Drug testing of truck drivers is essential to preventing truck accidents because it guarantees that those in charge of these massive vehicles are not impaired by drugs or other substances that could make them less able to drive safely.
It's crucial to be focused and awake while driving a truck because long hours are common. Drug-induced impairment can result in slower reflexes, less coordination, and poorer judgment, which increases the likelihood of tractor-trailer accidents on the road.
Truck drivers will be subjected to drug testing on numerous occasions throughout their careers. Continue reading to learn how frequently truck drivers are subjected to drug tests as well as when you may anticipate these tests if you are new to the profession or unsure if you are due for one.
According to the DOT experts, truck drivers must submit to a drug test before beginning work for a new company and then at random once a year after that. Drug tests may also be administered in other circumstances, such as those that follow an accident. In terms of the kind of drug test you may anticipate seeing for truck drivers, it's typically a five-panel test. Using a urine test, PCP, cocaine, THC, opiates, and amphetamines will be looked for.
You will need to take several examinations before being approved for a position with a new organization. You'll go through background checks as usual, as well as drug tests for truck drivers. If there are no further problems with your documents and you complete this test without any problems, you should be hired. However, if the business develops a suspicion about your drug or alcohol use after you begin working there, you can be asked to take another test. This might happen after an event or if your boss thinks you've been drinking or using drugs. If you are a truck carrier, you should always provide evidence to support your claims, such as pointing out odors, slurred speech, or unattractive behavior.
According to experts in logistics, businesses may require drug testing as a condition of employment. Before a driver is given permission to operate a commercial motor vehicle, the employer must get a positive drug test result. Following a collision, a drug or alcohol test might also be necessary. Whether such a test is necessary will depend on the seriousness of the collision, whether anyone was hurt or killed, and whether the truck driver was issued a ticket.
The Department of Transportation mandates that commercial truck drivers submit to annual random drug testing. Employees must not be notified before the test, and a scientifically valid explanation must be used to use random selection. Additionally, businesses have the authority to test any employees they have reason to suspect are intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. Employers are required to train supervisors on how to recognize symptoms of driver impairment.
Suppose a driver tested positive for drugs or alcohol, refused to take a test, or otherwise disobeyed the Department of Transportation's drug and alcohol standards. In that case, they must get a clean test result before they may resume their jobs.
It's crucial to follow the right processes for your return to work if you fail a drug test or if one of your team members does. The FMCSA Clearinghouse allows you to look up prospective new hires' records, which you must do before hiring them. For the following five years, employees who fail a test and wish to resume their employment will be exposed to random testing. Prior to this, they must complete a program that has been advised by a specialist who deals with substance misuse and go through the appropriate therapy or education. If they have successfully completed the return-to-work procedures, they will then be able to be signed off to resume working.
Before hiring someone who has previously failed a drug test, you can see if this has been done by checking the FMCSA Clearinghouse.
Experts note that commercial truck drivers are not allowed to use drugs or alcohol, according to the FMCSA. The organization forbids drinking alcohol within four hours of driving and sets a legal limit of 0.04% for a truck driver's blood alcohol content, which is half that for other drivers. The FMCSA mandates mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all truck drivers, including random testing, pre-employment testing, and post-accident testing, in order to enforce these requirements.
Drivers who refuse to submit to a drug test may be barred from operating a commercial vehicle, and trucking businesses that fail to screen new recruits for drugs and alcohol risk fines and liabilities.
A truck driver is deemed to have produced a positive result if they test positive for any of the listed drugs or if their blood alcohol level is 0.04 or higher. Typically, a test refusal is equivalent to a positive outcome.
According to the expert's research, every year, thousands of commercial truck drivers test positive for drugs, with amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone among the most frequently found drugs, according to the FMCSA Drug and the experts.
The material that is most frequently found is marijuana, which is permitted for recreational use in some states. Though marijuana may be legal in some states, it is crucial to remember that it is still illegal to operate a commercial vehicle while under the influence of any restricted narcotic, including marijuana.
The severity of the problem was recently brought to light by a study that stated that, in 2022, over 40,000 commercially licensed truck drivers failed a nationally required drug test for marijuana and chose not to reapply for their jobs. These figures highlight the necessity for continued initiatives to prevent drunk driving among truck drivers.
The DOT breathalyzer evaluates:
Any DOT employee whose job is safety-sensitive is required to submit to a drug and alcohol test. A worker who is concerned about their own and others' safety is said to be safety-sensitive.
In general, CDL hair drug test can identify drugs for a lot longer than standard urine tests can. While urine tests can typically locate drugs up to a week after they've been taken, CDL hair follicle test can detect drugs up to 90 days after they've been taken.
Your career in the trucking sector may be severely hampered if the results of your hair drug test are positive. You must be excluded from safety-sensitive duties in accordance with DOT and FMCSA regulations until a return-to-duty procedure with a DOT-qualified substance addiction expert has been successfully completed. You must pass a drug test administered as part of the return-to-duty procedure in order to resume working.
Although required drug testing may seem like a hassle, keep in mind that these tests are intended to keep your workplace safe.
You must follow the Department of Transportation's return-to-duty procedure if you refuse a drug test or test positive for a substance. This entails going to a substance abuse specialist and then passing a drug test. Your substance abuse specialist must conduct at least six random tests throughout the ensuing 12 months.
An urgent drug and alcohol test may be demanded by the employer or supervisor if a truck driver looks to be under the influence.
Urine testing used to be standard procedure at all trucking businesses. (2016) According to the experts, a new federal measure seeks to mandate hair follicle testing for truck drivers. Since many different illegal chemicals stay in hair follicles longer than they do in the body, hair testing is thought to be more accurate than urine testing. Whether this practice is done by federal law, more businesses may start using this kind of testing in the years to come.
We took this video from Easy DOT Physicals YouTube Channel.
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