The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy (Policy Office) coordinates with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other Federal agencies to share the responsibility for determining transportation-related safety activities. The Policy Office coordinates and executes the DOT’s safety initiatives in the following ways: Reviews and analyzes domestic transportation policy regarding DOT leadership decisions Read more »
Compliance
FMCSA Downgrading CDL if Driver Tests Positive
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Association (FMCSA) has implemented a new rule for the safety-sensitive workforce that takes effect on Monday, November 18, 2024. State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) will begin downgrading the CDL licenses of commercial drivers who receive drug and alcohol violations. This is Phase 2 of the FMCSA’s most recent push to Read more »
DOT Publishes Final Rule Amending Oral Fluid Testing
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced earlier this week that it published its final rule amending its oral fluid testing regulations. The final rule becomes effective on December 5, 2024. It amends several sections of the oral fluid drug testing regulations. Here’s a quick summary, but the DOT urges employers to view the document in full. Read more »
How Does Return to Duty Drug Testing Work?
All employers can drug test an employee who has been allowed to return to work after completing a drug rehabilitation program. However, employers of the general workforce who are allowing an employee to come back to work in this instance may refer to the test as something other than a “return-to-duty” test. That’s because these Read more »
DOT Proposes Drug Testing Changes
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced today that it proposes to amend its regulations for conducting workplace drug and alcohol testing for safety-sensitive employees. The changes will allow, but not require, electronic signatures on documents that pertain to drug and alcohol testing. It would also allow employers to submit electronic versions of forms, as well Read more »
Does DOT Drug Test Detect Synthetic Urine?
People who use drugs get desperate when faced with taking a drug test. That’s because they fear being found out and suffering the consequences of testing positive. Some try to obtain a false negative by using homemade concoctions or purchasing detox products. Some try using synthetic urine as an option. The trucking industry took steps Read more »
What are DOT Drug Testing Cutoff Levels?
The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that all safety-sensitive employees submit to pre-employment drug testing as well as random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident drug testing. The procedure is well documented from start to finish to lessen the chance of error. Likewise, laboratories, operating under strict protocols, have specific drug cutoff levels set to lessen the Read more »
DOT Withdraws Oral Fluid Testing Final Ruling
On Thursday, August 1st, the Department of Transportation (DOT) withdrew its proposed final ruling concerning oral fluid drug testing. It was due to the 19 negative comments received during the official commenting phase which began back in June. It turns out that most negative responses were regarding the training received by individuals collecting the specimens. Read more »