Last updated : May 12, 2025
The start of a new year marks the annual release of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Random Drug Testing Rates. The random drug testing rates equate to the percentage of employee names to be drawn for random testing throughout the year. For instance, if the random drug testing rate is 50% an employer with 100 employees would be required to randomly test 50 employees throughout the year. That same employer would be required to test 10 employees for alcohol at some point during the year if their random alcohol testing rate is 10%.
Employers enter all employees into a drawing pool—which is often handled by a consortium or third-party administrator (TPA)—and names are randomly drawn periodically throughout the year. The different DOT agencies aren’t all required to test the same number of employees, however.
Let’s break them down here.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
The random rates remained the same as in 2023 for the FMCSA-regulated employers which happen to be the ones used in our example above. Employers regulated by the FMCSA are required to randomly drug test 50% of their employees and 10% of them for alcohol in 2024.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The FAA rates for drug and alcohol testing remain the same as well. Employers must randomly drug test 25% of employees who fall under the safety-sensitive guidelines and 10% of those for alcohol.
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
The FRA is the only DOT agency that has more than one random drug testing rate. Instead, there are three categories.
Covered service employees
Employees who perform service under the hours-of-service laws fall into this category. That refers to the total amount of time that drivers can be on duty. It includes driving time but also mandates the number and length of rest periods. The random drug testing rate for these employees is 25% and 10% for alcohol.
Maintenance of way
Twenty-five percent of employees who perform duties of roadway workers such as defined in Section 214.7 are subject to random drug testing and ten percent of them for alcohol testing.
Mechanical
The numbers are higher for those who perform mechanical tests and inspections as their occupation. The random drug testing rate for mechanical FRA employees is 50% and alcohol testing weighs in at 25%.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
The FTA mirrors the FMCSA as far as the random testing rates. Employers need to test half their safety-sensitive workforce for drugs and a tenth of them for alcohol during 2024.
Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Employers adhering to PHMSA regulations are the only group not required to randomly test employees for alcohol. However, mandates require them to randomly test 25% of their safety-sensitive workforce for drugs.
Drug testing is the best defense
The reason that employers—even those not required to do so—drug test is for safety’s sake. There is 100% certainty that drug testing saves lives and prevents injuries. Other reasons prove the importance of employee drug testing.
Here are a few:
- Helps employers identify and, subsequently, help in facilitating treatment
- Affords employees a reason not to use drugs and an out when pressed
- Drug testing reduces employer liability
- Randomly testing employees is a fair and balanced way of enforcing your drug-free workplace policy
The DOT began drug testing the safety-sensitive workforce because it keeps Americans, and those visiting our country, safer as they travel. The fact that there isn’t a flat 100% rank across the board is testimony to the fact that the majority of Americans don’t use drugs. They shouldn’t have to worry about literally running into someone who does on their way to grandma’s.
