How often do truck drivers get drug tested?

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Sources
How Often Do Truck Drivers Get Drug Tested? | DRC
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driverresourcecenter.com
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Trucking Fleets, Drivers Face New Rules Over Illegal Drug Use ...
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prepass.com
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[PDF] What Employers Need To Know About DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing
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www.cde.state.co.us
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Post-accident drug test requirements | Department of Transportation
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www.cnsprotects.com
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Answer
Truck drivers are subject to drug testing at various points throughout their careers to ensure safety on the roads. Here are the key times when truck drivers typically undergo drug testing:
  1. Pre-employment: New hires are required to pass a drug test as part of the hiring process1.
  2. Random testing: Federal regulations mandate that companies conduct random drug tests on a percentage of their drivers annually. This means a driver can be selected for an unannounced drug test at any time1.
  3. Post-accident: Drug testing is common after accidents, especially those resulting in fatalities or significant injuries1.
  4. Reasonable suspicion: If a supervisor observes behavior indicative of drug use, they may require a drug test1.
  5. Return-to-duty: Drivers who have previously failed a drug test must pass a test before resuming safety-sensitive functions2.
  6. Follow-up testing: After returning to duty, drivers who previously failed a test may be subject to unannounced follow-up testing2.
  7. During CDL school: Students must pass a drug test to obtain a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP)1.
  8. Regular physical examinations: Drug tests are typically conducted at least every two years as part of routine physicals required for maintaining a commercial driver's license (CDL)1.
The frequency of random testing can vary. The minimum random test rate is set by law at 50% (half the drivers must be randomly tested each year), but this can be reduced to 25% if less than 1% of all drivers tested positive for drugs over three consecutive years2. It's important to note that these tests typically screen for a standard panel of substances, including marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP)1. The Department of Transportation (DOT) drug tests usually involve urine samples, though hair follicle testing is becoming more prominent due to its ability to detect drug use over a longer period1.

References

1. How Often Do Truck Drivers Get Drug Tested? | DRC2. Trucking Fleets, Drivers Face New Rules Over Illegal Drug Use ...3. [PDF] What Employers Need To Know About DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing4. Post-accident drug test requirements | Department of Transportation5. When is a DOT post-accident drug and alcohol test required?



Author: Trucking Life with Shawn



Key insights

  • The process of drug testing for truck drivers is not only about when, but also why and how they are tested, highlighting potential issues and concerns.
  • Accidents can trigger mandatory drug testing for truck drivers, emphasizing the importance of staying clean at all times.
  • Truck drivers can be drug tested if their dispatcher or supervisor is suspicious of drug use based on factors like smell, appearance, or behavior.
  • If there's a fatality or someone is harmed in an accident, the driver will be drug tested regardless of whether they were cited or not.
  • ⏰ It's crucial for truck drivers to address drug problems promptly, as waiting until it's too late can have severe legal and personal consequences.
  • Truck drivers face the risk of prison if they have drugs in their system during a drug test after an accident.

Timestamped Summary

  • 00:00 Truck drivers get drug tested every time.
  • 00:23 Truck drivers are drug tested when applying for a new job, randomly at least once a year, and after accidents, as required by DOT regulations.
  • 00:50 Truck drivers are usually given a five panel urine drug test for PCP, THC, cocaine, opiates, and amphetamines, and can be tested if their dispatcher or supervisor is suspicious of drug use.
  • 01:14 Truck drivers can be randomly drug tested at any time, and are required to be tested after accidents involving fatalities, injuries, or citations.
  • 01:48 Don't do drugs as a truck driver, get help now before it's too late.
  • 02:07 Truck drivers need to get clean and pass drug tests to avoid accidents, jail time, and prison, and to do the right thing for their family and kids.

Video Full Text

  • 00:00 Okay got a question how often do truck drivers get tested so in this video um. Hopefully. I can answer your questions on when we get tested why we get tested how we get tested uh if you do get some value. Out of this make sure you hit that like button make sure you subscribe to my channel for more. Trucking live for Sean okay first off when do truck drivers get truck drug tested all right. We get tested every time.
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  • 00:23 Dr2 requires every time we go for a new job when you apply for employment. It's automatically drug tested also dot requires that you have a random at least once a year. Sometimes it could be two or three times a year maybe more than that but at least once a year another times if you got into an accident. There's a DOT checklist that requires us to get drug tested on certain certain types. I'll go over those in just a second but you could be tested every time. You're an accident or in some different accidents so make sure that you know that you're staying clean at all times.
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  • 00:50 It's very important to do as far as type of drug test. It's usually a five panel urine test that they're going to give you that test will test for PCP THC cocaine opiates and and amphetamines another time that you can be tested if your dispatcher or your supervisor is suspicious of you doing drugs. It could be a smell. It could be the way you dress. It could be if you're laid on certain loads or just you're acting.
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  • 01:14 Like you're using drugs or alcohol. They can call you in for a random anytime they want to also if you're an accident the dot requires if somebody if it was a fatality or somebody was sent to the hospital is required that you get a drug test also. It's also required that if you get a citation for a truck I mean accident if you get a citation they can they can drug test you then if you're in an accident and you're cited but you don't have to be cited for for to get a drug test. If there's a fatality or if a person got harm even if you're not cited you're going to be drug tested that's dot standards. The bottom line is drivers.
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  • 01:48 You don't need to be doing drugs out here if you if you're doing drugs. Let's say you even smoke the Doobie on vacation two weeks ago and then you go back to work and then you have an accident and God forbid somebody dies or somebody's hurt. You're going to prison for a long time if you have a problem with drugs make sure you get help now don't wait until it's too late. Don't say well. Sean I don't have time to do it. I'm working right.
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  • 02:07 Now. I can't come off the road to rehab listen if you don't have time you did a little bit making your time maybe in a jail sit for four or five years remember you could have an accident. It might be your fault but if somebody gets hurt and you're drug testing there's drugs in your system. You're going to prison so make sure you get clean and do the right things driver do it right for your family and do the right thing for your kids. If you got some value from this smash that like button subscribe to my channel for more Trucking live for Sean leave me a comment if you enjoy this video or if you have any other video ideas or any questions I can answer you about Trucking life. Let's get it.
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