus PSP reports and criminal background checks, are in the same portal at published prices, with DQF Pro driver files included in the membership.
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 National Drug Screening include driver qualification file software with its random program?
No. We found no driver qualification file software on nationaldrugscreening.com (product catalog and site pages, checked October 14, 2026). Its FMCSA compliance bundles ($395 for up to 10 drivers, $595 for 11–40) include a policy and compliance manual in a binder with "Policy, Regulations, Forms" and training materials, not driver-file software. 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.
How do I switch from National Drug Screening to Vertical Identity?
Enroll online at members.verticalidentity.com/enroll in about five minutes; your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day. Then notify National Drug Screening in writing of 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 prior pre-employment results do not have to be repeated when you change C/TPAs.
Does National Drug Screening's $155 consortium include random tests?
Yes. Their Owner Operator DOT Random Consortium Only product page says the package "includes all random testing fees" and does not include the pre-employment test, which is $75. Their $230 Owner Operator DOT Consortium Package adds the pre-employment test, the Clearinghouse pre-employment query, and the annual query. Vertical Identity prices membership and tests separately: $85 a year plus $69 per test. On a typical single-driver year (one random draw), with one supervisor seat, Vertical Identity comes out $39 lower; their flat fee wins if you are drawn twice or more. Vertical Identity is lower from the second driver on, and it includes driver qualification files and sells the pre-hire checks NDS does not list.
Does Vertical Identity offer operating authority filings?
Vertical Identity offers UCR filings (from $99, by fleet size and filing season) and BOC-3 process-agent filing ($59). We do not file new USDOT numbers, MC/MX authority, hazmat permits, MCS-150 updates, or SCAC codes. Our focus is driver-side compliance: consortium, driver qualification files, Clearinghouse, MVR, PSP, criminal background checks, DOT physicals, and supervisor training. Call or text (602) 899-1606 and we will point you to a partner for authority filings.
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. National Drug Screening includes the C/TPA role and the annual query in its $230 owner-operator package and sells the pre-employment query separately at $10.
What does supervisor training cost at each?
Vertical Identity's Supervisor / DER Training is $55 per seat, self-paced online, with the certificate filed in your portal. National Drug Screening lists its live reasonable-suspicion webinar at $99 per course on scheduled dates and also links to on-demand computer-based training. Both cover the 60 minutes on alcohol misuse and 60 minutes on controlled substances that 49 CFR § 382.603 requires.
Switch to Vertical Identity in 5 minutes.
Enroll online from your DOT number, get your Certificate of Enrollment the same day, and run the whole driver-compliance lifecycle from one self-serve portal: driver qualification files included, plus consortium, Clearinghouse, MVR, PSP, criminal background checks, DOT physicals and supervisor training at published member prices.