Federal DOT Drug Testing & Alcohol Testing Regulations vary by transportation mode

Within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal DOT Drug Testing & Alcohol Testing Regulations vary by transportation mode. Safety-sensitive transportation employees in trucking, mass transit, rail, pipeline, coast guard, and aviation are subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing to help ensure the safety of these employees and the general public. This site is dedicated to the rules, regulations and best practices associated with managing a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) drug and alcohol compliance program.

All commercial licensed drivers (CDL) who meet the Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) definitions as defined in 49 CFR Part 382 and Part 40. Once a business determines their drivers fall under DOT requirements, the following testing must be implemented:

Types of DOT Drug Testing

:: Pre-employment DOT Drug Testing: A new driver must be drug tested with a negative result prior to operating a CMV on a public road. Alcohol testing is permitted only if it applies to all CDL drivers.

Any driver, who is removed from a random testing pool for more than 30 days, must submit to another pre-employment test.

:: Random DOT Drug Testing: CDL drivers are subject to unannounced random drug and alcohol testing. Each company must comply with the Random Testing Rates issued by the DOT for each year. Owner/Operators and small companies often join a consortium to meet random testing requirements.

Click Here to join The Council on Alcohol and Drug’s FMCSA Consortium.

:: Post-accident DOT Drug Testing: Drug and alcohol testing is required for accidents when a driver:

•    is involved fatal accident (death)
•    receives a traffic citation (ticket) and a vehicle is disable (tow)
•    receives a traffic citation (ticket) and an injury requires treatment (ambulance)

Post-accident testing is subject to time constraints for both drugs and alcohol.

:: Reasonable suspicion DOT Drug Testing: Trained supervisors can direct a driver to be tested for drugs and/or alcohol whenever a driver exhibits the signs or symptoms of drug or alcohol abuse.

:: Return-to-duty: These tests require “direct observation” and are required only after an employee has completed the “return-to-duty” (RTD) process.

:: Follow-up DOT Drug Testing: A Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) will prescribe the frequency for each driver as part of the return-to-duty report. A minimum of six unannounced tests must be conducted during the first 12 months following RTD test. Follow-up testing is in addition to any random testing requirements.

Testing regulations apply to all CDL drivers including volunteers, part-time and owner/operators.