DOT proposes adding fentanyl to truck driver drug testing rules
Key takeaways
- The DOT's proposed rule would add fentanyl and norfentanyl to drug testing panels for safety-critical roles such as CMV drivers, with detection thresholds as low as 1 ng/mL in urine.
- The fentanyl tests detection windows likely range from two to four days for occasional users to about 13 days for chronic users.
- Truck drivers are particularly vulnerable to opioid addiction and the trucking industry is often exploited for illicit drug trafficking.
Truck drivers will soon have fentanyl added to their drug tests.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to add fentanyl to its drug testing regulations.
The rule would add fentanyl and norfentanyl (a fentanyl metabolite) to DOT’s drug testing panels. The tests would screen for fentanyl in both urine and oral fluid, but screen for norfentanyl in urine only. Safety-sensitive employees, including commercial vehicle drivers, are required to undergo and pass regular drug tests.
Currently, DOT has no formal testing method for detecting fentanyl use. Drivers could theoretically use the drug with little chance of being caught through federally directed tests.
Expanding drug testing to include fentanyl would help prevent addictive drugs from affecting fleet safety.
Fentanyl testing thresholds: What fleet managers should know
If passed, the rule would implement the most sensitive analyte screening ever in DOT’s panel: Merely 1 ng/mL of fentanyl or norfentanyl in urine would trigger a positive result. For comparison, the second-most sensitive urine analyte cutoff is 6-acetylmorphine (10 ng/mL), and the least sensitive urine analyte cutoff is morphine (4,000 ng/mL).
The detection window for the drug is much smaller than other substances, such as marijuana. The detection window depends largely on the test subject’s use pattern, according to Mayo Clinic, Boston University, and the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use. The detection window is also complicated by the type of fentanyl, the user’s age, kidney and liver function, and interactions with other drugs.
For a subject who is not a regular user, urine tests could likely detect fentanyl exposure within two to four days. For chronic users, fentanyl could be detected in urine roughly 13 days after the last dose.
In hair testing (which is not yet used by DOT), fentanyl could be detected as far as 90 days after the last dose.
Why truck drivers face higher risks of fentanyl use
Truck drivers are particularly vulnerable to opioid addiction, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This kind of drug use can contribute to large truck crashes.
Chronic pain, particularly back pain, is common for truck drivers. Long periods sitting in the same position, often paired with intense seat vibrations, increase the risk of injuries and persistent issues. Chronic pain is associated with both prescribed and illicit opioid use.
Truck drivers are also more likely to suffer from mental health problems like depression. Isolation, long periods sitting still, irregular sleep, and time away from home can severely harm a person’s mental health. Those mental health problems can correlate strongly with risky behaviors such as drug abuse.
See also: Clark: Who owns safety in your organization?
How fentanyl trafficking exploits trucking
As the country’s main mode of freight transportation—and as a highly decentralized market with a low barrier to entry—the trucking industry is often involved in illicit drug trafficking.
“By far, the most volume right now is coming over the southwest border,” Michael Smith a supervisor for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said in a 2024 CBP webinar on fentanyl. “We want to make our trade partners aware today that they are using trucks and trailers as one of the modes of transport to smuggle these opioids.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 2024 report on Illinois, the most common transportation method for illicit drugs remains by vehicle, “typically tractor-trailer trucks or personal cars, minivans, or trucks.”
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in April specifically noted some U.S. trucking companies with suspicious cash transactions were suspected traffickers.
There is no shortage of federal announcements on major fentanyl smuggling busts that land truck drivers in jail. Within just the last year, there was:
- A driver sentenced to 12 years for hauling 88 lb. of drugs,
- a breakdown of a major distribution ring using semi-trucks,
- Arizona driver charged with trafficking 12 kilos of fentanyl,
- an Oklahoma bust of an auto hauler involving 50 lb. of fentanyl,
- and countless others.
Trucking industry initiatives to fight fentanyl abuse
Opioid addiction has remained a nationwide epidemic for decades, but fentanyl abuse has exploded in popularity in only the last few years. The trucking industry, full of altruistic programs, has made some commitments to combat fentanyl.
The American Trucking Associations’ (ATA’s) Trucking Cares Initiative launched a fentanyl public awareness campaign, Facing Fentanyl, in early 2024. The campaign allows trucking companies to purchase trailer wraps that share fentanyl public service announcements at a discounted price. The wraps were recently on a trailer in Time Square as part of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day in August.
Since DOT issued the proposal, several trucking organizations have already commented in support of the testing. Commenters claiming to be from Oak Management, Amerit Fleet Solutions, and GKD Management advocated for fentanyl testing.
When HHS began to propose the addition in 2023, members of ATA, the Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, GP Transport, and LTI Trucking Services also issued comments supporting fentanyl testing.
What’s next?
Federal regulations required DOT to add fentanyl to its panel after the Department of Health and Human Services expanded its drug testing guidelines in January this year, meaning DOT will very likely pass the final rule without significant changes.
DOT is accepting comments on its NPRM until October 17. The agency will likely issue a final rule some months after the comment period closes.
About the Author
Jeremy Wolfe
Editor
Editor Jeremy Wolfe joined the FleetOwner team in February 2024. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with majors in English and Philosophy. He previously served as Editor for Endeavor Business Media's Water Group publications.