BREAKING: FMCSA Releases Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Final Rule

By CleanFleet

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued its final rule creating the much anticipated federal clearinghouse for drug and alcohol test results of truck drivers.

It has been four years since Congress called for a national clearinghouse of truck drivers who has drug and alcohol violations. The purpose of the clearinghouse is to prevent CDL holders with positive drug and alcohol test results, refused required drug and alcohol tests, or who have undergone return-to-duty drug and alcohol rehabilitation process from job-hopping (moving to different states where the results do not follow them) – making it harder to hire these drivers and keeping the roads safer.

According to FleetOwner, the drug and alcohol clearinghouse final rule annual net benefits are an estimated $42 million, with crash reductions resulting from annual and pre-employment queries by FMCSA-regulated motor carriers.

The clearinghouse rule is set to effect 30 days after publication, on Jan 4, 2017, before an expected regulatory moratorium by the Trump administration taking office Jan 20, 2017. Compliance Date: January 6, 2020.

FMCSA believes 3 years is necessary to provide the Agency time to design and implement the information technology (IT) systems needed to facilitate the reporting of results and violations of the drug and alcohol testing rules and the responses to queries from employers and prospective employers. Also, this period of time will ensure that stakeholders have sufficient time to prepare for this rule.

All Mexican or Canadian employees, employers, or service agents that are currently required to comply with DOT and FMCSA drug and alcohol testing requirements must comply with this rule.

CleanFleet staff are reviewing the full details of the final rule and will soon be issuing a full evaluation and guide to the rule.

FMCSA CDL Clearinghouse information and how-to register.