Metrics that Matter: What Time-to-Hire and Compliance Scores Reveal About Your Fleet

Your Fleet Metrics Tell a Bigger Story

Every fleet has data—but the fleets that grow are the ones that know how to use it. Two metrics in particular reveal more than most: time-to-hire and compliance score. These numbers don’t just measure performance; they expose bottlenecks, hidden risks, and untapped opportunities within your operation.

Whether you’re managing a small fleet of trucks, running a mixed fleet with both regulated and non-regulated drivers, or overseeing a large private fleet in manufacturing, distribution, or construction, these indicators show where efficiency thrives and where small gaps could grow into costly problems.

Let’s explore how tracking these metrics—and acting on them through Foley’s new software platform—can improve safety, compliance, and profitability across your entire organization.

What Time-to-Hire Really Tells You About Your Fleet

Time-to-hire isn’t just an HR metric—it’s a reflection of your fleet’s agility. In the current market, the challenge isn’t finding “a driver.” It’s attracting and retaining the best drivers before they take a job somewhere else.

Every day a qualified driver waits on background checks, paperwork, or outdated workflows, you risk losing them to a faster-moving fleet. The cost of delay goes beyond lost productivity—it means higher recruiting costs, longer downtime, and increased strain on your existing team.

Case Study: Koppers Accelerates Hiring with Digital Workflows

Take Koppers, a leading provider of treated wood products and railroad materials. By consolidating multiple systems into Foley’s platform, Koppers streamlined onboarding and document collection—reducing time-to-hire and improving visibility across departments.

Instead of juggling manual emails and disconnected vendors, they now manage everything in one place: driver files, background checks, and DOT compliance documentation. The result? Fewer bottlenecks, faster hires, and a stronger safety foundation.

How Technology Speeds Up Driver Screening

A major source of delay in driver hiring is paperwork—missing information, manual data entry, or applicants who drop off halfway through the process. That’s why Foley’s Apply by License tool was built—to simplify the experience for both recruiters and drivers.

With Apply by License, applicants can snap a photo of their driver’s license or enter their CDL number, and the system instantly pulls verified data from that record into their application. No redundant typing. No errors. No missing information.

For recruiters, that means fewer incomplete submissions and faster file creation. For drivers, it means a modern, mobile-friendly application that takes minutes—not hours.

Fleets using Apply by License report higher completion rates, faster screening, and cleaner data across every new hire.

Q: What’s a good time-to-hire benchmark for drivers?

While timelines vary, leading fleets can onboard qualified drivers in less than two weeks with the right digital workflows.

Q: How can I reduce time-to-hire without skipping compliance steps?

Foley’s software automates background checks, drug testing, and driver file setup—all while ensuring every step meets DOT and FMCSA standards.

Understanding Compliance Scores—and Why They Matter

Your compliance score is more than a number. It’s a measure of how audit-ready your fleet is at any moment, and how well your safety program performs against DOT expectations.

A strong compliance score means fewer violations, reduced audit risk, and better insurance outcomes. A poor score can lead to lost bids, higher insurance premiums, and fewer load opportunities—particularly for construction and distribution fleets that depend on customer trust.

How Foley’s Software Platform Simplifies Compliance Tracking 

Inside Foley’s Dash platform, every compliance metric is tracked in real time. The dashboard gives you a single view of your entire fleet’s performance—from missing driver files to upcoming med card renewals—so you can address risks before they become violations.

This visibility helps small and mid-sized fleets catch issues early and allows large enterprises to benchmark performance across divisions or terminals.

The Role of Digital Med Cards

With the FMCSA’s move toward a fully digital process for DOT medical certificates, keeping records current is no longer a paper-based task. Under the agency’s Medical Certification Integration Rule, drivers’ medical information is integrated directly with their state licensing records.

Foley’s software platform automatically tracks expiration dates and alerts your team before any certification lapses, keeping your compliance score protected even as regulations evolve. (You can read more about the FMCSA’s update here.)

Q: What affects my compliance score the most?

Missing or outdated medical certificates, incomplete driver qualification files, and late MVR reviews are the biggest drivers of risk.

Q: How often should I review compliance metrics?

Weekly reviews of alerts and monthly performance summaries ensure your fleet stays audit-ready and prevent small oversights from snowballing into costly violations.

How Alerts and Insights Drive Proactive Compliance

Data only helps when it leads to action. That’s where Foley’s software platform stands out.

The platform’s alerts notify your team the moment a document is missing, a test is overdue, or a driver’s record changes. Instead of scrambling during an audit, your safety and HR teams can stay ahead with real-time visibility into every compliance requirement.

Beyond alerts, Foley’s Insights dashboard consolidates performance data across hiring, compliance, and risk management. It allows fleets to compare their compliance score against peer averages, track improvement over time, and see how operational choices impact overall safety performance.

Imagine logging in and seeing your fleet at 97% compliance—with a short list of corrective actions that get you to 100%. That’s the confidence the Foley platform delivers.

Connecting the Dots Between Metrics and Financial Health

Faster hiring and stronger compliance do more than protect your safety rating—they improve your business’s bottom line.

• Lower risk = lower costs. Staying compliant reduces violations, fines, and insurance rate hikes.

• Efficiency boosts profitability. Shorter hiring timelines mean fewer empty trucks and faster revenue generation.

• Data builds trust. Customers, insurers, and regulators see your compliance transparency as proof of reliability.

These improvements ripple across departments: Safety avoids audit panic, HR fills roles faster, and Finance can forecast costs more accurately. In short, when your compliance metrics improve, so does your overall financial performance.

As fleets across transportation, construction, and utilities modernize their operations, DOT compliance software isn’t just about meeting regulations—it’s about building a more resilient, data-driven business.

How Fleet Compliance Software Helps You “Get to Green”

Across transportation and similar industries, Foley’s software platform has become a single source of truth for compliance and risk management.

It’s built to unify everything safety-sensitive companies need in one place:

• Driver screening and onboarding

• Drug and alcohol testing management

• Driver Qualification File automation

• MVR monitoring and digital record storage

• Compliance alerts and scoring

By connecting all these workflows, Foley helps fleets of every size move toward what we call Getting to Green: clear records, confident audits, and lower risk—all backed by smarter data and automation.

Final Takeaway

Metrics like time-to-hire and compliance score reveal more than performance—they show how prepared your business is for growth. Fast, compliant hiring means more qualified drivers behind the wheel. Strong compliance scores mean fewer interruptions and safer operations.

Together, they form the foundation of a profitable, audit-ready fleet.

Ready to See Your Metrics in Action?

Discover how Foley’s new platform helps you measure, manage, and improve the numbers that matter most. Request a personalized demo to see how your fleet can move faster, smarter, and safer.