Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Great Lakes Cargo, Inc. (“Great Lakes Cargo,” “we,” “us,” or “our“) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information when you visit www.greatlakescargoinc.com (the “Site“), submit a driver application, request a freight quote, or otherwise interact with us. By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site or submit information through it.

2. Who We Are

Great Lakes Cargo, Inc. is a veteran-owned, family-operated motor carrier headquartered at:

3. Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: (a) information you provide directly, (b) information collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies, and (c) information we receive from third parties.

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you submit forms on the Site (including driver applications, contact forms, and quote requests), you may provide:

• Identification & contact information — full legal name, mailing address, email address, phone number, date of birth.
• Government-issued identifiers, including Social Security Number (“SSN”) — collected solely for the purpose of conducting pre-employment background checks, motor vehicle record (MVR) checks, drug and alcohol testing, FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse queries, and tax/employment-eligibility verification (Form I-9, W-4) as required by federal and state law.
• Driver qualification information — Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) number, class, endorsements, expiration, issuing state, employment history, accident history, traffic convictions, and references, as required by 49 CFR Part 391.
• Medical and health information — DOT medical examiner’s certificate, results of DOT physical examinations, drug and alcohol test results, and related records required under 49 CFR Parts 40, 382, and 391. We may also collect medical accommodation information you voluntarily disclose.
• Employment-related information — résumé, work history, qualifications, and any other information you submit through our application portal.
• Communications — the content of messages, emails, voicemails, and chat sessions you send to us.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically (Cookies & Analytics)

When you visit the Site, we and our service providers automatically collect certain information using cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies, including:

• IP address and approximate location (city/region level)
• Device and browser information (device type, operating system, browser type and version, screen resolution)
• Usage data (pages visited, time on page, click paths, referring URL, exit pages, session duration)
• Cookie identifiers assigned by Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Site so we can improve content and performance. Google Analytics uses cookies (such as _ga, _gid, _gat) to collect this information. You can learn more at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites and opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. We have configured Google Analytics with IP anonymization and do not knowingly use Google Analytics to collect personally identifiable information.

3.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

• Background check and screening providers (e.g., HireRight, DriverFacts, Tenstreet, or similar consumer reporting agencies) — including criminal history, MVR, employment verification, and previous-employer safety performance reports.
• The FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse — limited and full queries as required by 49 CFR Part 382 Subpart G.
• Medical examiners certified on the FMCSA National Registry — DOT physical exam results and medical certificates.
• References, prior employers, and educational institutions you list on your application.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

We will not use your SSN, medical information, or other sensitive personal information for marketing or any purpose other than those described above.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell personal information. We share personal information only as described below:

• Service providers and processors — background check vendors, drug & alcohol testing facilities, medical examiners, payroll processors, IT and hosting vendors, form submission services (e.g., WPForms), and analytics providers (Google Analytics). These providers are contractually bound to use your information only to provide services to us.
• Government agencies — the FMCSA, DOT, IRS, state workforce agencies, and law enforcement, when required by law, regulation, subpoena, or court order.
• Insurance carriers and legal counsel — in connection with claims, audits, or litigation.
• Successors in interest — if Great Lakes Cargo is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to standard confidentiality protections.
• With your consent — for any other purpose you authorize.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy or as required by law:

• Driver qualification files — for the duration of employment plus three (3) years after the driver leaves, as required by 49 CFR § 391.51.
• Drug & alcohol testing records — for the periods specified in 49 CFR § 382.401 (one to five years depending on record type).
• Application materials of non-hired applicants — typically 1–3 years, consistent with EEOC and applicable state recordkeeping rules.
• Tax and payroll records — at least four (4) years per IRS guidance, and longer where state law requires.
• Website analytics data — Google Analytics retention is set to [INSERT — e.g., 14 months].
• Other information — as long as necessary for our legitimate business purposes or until you request deletion (subject to our legal-retention obligations).

7. How We Protect Your Information

We use commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information, including:

• TLS/HTTPS encryption of Site traffic and form submissions
• Restricted, role-based access to driver qualification files and medical records
• Secure storage of paper records in locked cabinets accessible only to authorized personnel
• Background-checked vendors who handle screening data
• Periodic review of access controls and security practices

No system is perfectly secure. While we work hard to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security incident affecting your information, we will notify you and applicable regulators as required by law.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion — request that we delete personal information, subject to legal-retention obligations (we generally cannot delete DOT-mandated records during the required retention period).
• Portability — request a copy of your information in a portable format.
• Opt out of “sale” or “sharing” — we do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
• Limit use of sensitive personal information — we use SSN and medical information solely for the limited DOT/employment purposes described above.
• Non-discrimination — we will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.

To exercise any of these rights, email [INSERT PRIVACY EMAIL] or write to us at the address in Section 2. We will verify your identity before fulfilling the request and respond within the time frame required by applicable law (generally 45 days under CCPA, with one 45-day extension if necessary).

9. State-Specific Disclosures

9.1 California Residents (CCPA / CPRA)

In the past twelve (12) months, we have collected the categories of personal information described in Section 3, including sensitive personal information (SSN, driver’s license number, and health information for job applicants). We collect this information from the sources listed in Section 3 and use it for the business purposes described in Section 4. We disclose information to the recipients listed in Section 5. We do not sell personal information and do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA. You have the right to: know, access, correct, delete, limit the use of sensitive personal information, opt out of sale/sharing (n/a), and non-discrimination. You may designate an authorized agent to submit requests on your behalf.

9.2 Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana Residents

You have substantially similar rights under your state’s consumer privacy law. Submit requests to [INSERT PRIVACY EMAIL]. You may appeal a denied request by replying to our response.

10. Children’s Privacy

The Site and our employment opportunities are not directed to individuals under eighteen (18) years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under thirteen (13). If you believe a child has provided information to us, please contact [INSERT PRIVACY EMAIL] and we will delete it.

11. Cookies — Detailed Notice

The Site uses the following categories of cookies:

You can control cookies through your browser settings or, where offered, through our cookie consent banner. Blocking strictly-necessary cookies may impair Site functionality.

12. Third-Party Links

The Site may link to external websites we do not operate (e.g., social media, FMCSA, third-party application portals). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. Review their privacy policies before providing any information.

13. International Visitors

The Site is operated in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have data-protection laws different from those of your country.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last Updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be communicated by posting a notice on the Site and, where required, by direct notice to affected individuals.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, contact: