Fleetowner 39330 110519 Drug Test Form
Fleetowner 39330 110519 Drug Test Form
Fleetowner 39330 110519 Drug Test Form
Fleetowner 39330 110519 Drug Test Form
Fleetowner 39330 110519 Drug Test Form

Time to register with FMCSA’s drug, alcohol clearinghouse

Nov. 5, 2019
Come January, the Federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will be up and running.

Come January, the Federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will be up and running. In the works since 2016, this electronic database will track commercial truck drivers who have tested positive for prohibited drugs or alcohol.

It also will track those drivers who refused to take required tests. Beyond just testing, drivers who are in violation of drug and alcohol policies will have to complete a return-to-duty process. This too will be captured in the Clearinghouse.

Drivers and motor carriers need to register to be included in the Clearinghouse, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently opened registration for the Clearinghouse. To create an online account, drivers, fleets, medical review officers, and substance abuse professionals can go to the official website.

FMCSA will begin collecting data on January 6, 2020, and that is when employers can begin checking the database during the hiring process. It is important to note that before a carrier can get information from the Clearinghouse, the driver must give consent. Until January 6, 2023, employers must continue to check prior employers for the information using the current verification of employment paper forms.

The Clearinghouse seems like a good tool to help identify drivers who job-hop in order to avoid the substance abuse professional’s evaluation, treatment and follow-up care mandated in the regulation for violating drug and alcohol testing.

Some drivers may be leery of the Clearinghouse and drag their feet when it comes to registering. Of course, failure to register could delay the hiring process for drivers, as fleets will be hesitant to and may be prevented from hiring someone without having access to this key information. 

Third-party administrators and drug and alcohol consortiums are determining what services they can provide to their customers in order to help them navigate the process. But most say they are waiting to commit until the database is open, and they can see what is actually required.

If you have not registered your company, you should plan on doing so. At the same time, encourage your drivers to register as well.

I am sure there will be a learning curve when it comes to the Clearinghouse, but once it is operational, it will be a good tool to help fleets ensure they are employing safe drivers.

Photo credit: Urine Drug Test HQ 

About the Author

Joseph Evangelist

Joseph is a seasoned transportation executive with domestic and international experience in sales, operations, mergers and acquisition with heavy emphasis on post-acquisition assimilation planning to maximize new growth and business combination opportunities.

He joined Transervice in 2007 and currently serves as executive vice president with sales, operations and staff responsibilities. He is also heavily involved in new business development and account management.

Previously he was president of LLT International, Inc., an international transportation consulting firm with operations in the U.S. and the Far East. He oversaw the maintenance and fleet management of a 2,000-vehicle cement distribution fleet in Indonesia.

Joseph was also president and CEO of Lend Lease Trucks Inc., a truck rental, leasing and dedicated carriage firm with operations throughout the U.S.

He also was vice president/general manager of The Hertz Corporation – Truck Division, a subsidiary of The Hertz Corp. While there he participated in the acquisition and successful integration of the Canadian licensee operations.

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