Truck Drivers – New DOT Drug Screening Impositions Making Their Way Into Trucking
Truck Drivers Drug Screening:
In WASHINGTON, DC, truck drivers will soon face oral fluid monitoring for illegal substances under a new U.S. regulation. Health, and Human Services Agency the Department of Health and Human Services.
Oral Fluid Specimens in Federal Drug Testing
New U.S. rule mandates oral fluid drug tests for truck drivers, with DOT and FMCSA enhancing safety through better screening.
Federal Agencies Required to Analyze Oral Fluid Specimens
The order, released in late October, began enforcement in January.1, allow and require federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, to obtain and analyze an oral fluid specimen as part of their drug testing programs.
New Guidelines for Oral Fluid Testing Programs
DOT published a notice in the Federal Register requiring DOT and other agencies to develop guideline-based programs that set standards for oral fluid testing.
Revising the Urine Specimen Collection Process
The department stated that the regulation is revising the provision to collect only a specimen of urine that has existed since the guidelines first appeared in 1988.
Addressing Fake Urine Samples in Drug Testing
The adjustment became necessary because several products appeared on the market, it added, making it easier to fake urine samples.
Scientific Basis for Oral Fluid Testing
The department stated, “The scientific basis for the use of oral fluid as an alternative specimen for drug testing has now been broadly established.”
Standardized Oral Fluid Testing Program Expected
DOT will take several months to establish a standardized oral fluid testing program.
Potential Impact of Hair Testing
If approved, hair testing is likely to have a significant impact because tests from a person’s hair follicle can assess substance use over a three-month period. We can detect a range of substances from cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin.
Proposed Guidelines for Hair Testing
A speaker for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration added, “The proposed Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Using Hair has been written and submitted to the (White House) Office of Management and Budget for review.”
Legal Issues and Research Delays in Hair Testing Approval
The law has been delayed due to ongoing research and legal issues that have been under scrutiny since Congress passed the legislation in 2015.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s New Drug Screening Limits
The FMCSA has doubled the random drug screening limit to 50% of driver positions to improve road safety. The agency’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse program went into effect this month as well.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance has been pushing for a zero tolerance drugs and alcohol rule.
It recommended mandatory drug and alcohol monitoring for truck drivers, referencing a report by the Ontario auditor general.
Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk said in her annual report the lack of drug and alcohol monitoring is a safety issue.
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