FMCSA webpage answers FAQs on upcoming database of CMV drivers who fail drug, alcohol tests | 2019-04-25 | Safety+Health Magazine

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has created a webpage that outlines specifics of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a national online database intended to provide – in real time – the names of commercial motor vehicle drivers who have failed drug and alcohol tests.

The resource includes a fact sheet and answers to frequently asked questions about the clearinghouse, which is slated for implementation Jan. 6. Additionally, CMV stakeholders can register to receive email updates. Registration for the clearinghouse is set to begin this fall, the webpage states.

According to FMCSA, motor carriers will be able to search the clearinghouse for information regarding current and prospective employees who may have unresolved violations that prohibit them from driving. Employers and medical review officers will be required to report information about drivers who test positive for drugs or alcohol or refuse to comply with drug and alcohol testing. Substance abuse professionals are required to report information about drivers who participate in the return-to-duty drug and alcohol rehabilitation process.

Federal regulations require employers to conduct preemployment drug testing in addition to random testing. Employees who test positive are prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions, which includes operating a CMV.

“As this congressional mandate is enacted, FMCSA’s goal is to provide as many resources and updates as possible to those who will be using the upcoming Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse,” FMCSA Administrator Raymond Martinez said in a March 7 press release. “As we transition to the use of the clearinghouse, we will ensure drivers, employers and state licensing agencies are kept up to date throughout the implementation process. FMCSA is here to be helpful and to assist all CMV stakeholders who have questions regarding the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.”

The final rule establishing the clearinghouse was published Dec. 5, 2016, and took effect Jan. 4, 2017.