How is an individual added to the DOT Compliance Group consortium?
Drivers join the consortium in one of two ways:
- Select “Add/Delete Drivers” and verify that the driver has participated in a DOT-compliant random drug/alcohol testing within the previous 30 days and has a negative drug test on file.
- For new workers, simply take the drug testing form to the local testing location. The results will be automatically uploaded if the drug test is negative. The DOT does not mandate pre-employment alcohol testing.
Where can I find a drug or alcohol testing site?
Drug test – click “Test Locator” in your personal account. Select “Drug Test”, “Urine”, and enter the reason for testing. You need to enter your zip code and Quest Laboratories will show you the nearest places to test. Then, you or the driver need to go to the testing point. At locations that are selected through Quest Laboratories, you do not need to pay for on-site testing. Payment will occur automatically next month.
Alcohol Test – click “Test Locator” in your personal account. Select “Drug Screen”, and “Breath-Alcohol”, and enter the reason for testing. You need to enter your zip code and Quest Laboratories will show you the nearest places to test. Then, you or the driver need to go to the testing point. At locations that are selected through Quest Laboratories, you do not need to pay for on-site testing. Payment will occur automatically next month.
What happens when one of my employees and I are selected for random testing?
Random testing requirement notifications are communicated by email that is passcode protected and has the time/date recorded upon receipt of opening. For owner-operators, a random selection of drug tests is to be completed within 24 hours and alcohol tests within 3 hours.
What happens if one of my employees and I have a positive drug or alcohol test?
If a driver tests positive for drugs or alcohol, they must be suspended from work for at least 24 hours. An alcohol test is considered positive if the blood alcohol content is more than 0.04. According to DOT safety requirements, a driver with a positive test cannot perform work tasks.
If the driver has a positive MRO drug test or a positive alcohol test of 0.04+ BAC, they should contact a Substance Abuse Specialist (SAP). Before a driver can return to work, they must complete all specialist requirements and obtain a negative drug or alcohol test result from the “Return to Work” test. During the first 12 months and up to 5 years after returning to work, the driver must additionally pass at least 6 “follow-up” tests. All costs for testing and inspection must be paid by the driver himself.
Why am I or an employee seemingly being tested all the time?
According to DOT requirements, random testing must be conducted for workers, a minimum of 50% drug testing and 10% alcohol testing. For example, let’s take a random pool with 1000 people. Each month, 42 people will be randomly tested for drugs and 8 people will be tested for alcohol. Every month, the program randomly selects people who will be randomly tested. It is not excluded that in one year a person can do several tests or none. The selection process is always random and a person cannot change the program selection.
The DOT test panel covers testing for the following substances, along with their first and confirmation detection levels:
What DOT drugs are tested for and their detection levels?
The DOT test panel covers testing for the following substances, along with their first and confirmation detection levels:
- Marijuana 31 50 ng/ml 15 ng/ml
- Cocaine 4 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml
- Opiates 3 2000 ng/ml 2000 ng/ml
- Phencyclidine 1 25 ng/ml 25ng/ml
- Amphetamines 5 1000 ng/ml 500 ng/ml
What are the six testing situations required by DOT?
1) Pre-Employment—no previous negative drug test on file
2) Random Test Selection—employee was randomly selected during the testing period
3) Post-Accident—required for fatality, moving violation citation with a disabled vehicle or moving violation citation, and medical treatment for anyone away from the accident
4) Reasonable Suspicion—as determined for testing by the supervisor
5) Return-To-Duty—required testing from previous positive test
6) Follow-Up—required additional random testing after the employee returns to duty
When is reasonable suspicion testing required?
The employer can test the driver for drugs or alcohol if he has a suspicion and certain reasons. This may concern the behavior of the driver, his appearance, smell, and speech at any working time. According to the DOT, the warden must receive special training before sending a worker for inspection in case of suspicion. DOT Compliance Group is offering employers a Suspicion Indicators Course for just $199. Please note that an employee who must pass suspicion testing does not have the right to drive a vehicle.
How do I get more drug testing forms?
Click on the “Support” link and sub-link “Request Drug Test Forms”
On-Site Testing: Post-Accident & After-Hours
Here is a referral for two national after-hours/post-accident test locator companies. Please note that on-site testing is at your expense. US Drug Testing Services——Bob Larrabee, Melanie Spiegelberg – P – 919-556-2220, f – 919-556-0997 bob@usdrugtestingservices.com / melanie@usdrugtestingservices.com——–EMSI or Examination Management Services, Inc. 1-800-421-EMSI (3674).
What is a Medical Review Officer (MRO) and what part do they play in the testing process?
According to DOT, all sample testing must be evaluated in an approved laboratory that DOT Compliance Group uses by Quest Laboratories. The Medical Review Officer (MRO) receives all test results, both negative and “presumed positive”. The second option may mean that the employee was taking medication prescribed by a doctor. Then, to confirm this fact, the MRO will contact the doctor who provided the prescription.
What if I don’t have a DOT compliant drug/alcohol policy?
Please see in our forms/documents section to down the policy provided for your use to be compliant.
