Why choose Vertical Identity?
Vertical Identity is a DOT drug and alcohol consortium and C/TPA whose $85/year membership includes DQF Pro driver qualification file software, a spot in the DOT random testing pool, a written drug and alcohol policy, and C/TPA designation in the FMCSA Clearinghouse at no charge. Each additional driver is $25/year, or $295/year flat for unlimited drivers. Every other driver-compliance item (drug and alcohol tests, MVRs, Clearinghouse queries, PSP and CDLIS reports, criminal background checks, DOT physicals, supervisor training) is ordered in the same portal at a published price. That covers all 23 things a carrier must do to hire and keep a CDL driver, 11 included and 12 at a published price. Among the 8 consortium providers we compared on October 14, 2026, the next highest covered 16 of 23.
What is included in the membership?
The $85/year membership ($25/year per additional driver, or $295/year flat for unlimited drivers) includes DQF Pro driver qualification files, the DOT random testing program, a written drug and alcohol policy, and C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse at no charge.
- DQF Pro driver qualification files. A file for every driver organized to the 49 CFR 391.51 checklist, an online employment application, previous-employer requests sent and tracked, reminders before a medical card or CDL lapses, the annual MVR review signed and filed, and an auditor export with an access log. No add-on fee.
- DOT random testing program. A spot in our random pool (49 CFR 382.305), a new Certificate of Enrollment every year (same day at enrollment), selection notices, and reminders to your DER until the test is done.
- Written drug and alcohol policy. A standard policy and DOT guidebook (49 CFR 382.601). A version completed with your company details is $39.
- C/TPA designation in the FMCSA Clearinghouse at no charge (49 CFR 382.705(c)).
- Member pricing on every order in one portal, open 24/7, and live support Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM Arizona time: call or text (602) 899-1606.
Drug and alcohol tests are not included in the membership; the testing program is. Tests are ordered when needed at the member rate below.
What do I order, and what does it cost?
Everything else is ordered from the same member portal at a published price: a DOT drug test is $69, a Clearinghouse query $12, MVRs from $14.25 by state, PSP $20, CDLIS $10 and a criminal background check $39.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Membership, first driver | $85/year | DQF Pro driver files, random program, written policy, C/TPA designation included. |
| Each additional driver | $25/year | Driver files included for every driver. |
| Fleet plan, unlimited drivers | $295/year | The lower bill from 10 drivers up. |
| DOT drug test: pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion | $69 | Member rate. Collection and Medical Review Officer review included. Ordered 24/7 from the portal; the driver gets a pre-paid electronic pass for one of 20,000+ collection sites; specimens are analyzed by a SAMHSA-certified lab. |
| Return-to-duty / follow-up drug test (observed) | $119 / $119 | Post-SAP program, on the SAP's schedule. |
| DOT breath alcohol test | $59 | |
| DOT drug and breath alcohol test together | $128 | |
| MVR (driving record) | from $14.25 | Member rate varies by state; all 50 states. Required at hire and every 12 months. |
| Clearinghouse query (pre-employment full or annual limited) | $12 | Per driver, our fee. The FMCSA query credit is separate. |
| PSP report | $20 | Recommended, not required. |
| CDLIS report | $10 | Recommended, not required. |
| Criminal background check | $39 | Recommended, not required. Run by Vertical Identity's own screening company. |
| DOT physical | $129 | With a certified medical examiner near the driver. |
| Supervisor reasonable-suspicion training | $55 | Per seat. |
| Clearinghouse C/TPA designation | No charge | Members register on the FMCSA portal and designate us, with our instructions. |
| Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup (white-glove) | $199 | Optional. We do it with you on a shared screen. |
| Written drug and alcohol policy | Included | Standard policy included. A version completed with your company name, DER and effective date is $39. |
| BOC-3 filing | $59 | For interstate for-hire authorities. |
Prices are read from Vertical Identity's live price list each time this page is built. MVR rates come from the per-state member catalog.
How is Vertical Identity different from other consortiums?
Vertical Identity covers all 23 things a carrier must do to hire and keep a CDL driver, either included in the membership or at a published price, and it includes driver qualification files in the membership. Among the 8 consortium providers we compared on October 14, 2026, the next highest covered 16 of 23, and none of the others included driver-file software in a consortium membership with a published price.
| Provider | Of 23 items: included or published price | Driver qualification files | Full comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Identity | 23 of 23 | DQF Pro included in the $85/year membership | Price list above |
| FleetCollect | 16 of 23 | Driver-file software is an add-on to its consortium, priced by fleet size. | Vertical Identity vs FleetCollect |
| National Drug Screening | 11 of 23 | No driver qualification file software; its compliance bundles include a policy and forms binder. | Vertical Identity vs National Drug Screening |
| DOT Compliance Group | 9 of 23 | We found no driver qualification file software on its site. | Vertical Identity vs DOT Compliance Group |
| APCA Drug Testing | 7 of 23 | We found no driver qualification file software on its site. | Vertical Identity vs APCA Drug Testing |
| goMDnow | 7 of 23 | Does not offer driver qualification file software. | Vertical Identity vs goMDnow |
| Consortium Pool (New Era Drug Testing) | 6 of 23 | Driver-file software sold separately (New Era Titans), no published price. | Vertical Identity vs Consortium Pool |
| American Drug Testing Consortium (ADTC) | 4 of 23 | We found no driver qualification file software on its site. | Vertical Identity vs American Drug Testing Consortium |
| Foley | 0 of 23 | Bundles driver files with its drug and alcohol program in Essential, Professional and Power plans, but publishes no price for any plan or add-on. Score counts items with a published price. | Vertical Identity vs Foley |
Based on publicly available information as of October 14, 2026. Each competitor was scored item by item from its own website on that date; the linked page shows every cell and its source. Competitor offerings and prices change without notice; check their site when you evaluate.
The 23 items
- Online employment application 49 CFR § 391.21 Included
- Previous-employer safety history, including drug and alcohol history 49 CFR § 391.23(a)(2), (d), (e) Included
- MVR from every state that licensed the driver 49 CFR § 391.23(a)(1) Published price
- Clearinghouse pre-employment full query 49 CFR § 382.701(a) Published price
- Pre-employment drug test 49 CFR § 382.301 Published price
- Medical certificate on file 49 CFR § 391.41, § 391.51(b)(6) Included
- Road test, or a CDL accepted in its place 49 CFR § 391.31, § 391.33 Included
- CDLIS report Recommended Published price
- PSP report Recommended · FMCSA program Published price
- Criminal background check Recommended · FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b Published price
- Random testing pool and Certificate of Enrollment 49 CFR § 382.305 Included
- Written drug and alcohol policy 49 CFR § 382.601 Included
- Supervisor reasonable-suspicion training 49 CFR § 382.603 Published price
- C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse 49 CFR § 382.705(c), § 382.711 Included
- Annual Clearinghouse limited query 49 CFR § 382.701(b) Published price
- Annual MVR and your signed review 49 CFR § 391.25, § 391.51(b)(4)–(5) Published price
- Medical card renewal tracking 49 CFR § 391.45 Included
- A driver qualification file for every driver 49 CFR § 391.51 Included
- Reminders before anything expires Audit readiness Included
- Auditor export and access log Audit readiness Included
- Post-accident testing 49 CFR § 382.303 Published price
- Reasonable-suspicion testing 49 CFR § 382.307 Published price
- Return-to-duty and follow-up testing 49 CFR § 382.309, § 382.311 Published price
Who is Vertical Identity for?
Owner-operators, small fleets, large fleets and CDL recruiters or compliance partners: anyone who must run a DOT drug and alcohol program and keep driver qualification files for CDL drivers.
Owner-operators
$85/year. A solo owner-operator must join a consortium for random testing. Driver file, policy and Clearinghouse designation included.
Small fleets
$85/year for the first driver plus $25/year for each added driver, with a driver file for every driver.
Larger fleets
$295/year flat for unlimited drivers, the lower bill from 10 drivers up.
CDL recruiters & compliance partners
Partner Plan, $99/month: member pricing on every order plus DQF Pro. Call (602) 899-1606 or book a discovery call to set it up.
Why does including driver files matter?
Because every motor carrier must keep a driver qualification file for each driver it employs (49 CFR 391.51), and the driver file and the drug and alcohol program are the two things a safety audit checks first. Driver-file software is usually bought separately, by the driver or by the month; Vertical Identity includes it in the membership.
The file holds the items 49 CFR 391.51(b) lists: the employment application (391.21), the MVR from every state and the previous-employer safety history (391.23), the road-test certificate or accepted CDL (391.31, 391.33), the medical examiner's certificate (391.41), and the annual MVR review (391.25). Several recur every 12 months, and a lapsed medical card or a missed annual review is a violation at audit. DQF Pro builds the file at hire, reminds you before anything expires, and exports a complete file for an auditor. The carrier keeps the legal responsibility and makes every hiring decision.
Sources: 49 CFR 391.51 · 391.23 · 391.25 · 382.305
How fast can I switch?
About five minutes. Enroll online from your USDOT number and your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day.
- Enroll at members.verticalidentity.com/enroll. Type your USDOT number and we pull your carrier name, address and driver count from FMCSA records.
- Download your Certificate of Enrollment the same day.
- Designate Vertical Identity as your C/TPA in the FMCSA Clearinghouse (no charge), or book the white-glove setup ($199).
- Tell your current provider in writing the date your program with them ends. Leave no gap in random-pool coverage (49 CFR 382.305).
Watch: why trucking companies use Vertical Identity
DOT hiring checks, random testing and driver qualification files in one place, and who makes the hiring decision (you).
Frequently asked questions
Why choose Vertical Identity as your DOT consortium?
Because the $85/year membership includes the driver qualification files (DQF Pro) as well as the random testing program, and every other compliance item is ordered in one portal at a published price. Vertical Identity covers all 23 driver-compliance items; among the 8 consortium providers we compared on October 14, 2026, the next highest covered 16.
Is DQF Pro an extra fee?
No. DQF Pro driver qualification file software is included in the $85/year membership for every driver on the account, with no add-on fee.
Are drug tests included in the membership?
No. The random testing program is included; the tests themselves are ordered when needed at the member rate (DOT drug test $69, with collection and Medical Review Officer review included).
Is Vertical Identity a reseller?
No. Vertical Identity is a Consortium / Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) registered with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, and also a background screening company, so it runs MVRs, PSP and CDLIS reports and criminal background checks itself.
How fast can I switch to Vertical Identity?
Enrollment takes about five minutes online from your USDOT number at members.verticalidentity.com/enroll, and your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day. Tell your current provider in writing the date your program with them ends, and leave no gap: a carrier must keep its drivers in a random pool (49 CFR § 382.305).
What are your support hours?
Live support Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM Arizona time. Call or text (602) 899-1606. The member portal is open 24/7 for ordering.
Call or text: (602) 899-1606 · Hours: Mon–Fri 6 AM – 5 PM AZ · [email protected] · Member login: members.verticalidentity.com/account