Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the road this year, including extra supply chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain issues, together with a scarcity of truck drivers to transport items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force shortage had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly as a result of getting old population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. However, that gained’t impact another hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. which might be contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which might quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—4 of which did so in the past yr and three more are expected to by the end of 2022—more truck drivers have tested optimistic for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business vehicle drivers have examined constructive for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance yr over 12 months.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal functions. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off duty in a state where these substances are legal, they may nonetheless be confronted with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal stage.

“Whereas states may allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy do not recognize any reliable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as using another illicit drug.”

Stacker looked at what’s inflicting 1000's of truckers to be faraway from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued provide chain disruptions.

Beneath laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—prior to beginning a new job. They can be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Security Administration additionally upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the typical variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use via urinalysis, but there are actually new saliva exams being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug take a look at, that may be grounds for termination below DOT rules. At greatest, they are quickly taken off the highway and required to finish an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which may typically take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to list business drivers who fail a drug check in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are additionally required to verify the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any earlier violations, which would stop them from being hired.

Lately, extra states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it extra extensively out there and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for industrial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. In line with the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is beneficial by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even because it’s develop into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions also has not modified the application of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A commercial driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, but still check constructive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Addiction Centers says for rare marijuana users—meaning those who use the substance lower than two instances per week—it could possibly present up of their urine for up to three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana several occasions per week can check constructive for as much as three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more frequently can “take a look at positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just among the present points affecting the provision chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise within the U.S., according to a report from the White House, however a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial automobile drivers should endure as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. In accordance with the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 industrial drivers are currently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue on the current rate, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the availability chain, which means increased prices not only for commodities but the price of residing at giant.

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