What Is a DOT Drug Test?
DOT (Department of Transportation) testing is a drug and alcohol test that is federally required for certain occupations.
Congress passed the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act in 1991. This law requires US Department of Transportation agencies to test safety-sensitive employees within aviation, trucking, railroad, and transportation fields for drug and alcohol.
Which Occupations Have to Take DOT Tests?
DOT vocations include:
- Truck and Bus Drivers
- Subway Operators
- Train Engineers
- Pilots and Airline Mechanics
- Ship Captains
- Pipeline Controllers
- Armed Security Personnel
- And more
When Is DOT Testing Required?
If you are an employer or employee for a DOT regulated agency, tests are required at numerous stages of the employment process, including:
- Pre-employment – before job responsibilities begin
- Post-accident – occurs after the employee has been in an accident
- Return-to-duty – after a drug or alcohol violation
- Follow-up test – continues for up to 5 years after Return-to-duty testing
- Random – occurs quarterly through a random selection of employees
What Should DOT Employers Know?
Employers within these fields are responsible for implementing random DOT drug and alcohol testing policies as well as testing those under reasonable suspicion or return-to-duty employees that meet all requirements of probation.
It is important for DOT employers to be familiar with the testing process in order to comply with DOT drug testing requirements.
DOT employers must test for five drugs and drug metabolites including:
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
The testing procedures must follow a strict a strict process of urine sample collection, reporting, and recordkeeping by laboratories qualified by the Health and Human Services under the National Laboratory Certification Program (NLCP).
Why Is DOT Testing Important?
DOT professionals have an enormous responsibility as any impairment could cause significant risk to the public. Accidents are going to happen, there are too many factors, including human error, to eliminate them entirely. The vehicles being driven by DOT agencies are often large and require a high level of skill to operate and drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol put the health of pedestrians and fellow motorists at enormous risk. Regardless of who was at fault, post-accident drug testing is required in order to rule out alcohol and drugs as the cause.
To learn more about DOT drug testing, contact Fastest Labs today!
