Safety first is incredibly important when you are driving tons of metal at high speeds, and federal law seeks to enforce that safety. Do truck drivers get drug tested? The answer is definitely yes, because of these factors.
I want to dig deep into the specifics of exactly how CDL (Commercial Driving License) truck drivers are drug tested. Processes, tests used, drugs looked for, and what happens if you fail?
I’ll also cover how often truck drivers get drug tested in regulated industries, and what regulations apply to truck drivers in non-CDL situations.
Do Truck Drivers Get Drug Tested?
As you already know, the answer the question of do truck drivers get drug tested is an emphatic yes.
Also, when it comes to questioning do CDL drivers get drug tests, then yes, all of them do. That’s the point in having a CDL license, to drive the sort of lorries and other related vehicles that will be covered by the drug testing policy.
But when do they get tested, and how? Let’s take a look at the specifics for CDL drivers, regulated through federal legislation, enforced by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), which is part of the Department of Transport (DOT), and then how that compares to truck drivers not covered this way.
1. Commercial Driving License Drivers (CDL Drivers)
CDL drivers are covered by federal law mandates, that are triggered under the following conditions:
- Gross vehicle weight is 26,001 pounds or more
- The vehicle is towing a trailer over 10,000 pounds in weight (combined total 26,001+)
- If that vehicle is built to transport 16 passengers or more
- Any vehicle carrying hazardous materials that requires a placard
So to do any of that requires you to be a Commercial Driving License holder, which then also means you are bound by the processes relating to drug testing.
2. Non-CDL Truck Drivers
If you are a truck driver who is not governed by the criteria of the federal laws then you don’t need a CDL, and you are not going to be drug tested by your company under enforcement. Any drug testing will be done by your company, based on federal recommendations, state law and guidelines, and your company’s desire to not get sued.
But usually, companies involved in these sorts of industries will still drug test. It probably won’t be as rigorous as CDL drug testing, but it will be there. You’ll have to investigate your own company policies, especially before employment, to ensure that you understand them.
Federal Law Vs State Law
It’s not actually that well-known, but there is a “supremacy clause” written into the US Constitution. The supremacy clause dictates that federal law will always trump state law, meaning that state laws can never hold precedent.
There are really obvious reasons why that’s the case, and the CDL truck driving laws are classic example. It’s even more important to create this clarity nowadays because some states have relaxed cannabis laws.
But, even though it might be completely legal to smoke cannabis at the state level, being found with cannabis metabolites in your body, even if you are not under the influence, would fail your drug test under the federal FMCSA guidelines that govern CDL drivers.
When Would A CDL Truck Driver Be Tested?
Let’s talk you through the situations where you would be drug tested as a CDL truck driver.
Thankfully, it’s highly structured due to the regulations at the federal level, so you’ll know the times during which you could be tested clearly.
- Pre-employment testing.: Before you can be employed to drive as a CDL holder, you must pass a drug test as part of the recruitment process. Although alcohol testing is built into the FMCSA CDL regulations, it’s not a requirement during pre-employment.
- Random on-the-job testing: You will be tested randomly on the job. The regulations state that at least 50% of employed drivers in a company must be tested every year at a random time. 10% must also be randomly tested with alcohol testing as well. Note though, many companies exceed these levels for higher levels of due diligence, and to cover themselves better legally.
- Testing with reasonable suspicion: If something about your behavior prompts suspicion, then your supervisor/employer has legal grounds under the guidelines to test you for drugs or alcohol. This must be observed changes in speech, behavior, appearance, and even body odor. It can also be an observed changing situation over time, things that you have said, or other pointers that could lead to suspicion you are spiraling downwards into drug or alcohol use.
- Post-accident testing: After an accident, you will definitely face a drug test. This must happen within 32 hours of the instant for drug testing, and within eight hours for alcohol testing. Legally, would happen even if you are incapacitated. The situations under CDL guidelines for this type of test include a fatality, medical treatment required away from the scene, or disabling damage to a vehicle involved.
- Return to duty & follow-up drug testing: After you have failed a drug test you must go through a rehabilitation program with a substance abuse professional overseeing it. Before you can return to work you must pass a drug test do so. After returning to work, you are likely to face increased scrutiny and drug testing for the next 12 months as well.
How Often Do Truck Drivers Get Drug Tested?
As I’ve already said, the requirement is for 50% of the drivers in a company to be tested annually. For alcohol, it’s a 10% of the workforce requirement. That would mean that on average, you would be tested once every two years. But I’m betting that it’s far more frequent than that, with many companies covering themselves better legally.
The frequent drug testing and demonstration of company behaviors that scare people into compliance is going to look far more favorable in the event of the company being sued if a driver does do something bad, like causing a fatality.
CDL Drug Test: What Type Of Test Is Used
CDL drug testing is very specifically a five panel urine test. This is exactly the same test and guidelines it that the Department of Transport has all of their regulated industries.
The 5-panel drug test looks for the following substances:
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamine/amphetamine
- Opiates
- PCP
I’m surprised it’s always exactly the same standard 5 panel test. Although it looks for the five most common types of drug, it means that any other type of drug isn’t looked for. So if you want to take something else, you’ll know you will never be caught.
In terms of testing for alcohol, 10% of the workforce as a minimum must be tested for each company annually, then it’s a standard alcohol test that will fail if the blood alcohol concentration is 0.04 or higher.
Returning To Work After Failing A Drug Test
Returning to duty after failing a drug test is a CDL driver can be traumatic, and not something you really want to go through. For a start, if it’s a serious offence, there may not be a return to work. They can revoke your license and ban you from ever having one again. This can also be the case for repeat offenders.
On failing a drug or alcohol test you will go through the following process:
- You will be immediately suspended from duty
- The return to duty process must be followed
- Substance abuse professional is involved throughout
- Return to work test must be completed
- Enhanced follow-up testing will be done
So there’s no easy way back in. Not only will you be under the watchful eye of your own company, but an independent substance abuse professional has to be part of the process.
How To Pass A CDL Drug Test
Because we know it’s the standard 5 panel drug test, and we know the substances look for, then we know how to pass this type of test. We also know that it will be an unsupervised test, unless it’s returned to work for follow-up testing, in which case it will be supervised (observed).
To pass an unsupervised test, you have the following options:
- Submit a sample of high-quality synthetic urine. Quick Luck is the best on the market and is highly recommended due to using heat activator powder to maintain its temperature.
- Rescue Cleanse detox drink is the best alternative for supervised and unsupervised testing. It masks the toxins for a few hours, as you can submit a clean sample before fresh metabolites are processed through the kidneys. Note that the heavy users though, you might only get a couple of hours clean.
- Your final option is to get genuinely clean. You can accelerate this dramatically using Toxin Rid pills. In fact, you could speed up the removal of metabolites from your body by as much as 60% using these pills. Most people will be clean in three or four days.