Thursday, October 29, 2009
FMCSA cracks down on violators of drug, alcohol regulations
Seventy-seven bus and truck drivers could face civil penalties and more than 80 carriers face enforcement action as a result of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's first-ever alcohol and drug strike force.
According to a press release, FMCSA safety investigators reviewed drug and alcohol safety records collected Sept. 8-18 among commercial drivers employed by bus companies, interstate passenger carriers, hazardous material transporters and general freight long-haul trucking companies.
The strike force's goal was to identify motor carriers in violation of federal drug and alcohol testing requirements and to remove from the road commercial truck and bus drivers who jump from carrier to carrier to evade testing requirements.
In related news, due to a number of inquiries, the Department of Transportation issued a notice Oct. 22 stating the Department of Justice's guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing use of "medical marijuana" have no bearing on DOT's regulated drug testing program. DOT's Drug and Alcohol Testing regulation does not authorize "medical marijuana" under a state law to be a valid medical explanation for a transportation employee's positive drug test result.