The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — part of the U.S. Department of Transportation — will create a national clearing house to handle drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck and bus drivers, reports American Shipper.
Through the final rule, which will go into effect ontakes effect Jan. 4, FMCSA will also develop a national database to record and monitor commercial drivers' drug and alcohol violations.
Here are three things to know about the final rule.
1. Under the present federal safety regulations, employers must conduct pre-employment drug testing, along with random drug and alcohol testing.
2. Once the clearinghouse is operational, carrier employees will be required to annually check the database for information on current or prospective employees for drug and alcohol violations that would prohibit them from operating a commercial motor vehicle, according to FMCSA.
3. Employers and medical review officers will also be required to report drug and alcohol violations and record them in the database, according to the report.
"The clearinghouse will allow carriers across the country to identify current and prospective drivers who have tested positive for drugs or alcohol, and employ those who drive drug- and alcohol-free," he said. "Drivers who test positive for drugs or alcohol will no longer be able to conceal those test results from employers and continue to drive while posing a safety risk to the driving public."
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