Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the street this 12 months, adding extra supply chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer shelves, and inflated costs have turn out to be the norm for American shoppers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing provide chain points, including an absence of truck drivers to transport goods from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driving force scarcity had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly because of the aging inhabitants and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the road by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nevertheless, that received’t impact another hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. which can be contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could soon worsen the already suffering supply chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so previously year and three extra are anticipated to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial automobile drivers have examined optimistic for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve 12 months over year.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal functions. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off obligation in a state the place these substances are legal, they might still be confronted with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal degree.

“While states might enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy don't acknowledge any official medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT rules deal with its use as the identical as using every other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s causing thousands of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued provide chain disruptions.

Underneath rules set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—previous to beginning a brand new job. They can be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration additionally upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the common number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there are now new saliva exams being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug take a look at, that can be grounds for termination beneath DOT rules. At finest, they are temporarily taken off the highway and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which may typically take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to list commercial drivers who fail a drug take a look at 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 business driver had any earlier violations, which would prevent them from being hired.

In recent times, extra states have legalized each leisure and medical marijuana, making it more extensively out there and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions aside. Based on the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is really useful by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even because it’s turn into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing rules.”

A commercial driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, but still take a look at optimistic for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Centers says for rare marijuana users—meaning those that use the substance lower than two instances every week—it will possibly show up of their urine for as much as three days. Someone who uses marijuana a number of occasions a week can test positive for up to three weeks, and those that use marijuana much more incessantly can “take a look at positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and items waiting to be unloaded at ports are just among the present issues affecting the availability chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., in keeping with a report from the White Home, but a growing variety of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial vehicle drivers must endure once confronted with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work at all. According to the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 business drivers are at the moment in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations proceed at the present fee, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which means greater costs not only for commodities but the cost of living at massive.

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