Drug/Alcohol Testing Consortium 

CONSORTIUM FAQ

Why? 
The FMCSA regulations require any owner operator or a company with only one CDL driver to be enrolled in a testing consortium in order to comply with the
regulations for random drug and alcohol testing. The FMCSA also allows companies of any size, but typically employers with just a few CDL drivers, to take advantage of the consortium provision. This can simplify the company's record-keeping and minimize costs – and who couldn't use that in their business???

Where? 
Fastest Labs offers this service to employers that are regulated by the FMCSA & FAA. We also maintain separate consortiums for employers covered by PHSMA, FRA- MOW, USCG, FTA and many state-regulated programs. We offer a program that will fulfill all requirements of the regulations and is simple to administer – there's no need to be complicated!!!

When? 
Fastest Labs updates your roster and pulls a random selection list for drug and alcohol testing each quarter at varied and unannounced times during the quarter. Appropriate random testing rates will be met, currently for FMCSA-regulated employers we must test at 50% for drugs and 10% for alcohol.

How? 
Fastest Labs staff will contact each employer that is enrolled in the consortium each quarter and obtain any additions or deletions to the driver database. Once all updates are complete, the lists will be pulled, and every employer will be notified of any employees that were selected. If no employees are selected for an employer, that information will also be provided – just keep the paperwork for when the DOT comes calling!!

Fees? 
Fastest Labs has a very simple fee schedule- a one-time setup fee and one annual service fee. Any tests that are required as part of the consortium are billed at the time of service. If your drivers don't get picked, you don't pay any additional fees.

How do I get started? 
To enroll, simply provide us your company name, address, DER, and your USDOT Number. At the time of enrollment, proof of negative DOT drug
testing for each driver must be provided to our staff. For companies who were
previously enrolled in a Consortium, a Statement of Compliance and Roster Verification from Previous Consortium can be provided instead. You will be provided a letter of agreement to be signed and a certificate of enrollment listing each employee who is enrolled. That's it – compliance made simple!!

WHAT IS "THE CLEARINGHOUSE"?

On January 6, 2020, the FMCSA implemented the regulations found in the Final Rule, published December 5, 2016 providing that certain information regarding drug and alcohol test results and other violations of the FMCSA regulations found in 49CFR Part 382.

These regulations require the following entities to report information to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Testing Clearinghouse:

Employer C/TPA Designation- Employers may designate a C/TPA perform specific functions on their behalf. The functions available for selection are: Report Violations, Report RTD Information, and Conduct Queries. An owner-operator—an employer that employs himself or herself as a CDL driver, typically a single-driver operation—must designate the C/TPA in the Clearinghouse.

Required Queries
1. Pre-Employment Queries - Prior to using a CDL driver in a safety sensitive role for the first time, the employer must conduct a full query of the FMCSA Clearinghouse to learn if any information exists in the Clearinghouse about that driver. The driver may assume the safety sensitive function If no information exists orif a rule violation exists, but the driver has completed the SAP return to duty process and a negative return to duty drug test has been reported to the Clearinghouse. The driver may NOT assume safety sensitive functions if a rule violation exists and the driver has NOT completed every step of the SAP return to duty process
2. Annual Queries - Each employer must conduct a Clearinghouse limited query of each driver on an annual basis. If the limited query finds the Clearinghouse contains information about the driver, the employer must immediately conduct a full query to learn what information exists in the Clearinghouse.

Purchasing Queries - Employers must purchase their queries directly from the FMCSA for a fee of $1.25 each. Drivers may register in the Clearinghouse and check their record at any time at no charge. Running a query (querying) is a multi-step process and there will be an separate fee if the process is performed by a C/TPA.
 

DOT SUPERVISOR "REASONABLE SUSPICION" TRAINING

Supervisors who may make reasonable suspicion test determinations are DOT required to complete at least two hours of supervisor training: one hour on signs and symptoms associated with drug use and one hour on signs and symptom associated with alcohol misuse.

The training must include specific information on the physical, behavioral, and performance indicators of probable drug or alcohol use. Employers are required to maintain documentation of the Supervisor’s completion of the required training.

Fastest Labs offers online training courses to prepare supervisors to properly handle their responsibility for making and documenting reasonable suspicion determinations, as well as meeting state and federal regulatory requirements for supervisors.

Course Objectives:
  Responsibilities related to implementing drug testing policies
 Supervisory “Do’s and Don’ts” related to reasonable suspicion and drug testing   Signs of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and prohibited drug use in the workplace
  Specific compliance steps that align with federally mandated law

Individual Course Training
We provide you with a link and login information to access an online version of the course. When you have completed the course, you will be provided a certificate of completion to print or save for your records.

Training Requirements Vary by DOT Agency:
If you are unsure of the requirements for your agency, you can download the DOT Program Fact Sheet on the Department of Transportation Website at https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/dot-agencyuscg-drug-and- alcohol program-facts.