FMCSA Drug Screen Test for Truckers

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has six major trucking companies seeking approval for hair analysis in replacement of urine testing for pre-employment drug screening. This change for the FMCSA drug screen test for truckers would provide more reliable results, as hair analysis may better detect controlled substance use.

Carriers that are requesting the change in the FMCSA drug screen test for truckers include, “J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., Schneider National Carriers Inc., Werner Enterprises Inc., Knight Transportation Inc., Dupre Logistics Inc and Maverick Transportation.”

What Would Changes in FMCSA Drug Screen Test for Truckers Mean?

While urinalysis detects drug use, it only points to drug use in a few days prior to testing. A change in the drug test regulations would provide more information on drug use in truck drivers. Hair testing has been found to be “a viable alternative to urine testing and was more accurate in determining the habitual drug use of pre-employment applicants.”

Urine and hair testing have been tested side-by-side in many cases and “the positive rate for applicants with hair testing is nearly four times greater than those tested with urinalysis.” Drivers who have been turned down for a positive hair test may very well be working for a company who does not use hair testing for pre-employment drug testing. Implementing the changes in the FMCSA drug screen test for truckers would mean discontinuing urine testing and would provide more consistency across pre-employment drug testing results.

While some trucking companies are supportive of this change, scientists explain that there can be unreliable results. President and founder of the National WorkRights Institute says, “The problem is that hair testing can’t distinguish between the drug metabolizing inside the hair versus outside contamination in the air that gets into a driver’s hair.”

Whether or not the proposed changes get approved by the FMCSA, pre-employment or random drug screening helps with the ever-growing issue of truckers driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

source: Carriers Seek FMCSA Approval to Use Hair Drug Screen Test for Truckers

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