As part of an effort to remove unsafe commercial carriers and drivers from the nation's highways, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched a two-week crackdown earlier this summer to identify drug and alcohol abusers.
As a result of the strike force's efforts, the FMCSA announced that 109 commercial truck and bus drivers were removed from the roadways and that more than 175 carriers face penalties from employing drivers who had tested positive for illegal drugs and for not establishing drug and alcohol testing programs. The investigation included the examination of drug and alcohol safety records of school bus drivers, hazardous material transporters, interstate passenger carriers and basic long-haul truckers. Apparently, some commercial truck and bus drivers engage in a practice of switching carriers to avoid federal drug and alcohol testing and reporting requirements.
Drivers found to have violated the drug and alcohol regulations face monetary fines and a possible permanent ban from operating a commercial vehicle. The identified carriers also face civil penalties.
The FMCSA has strict drug and alcohol testing and reporting regulations that were being circumvented by drivers and carriers. Drug and alcohol abuse remains a problem with commercial carriers with between 1 and 3 percent of all 18-wheeler accidents involving alcohol. Marijuana use was found in 12.5 percent of all fatal truck accidents.
Fully loaded trucks can take up to 300 yards to come to a full stop, and their size and weight can cause devastating results in an accident. Accordingly, drivers are prohibited from operating their vehicles with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent, and drivers must submit to testing after any fatal accident and for all other accidents if their performance could have contributed to the accident.
All carriers are required to comply with proper record keeping of drug and alcohol tests and selected employers will have to submit detailed reports to the FMCSA. Drivers who fail testing are referred to a substance abuse professional for evaluation and possible treatment pursuant to the employer's policy or any labor agreement. The driver cannot be returned to duty until he or she has completed treatment and agrees to be subject to random testing.
Alcohol and drug abuse among drivers has decreased since the 1990s. Tighter enforcement of federal drug and alcohol testing requirements and requiring carriers to implement and maintain drug testing programs seem to be reducing the incidence of drug abuse among drivers.
