Last updated : December 23, 2024
Department of Transportation drug testing is required by The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991. This act states that all safety-sensitive transportation employees are required to pass drug and alcohol tests. The DOT and The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations require negative results on the following tests: Pre-employment, random tests, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, and return to duty tests.
The alcohol test administered is a standard breathalyzer. The test for drugs is a 5-panel urine test that tests for amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, and PCP. A test must display negative results to all of the substances in order for a driver to be DOT qualified. The DOT regulates testing guidelines, and the results are considered invalid if the guidelines are not followed.
While DOT regulations include all employees and employers of safety-sensitive transportation fields, each individual DOT agency and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) have certain policies that define who is subject to their drug and alcohol testing regulations.
Specific DOT Agency and USCG regulations state:
- Who all is subject to the policies
- What types of testing will be allowed
- What tests are authorized
- When tests are authorized
- The agency’s rules and regulations on drug and alcohol
- What can happen if an employee does not cooperate with testing procedures
Positive Test Results or Refusal to take Drug or Alcohol Tests:
If an employee refuses to take a test when they are called for one, or if they test positive for drugs or alcohol, they are not allowed to engage in safety-sensitive tasks until they have seen a Substance Abuse Professional. They must also complete a return-to-duty process, including a clean drug and alcohol test. Doing any safety-sensitive work before the steps are completed is absolutely forbidden.
