| Option | Published price | Who does the work |
|---|---|---|
| J. J. Keller DQ file service | By phone quote | Its staff audit and maintain the files |
| My Safety Manager | $49 per driver per month | A managed service, per driver |
| FileFlo | $499, then, unless you cancel, $199 a month for up to 15 trucks; or $1,500 a month done for you | Your compliance department: every file built, every renewal chased, flat by fleet size |
Competitor prices as each published them, read September 17, 2026.
What J. J. Keller says it offers
From J. J. Keller's own pages, read on October 8, 2026:
- A Driver Qualification File Management Service: an audit of each driver's file contents, then continued checking for gaps and upcoming expirations, with alerts ahead of documents lapsing. The files sit in its DataSense web portal, and a dedicated specialist keeps the records organized.
- A small-fleet service that manages DOT driver documents, with options for background checks, MVR scoring and reporting, safety performance history requests and National Registry verification.
- A New Entrant Compliance Program: an assessment of a new carrier's safety and compliance status and customized action steps.
- The Encompass fleet management platform, bundled with a J. J. Keller ELD, with hours of service auditing; its higher editions add driver qualification file storage and reminders.
A carrier already using one of these usually asks whether it fits how the office works today.
The four kinds of alternative
| Kind | What it does | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Managed service | A vendor's staff audit and maintain the driver files | J. J. Keller's DQ File Management Service is this kind |
| ELD or telematics platform | Records hours of service and vehicle data | J. J. Keller's Encompass is bundled with its ELD |
| Spreadsheet | The office keeps the list and the dates | Costs nothing extra; depends on whoever keeps it |
| Compliance department as software | Builds each driver's file, files each document against its rule and shows what is missing | FileFlo is this kind |
Whichever kind, the rules the files answer to are the same: driver qualification under Part 391, drug and alcohol testing under Part 382, hours of service under Part 395, and inspection and maintenance under Part 396.
Comparing another provider? See the alternatives to Foley, Tenstreet, DOTDriverFiles, TruckComplianceHQ and Trucksafe, each read from its own pages.
Switching from J. J. Keller: what to take with you
Under 391.51(a) the duty to keep a qualification file for each driver is the motor carrier's, wherever the file is kept. Before you change, get a copy of every current driver's file and of each file for a driver who left in the last three years, since 391.51(c) keeps a file for three years after the driver leaves.
Worked example: a nine-truck carrier comparing options
Illustration, not a customer
The owner writes down the four jobs the office does and who should do each:
- Hours of service. Recorded by the ELD in the trucks (Part 395). Stays with the ELD provider.
- Random drug and alcohol testing. Run through a consortium (382.305). Stays with the consortium.
- Driver qualification files. Nine files under 391.51, each with a medical certificate and an annual review on a clock. This is the job being compared.
- The audit. When FMCSA asks, a complete file for every driver and the inspection record for every truck.
For job 3 the owner asks each option the same three questions: who collects each document, who sees what is missing, and who signs the annual review. A managed service answers "its staff" to the first two. Records software answers "the drivers upload, the software files and counts", with the owner signing the review in either case, since 391.25 has the carrier review each record.
Where FileFlo does the work
Most compliance tools track a date someone typed in and send a notice. FileFlo does the work behind the date: it reads each document, finds the date, checks it against the rule, files it where the rule wants it and works out what is due next, for every driver and every recurring item. It starts from your USDOT number and reads your FMCSA record every day. The packet an auditor asks for stays ready, beside the ELD and the consortium you already use. Nothing goes out to your drivers until you switch each routine on and choose who hears, how and when.
Sources
Checked
- Driver qualification file services, J. J. Keller DataSense. Read October 8, 2026
- Driver Qualification File Management Service, J. J. Keller. Read October 8, 2026
- Small fleet services, J. J. Keller DataSense. Read October 8, 2026
- New Entrant Compliance Program, J. J. Keller. Read October 8, 2026
- Encompass Fleet Management System, J. J. Keller. Read October 8, 2026
- 49 CFR Part 391, driver qualifications, eCFR
- 49 CFR Part 382, drug and alcohol testing, eCFR
- 49 CFR Parts 395 and 396, hours of service and maintenance, eCFR
Questions
What does J. J. Keller offer for driver qualification files?
J. J. Keller sells a Driver Qualification File Management Service, in which its staff audit each driver file and keep checking files for gaps and upcoming expirations, with the files in its DataSense web portal. It also sells the Encompass fleet management platform, bundled with its ELD, whose higher editions include driver qualification checklists and reminders.
What are the kinds of alternative?
Four kinds: another managed service, where a vendor's staff keep the files; an ELD or telematics platform, which records hours of service and vehicle data; a spreadsheet kept by the office; and the compliance department a carrier never had to hire, which builds every driver's qualification file from the records sent and files each document against its rule: that is FileFlo.
Which rules does any option have to cover?
Driver qualification files under 49 CFR Part 391, drug and alcohol testing under Part 382, hours of service under Part 395, and inspection and maintenance under Part 396.
Can FileFlo work beside an ELD and a consortium?
Yes. Hours of service stay in the ELD and the random testing pool stays with the consortium. FileFlo keeps the driver files, the program documents and the audit packet.