On February 28, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced its proposed change to regulations to allow oral fluid testing as an approved alternative to urine testing in the DOT-regulated drug and alcohol testing program. The DOT extended the public comment period from the end of March to April 29th. Now, it’s October already. Read more »
Compliance
DOT Issues Strict Return-to-Duty Reminder to SAPs
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a notice earlier this week directed at Substance Abuse Professionals (SAP). Apparently, some of them have violated proper Return-to-Duty protocol. Of course, this puts them out of compliance and subject to disciplinary action. Worse, though, their misconduct may compromise public safety. The SAPs not following the proper protocol Read more »
What is the DOT Chain of Custody?
The Department of Transportation outlines the process that all safety-sensitive employers must follow in regard to drug testing. The DOT chain of custody documents everyone who handles the test specimen along the way. To make things even more concrete, collectors, lab techs, and MROs record their part of the process on the Custody and Control Read more »
Duties of a DOT DER
The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates the employers of the safety-sensitive workforce. As you can imagine, there are rules and regulations galore—all to keep the public safe while on the roads. However, infringing on them can equal penalties and fines for the business owner. For instance, every company regulated by the DOT has at least Read more »
DOT Extends Use of COVID SAP Enforcement Discretion Statement
The Department of Transportation (DOT) released its original COVID-19 Drug & Alcohol Testing Statement of Enforcement Discretion for Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs) and Service Agents (SAs) on April 4, 2020. It’s been extended several times since. On November 29th, the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) announced the extension is getting pushed Read more »
DOT CCF Change Soon Takes Effect
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has revised the Custody and Control Form used for DOT drug testing. The new DOT CCF forms are already available for use but the official start date is August 30, 2021. Custody and Control Forms are a required component of the DOT drug test. The new DOT CCF forms are Read more »
BASIC Facts About Unsafe Driving Behaviors
Following BASIC safety procedures while on the road doesn’t seem like a very big deal. If you’re a truck driver, however, BASIC safety violations can keep you from getting behind the wheel. According to statistics put out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), five million truckers share the road with more than 250 Read more »
Sorting Out the DOT Consortium Option
The Department of Transportation (DOT) oversees the trucking industry by regulating the way it operates at every level. That said, if you own a trucking company, you know it’s important to hire safe drivers. And, if you’re an owner-operator it’s likely that you have an impeccable driving record. The DOT mandates that employers randomly drug Read more »