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FMCSA system is identifying drug and alcohol violations

Positive drug tests account for 82 percent of total violations reported through the DOT Clearinghouse, according to statistics released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The DOT Clearinghouse went live in January 2020 as a tracking tool to prevent drivers from switching employers without completing return-to-duty requirements.

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium (WDTC) manages DOT drug and alcohol testing for our customers as a DOT consortium. We have access to 17,000 drug collection sites across the country.

DOT Clearinghouse statistics list marijuana as by far the most common substance identified in positive drug tests, followed by cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine. Only a small portion of violations reported to the DOT Clearinghouse are employer knowledge of a drug violation. Most violations are positive drug tests, with drug test refusals a distant second.

DOT Clearinghouse nearing 4 million queries

Employers are required to query the DOT Clearinghouse when hiring a new CDL holder and annually to ensure none of their current drivers have had drug or alcohol violations. The Clearinghouse recorded approximately 4 million unique CDL holders queried through the first two years of operation.

The total number of violations for 2021 approached 55,000 through November, with 53,133 of those being drug violations. Drivers with a drug and alcohol program violation recorded in the DOT Clearinghouse must be taken off the road until completing the return-to-duty (RTD) process.

DOT Clearinghouse records certain milestones in a driver’s RTD process including:

• RTD process not started
• Substance abuse professional (SAP) request sent
• SAP designation confirmed
• SAP request denied
• Initial SAP assessment complete
• Determined eligible for RTD testing
• RTD test with negative results
• Follow-up testing plan complete

About Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium is an accredited, Certified Third Party Administrator (C-TPA), and specializes in DOT consortium management and DOT Clearinghouse compliance; 100% electronic from your desktop portal; a variety of drug testing methods, including urine, hair and fingernails; post-accident testing; pre-employment drug tests; criminal background checks; supervisor training programs to keep employees compliant with DOT regulations; pre-employment DOT physicals; and paternity DNA testing.

Headquartered in Green Bay, WDTC also has offices in Oshkosh and Appleton, Wisconsin. Call (920) 393-4168 or visit https://widrugtesting.com for more information.