ESSE INC is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy applies to esseinc.com, portal.esseinc.com, and eretheld.com.
Section 01
Introduction and Who We Are
ESSE Inc ("ESSE," "we," "our," or "us") is a logistics technology company headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. We provide an enterprise logistics platform that includes driver onboarding and qualification management, a carrier transportation management system (TMS), ELD compliance tools, freight operations support, and related services for carriers, owner-operators, drivers, shippers, and fleet operators.
This Privacy Policy applies to:
- The ESSE Inc website at esseinc.com and all subdomains, including portal.esseinc.com
- The ESSE driver onboarding portal and all forms, uploads, and submissions made through it
- The carrier TMS platform and related management tools
- ELD device integration and telemetry data collected through connected devices
- Any communications, support interactions, or business relationships with ESSE Inc
By using any of our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described herein, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 02
Information We Collect
2.1 Account and Registration Information
When you create an account on the ESSE portal, we collect information you provide during registration, including your name, email address, phone number, password, company name, job title, and account type (driver, owner-operator, recruiter, carrier admin). We may also collect information provided through third-party authentication services such as Google or Microsoft OAuth, in which case your account information is provided to us by those services subject to your authorizations with them.
2.2 Driver Application and Qualification Data
Drivers and owner-operators who submit applications through the ESSE onboarding portal provide extensive qualification information as required by FMCSA regulations. This information includes, but is not limited to:
- Full legal name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and address history
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL) number, class, endorsements, restrictions, and state of issuance
- Employment history for the preceding ten years, including motor carrier contacts and reasons for leaving
- Accident history for the preceding three years
- Traffic conviction history for the preceding three years
- Medical Examiner's Certificate and Medical Examiner contact information
- Drug and alcohol testing consent, testing history, and program enrollment information
- PSP (Pre-Employment Screening Program) consent and report data
- Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) information
- Road test certificate or equivalent licensing documentation
- Certifications, endorsements, HAZMAT clearances, and special qualifications
- Emergency contact information
2.3 Vehicle and ELD Telemetry Data
When drivers operate a commercial motor vehicle equipped with the ERETHELD ERS238 or another ELD integrated with our platform, we collect electronic telemetry data including:
- GPS location coordinates, route history, and odometer readings
- Hours of Service records including all duty status changes with timestamps and locations
- Driving events such as hard braking, rapid acceleration, and speed data as provided by the ELD hardware
- Vehicle identification information including VIN, license plate, and CMV number
- Engine diagnostic data made available through the OBD-II or ECM connection
- ELD event records, log edits, annotations, and certification records as required by 49 CFR Part 395
2.4 Usage Data and Technical Information
When you visit our website or use our platform, we automatically collect certain technical information including your IP address, browser type and version, device type and operating system, referring URL, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other interaction data. This information is used for security, performance optimization, troubleshooting, and analytics.
2.5 Communications
We retain records of communications between drivers, recruiters, carriers, and ESSE Inc support staff, including messages exchanged through the portal's built-in chat system, email correspondence, and support ticket history. These records are maintained for operational continuity, compliance, and dispute resolution purposes.
2.6 Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies on our website and portal. See Section 7 (Cookies and Analytics) for details.
2.7 Payment and Billing Information
ESSE Portal is currently free through December 31, 2026. We do not collect payment card information during the free access period. When paid plans are introduced in 2027, we will collect only the billing information necessary to process payments through a third-party payment processor. Payment card data will not be stored on ESSE servers.
Section 03
How We Use Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Providing and operating our services — Creating and managing accounts, processing driver applications, facilitating carrier-driver connections, operating the TMS, displaying ELD data in the fleet dashboard, and enabling the full functionality of the ESSE platform.
- FMCSA compliance and recordkeeping — Building and maintaining Driver Qualification (DQ) files as required by 49 CFR Part 391, recording HOS data as required by 49 CFR Part 395, and supporting carrier compliance with all applicable federal motor carrier safety regulations.
- Safety monitoring — Reviewing ELD data, driving behavior records, and compliance status to identify safety risks and support carrier safety management programs.
- Communications — Sending account-related notifications, application status updates, document expiration alerts, compliance reminders, and, where applicable, marketing communications. You may opt out of marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any such message.
- Identity verification and fraud prevention — Verifying the accuracy of information submitted in applications and documents, detecting fraudulent submissions, and protecting the platform from unauthorized access.
- Platform improvement and analytics — Analyzing usage patterns to improve the performance, design, and features of the ESSE platform.
- Legal compliance — Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations under applicable federal, state, and local law.
Section 04
SMS and Text Message Communications
SMS consent and opt-in data is never shared with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes. This section details our legally required SMS disclosures.
ESSE Inc may send SMS (text message) notifications to users who have provided their mobile phone number and granted consent to receive such messages.
How We Collect Your Number and Consent
Phone numbers are collected when a user registers an account or completes an onboarding application through the ESSE portal at portal.esseinc.com. During registration, users are presented with a clear opt-in checkbox stating: "I agree to receive SMS notifications from ESSE Inc regarding my account, loads, document status, and compliance alerts." No phone number is enrolled in SMS communications without affirmative opt-in consent from the user. Consent is logged with a timestamp and stored in our systems.
Types of Messages We Send
SMS messages sent by ESSE Inc are strictly operational and transactional in nature. They include: account verification codes, load assignment and status notifications, document expiration reminders, HOS compliance alerts, and other notifications directly related to your use of the ESSE platform. We do not send marketing or promotional SMS messages.
Message Frequency and Costs
Message frequency varies based on account activity. Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier plan.
How to Opt Out
You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any message. You will receive one confirmation message and no further SMS messages will be sent. You may re-enroll by contacting support@esseinc.com or through your account settings on the portal.
HELP
For assistance, reply HELP to any SMS message or contact us at office@esseinc.com.
Mobile Data Sharing
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. All other data categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
Section 05
Data Sharing and Disclosure
| Recipient | Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|
| Associated Carriers | Driver profile, application, documents, HOS records, qualification status | Consent (driver applies to carrier through platform) |
| FMCSA / DOT Officers | ELD records, compliance data, roadside inspection transfers | Legal obligation (49 CFR) |
| Service Providers | Cloud hosting, email, payment processing, analytics | Legitimate interest / contractual necessity |
| Business Acquirer | All user data in event of merger/acquisition | Legitimate interest (with user notification) |
5.1 With Carriers You Are Associated With
If you are a driver or owner-operator using the ESSE portal in connection with a specific motor carrier, that carrier's authorized users (fleet managers, recruiters, administrators) can view your profile, application, documents, HOS records, and qualification status through the carrier portal. You consent to this sharing when you apply to or accept an association with a carrier through the ESSE platform.
5.2 FMCSA and Law Enforcement
We disclose data to the FMCSA, DOT officers, and other governmental authorities as required by law, including in response to roadside inspection data transfer requests (ELD records), regulatory compliance reviews, subpoenas, court orders, and other legal process. We do not require a court order to comply with FMCSA data requests that are authorized by federal motor carrier safety regulations.
5.3 Service Providers
We share data with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the ESSE platform, including cloud hosting providers, database services, email delivery services, payment processors, analytics providers, and customer support tools. These providers are contractually required to use data only as necessary to provide services to ESSE and to maintain appropriate security measures.
5.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of ESSE's assets, user data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify affected users through the portal or by email in the event of such a transfer.
5.5 What We Do Not Do
ESSE Inc does not sell personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. We do not share driver SSN, drug test results, PSP data, or CDL numbers with any party other than the carrier the driver is associated with, applicable federal agencies as required by law, and service providers acting on our behalf under appropriate data processing agreements.
Section 06
ELD & GPS Data — Special Handling
We recognize that driver qualification data is among the most sensitive personal information we handle. CDL numbers, Social Security Numbers, Motor Vehicle Records, PSP reports, medical certificates, and drug testing records are subject to heightened access controls within our platform:
- SSN and date of birth are encrypted at rest and displayed only in masked form (e.g., XXX-XX-1234) in the portal interface after initial entry.
- MVR and PSP data is accessible only to users with recruiter or admin roles at the associated carrier.
- Drug testing enrollment and result data is accessible only to the driver and to authorized carrier compliance personnel.
- Drivers can view their own complete DQ file through the driver portal at any time.
- Access to driver records is logged in the admin audit trail for accountability.
FMCSA Regulatory Note: Certain data we hold is subject to mandatory retention and disclosure requirements under federal law (49 CFR Parts 382, 390, 391, 395), regardless of user preferences. Data required by regulation will be retained for the mandated minimum period.
Drivers who believe their qualification file contains an inaccuracy may request correction by contacting support@esseinc.com. We will coordinate with the carrier and the driver to investigate and correct documented errors in a timely manner.
Section 07
Cookies and Analytics
Our website and portal use cookies and similar tracking technologies.
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|
| connect.sid | Essential | User session authentication | Session |
| XSRF-TOKEN | Essential | Cross-site request forgery protection | Session |
| _ga | Analytics | Google Analytics — distinguishes users | 2 years |
| _ga_Q5MZ42JW99 | Analytics | Google Analytics — session tracking | 2 years |
| _gid | Analytics | Google Analytics — distinguishes users | 24 hours |
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the portal. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Section 08
Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|
| Driver Qualification file data | Employment + 3 years | 49 CFR 391.51 |
| ELD records and HOS logs | Minimum 6 months (up to 3 years) | 49 CFR 395.22 |
| Drug and alcohol testing records | 1–5 years (varies by record type) | 49 CFR Part 382 / Part 40 |
| Account information | Account duration + 2 years | Operational necessity |
| Portal message history | 2 years from message date | Operational continuity |
| Website analytics data | Up to 14 months | Google Analytics default retention |
| Billing and transaction records | 7 years | Tax and accounting requirements |
Section 09
Your Rights and Data Access
Depending on your location and the nature of your relationship with ESSE, you may have certain rights with respect to your personal data:
- Right of access — You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. Drivers can access most of their data directly through the driver portal.
- Right of correction — You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. We will investigate and correct documented errors.
- Right of deletion — You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to our legal and regulatory retention obligations. Data that must be retained under FMCSA regulations or other applicable law cannot be deleted until the mandatory retention period expires.
- Right to restrict processing — In certain circumstances, you may request that we restrict how we process your data while a correction or deletion request is being evaluated.
- Right to data portability — You may request your data in a machine-readable format where this is technically feasible.
- Right to opt out — You may opt out of marketing communications and non-essential analytics tracking at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@esseinc.com. We will respond to verifiable requests within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing a data request.
Note for drivers: Certain personal data in your Driver Qualification file, including your MVR, PSP report, and drug testing history, may be retained regardless of a deletion request if required by FMCSA regulations. We will inform you of any regulatory retention requirement that prevents us from fulfilling a deletion request in full.
Section 10
Children's Privacy
The ESSE platform is intended for commercial use by adults in the trucking and logistics industry. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected data from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at privacy@esseinc.com.
Section 11
Security Measures
We implement technical and organizational security measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Our security practices include:
- Encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher for all connections to esseinc.com and portal.esseinc.com
- Encryption of sensitive data fields (SSN, date of birth) at rest
- Session-based authentication with secure, HttpOnly cookies
- Role-based access control limiting data visibility to authorized personnel
- Admin audit logging of all sensitive data access and modifications
- Regular security reviews and access control audits
- File storage for uploaded documents outside the public web root, accessible only through authenticated API endpoints
Despite these measures, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee that unauthorized parties will never gain access to your data. By using our services, you acknowledge this inherent risk.
Section 12
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or business operations. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify users through the portal or by email. Your continued use of our services after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions. Any disputes arising under or in connection with this Privacy Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Montgomery County, Ohio.