Employers are responsible for conducting random, unannounced drug tests. The total number conducted each year must equal at least 50% of the safety-sensitive drivers. Some drivers may be tested more than once each year; some may not be tested at all depending on the random selection. Random testing for drugs does not have to be conducted in immediate time proximity to performing safety-sensitive functions. once notified of selection for testing, however, a driver must proceed immediately to a collection site to accomplish the urine specimen collection.

All urine specimens are analyzed for the following drugs:

Marijuana (THC metabolite), Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates (including heroin), Phencyclidine (PCP)

The testing is a two-stage process. First, a screening test is performed. If it is positive for one or more of the drugs, then a confirmation test is performed for each identified drug using state-of-the-art gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. GC/MS confirmation ensures that over-the-counter medications or preparations are not reported as positive results.

All drug test results are reviewed and interpreted by a physician (Medical Review Officers (MRO)) before they are reported to the employer. If the laboratory reports a positive result to the MRO, the MRO contacts the driver (in person or by telephone) and conducts an interview to determine if there is an alternative medical explanation for the drugs found in the driver’s urine specimen. If the driver provides appropriate documentation and the MRO determines that if is legitimate medical use of the prohibited drug, the drug test result is reported as negative to the employer.

A driver must be removed from safety-sensitive duty if he/she has a positive drug test resulted from the unauthorized use of a controlled substance. A driver cannot be returned to safety-sensitive duties until he/she has been evaluated by a substance abuse professional, has complied with recommended rehabilitation, and has a negative result on a return-to-duty drug test. Follow-up testing to monitor the driver’s continued abstinence from drug use is also required.

Employers must provide information on drug use and treatment resources to safety-sensitive drivers. All supervisors and officials of businesses with safety-sensitive drivers must attend Supervisor Awareness Training every two years. This training is necessary to assist supervisors and company officials in making appropriate determinations for reasonable suspicion testing.

DOT requires a physical every two years and a Pre-Employment test if an employee has never been tested before, or it’s longer than 2-years since they’ve been tested. Breath Alcohol Testing does not have to be done during Pre-Employment, but is part of the Random Program, Reasonable Suspicion or Post-Accident. There is also a very strong possibility that DOT will require Synthetic Drug Testing as early as October 2012, especially since the Federal Government instituted an illegal ban on Synthetic Drugs on July 9th, 2012.