Trucking News: Drug-test cheating by drivers could renew calls for hair testing

Mike

Well-Known Member
New federal data reveals that drivers may be attempting to cheat urinalysis tests for drugs at a relatively high rate — and that could lead to a renewed push for motor carrier hair-testing requirements, according to a trucking regulations expert.

The latest monthly statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse show that 13% of drug-testing violations collected by the clearinghouse during the first half of the year were classified as “refusals” during pre-employment screening.

“Considering that a refusal, in the pre-employment context, can really only occur after the driver has been handed a urine collection cup, this number may be a good proxy for how often drivers attempt to defeat the urinalysis,” David Osiecki, president and CEO of Scopelitis Transportation Consulting, told FreightWaves. “This number, if it remains high, could accelerate calls for [U.S. Department of Transportation] approval of other testing methods like hair and oral fluid testing. It’s hard to cheat saliva and hair tests.”

 
Why do they care about refusals? It's not like they're gonna get hired. So they're not on the road and not a danger.

Stays in the hair long after you get sober enough to drive.

Sounds like a witch hunt.
some companies hire those that refused, cuz they never mention anything to the other company.

there are still trucking companies out there that run illegal
 
some companies hire those that refused, cuz they never mention anything to the other company.

there are still trucking companies out there that run illegal
Aren't the testing facilities required to report a refusal to the clearinghouse? Or is it just an employer asking for a drug test and the applicant refuses. And how can they hire a refusal when any DOT numbered company is supposed to run a clearinghouse query before hiring. And are they not required a drug test before employment. Now the whole 1099 employment situation maybe a whole nuther ball of wax.
 
I am not happy because of it...
I'm ambivalent. @Snowman_w900 once passed a DOT drug screen but he misspelled the long version of THC on the essay so Werner sent him to drug rehab.

His trainer was a member of a notorious motorcycle gang called the Creepers and they started running team hauling windmill blades covered in truck stop waitress's hair.
 
I tell you, those first 3 years training at Werner wasn't easy. Luckily TripleSix (leader of the Creepers) let me drink Modesto Negra in the evenings with him and throw battle axes at drifters to kinda wind down in the evenings. It kinda took the edge off.

I learned alot, and being in the Werner wind energy division, it was an awesome experience. Hanging out at flop houses on our 34 restarts, to getting into turff wars with Hells Angles and Mongols......i tell ya, we had some great times.
And what did Cornpop have to say about all this?
 
It’s time to remove marijuana from the drug test.

It’s legal medically or recreationally in a majority of states. Polls show 60% of Americans want it completely legalized.

I don’t want people on hard drugs like PCP, Cocaine, or meth driving a truck.

But Mary Jane isn’t a big deal at all. It even has many medical benefits and is prescribed for a variety of ailments by thousands of Doctors.
 
It’s time to remove marijuana from the drug test.

It’s legal medically or recreationally in a majority of states. Polls show 60% of Americans want it completely legalized.

I don’t want people on hard drugs like PCP, Cocaine, or meth driving a truck.

But Mary Jane isn’t a big deal at all. It even has many medical benefits and is prescribed for a variety of ailments by thousands of Doctors.
I fully agree it's long overdue.
 
It’s time to remove marijuana from the drug test.

It’s legal medically or recreationally in a majority of states. Polls show 60% of Americans want it completely legalized.

I don’t want people on hard drugs like PCP, Cocaine, or meth driving a truck.

But Mary Jane isn’t a big deal at all. It even has many medical benefits and is prescribed for a variety of ailments by thousands of Doctors.
Its illegal at the federal level, and theyre calling the shots where your CDL is concerned.
 

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