by John Gallagher, FreightWaves Washington Correspondent
Trucking companies can now register for the drug and alcohol clearinghouse being administered and operated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency announced on October 1.
Registration will be required in order for authorized users to access the clearinghouse once it is fully implemented on January 6, 2020. Those users include:
-
Drivers who hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit
-
Employers of CDL drivers, including those who employ themselves as owner-operators
-
Consortia/Third-Party Administrators
-
Medical Review Officers
-
Substance Abuse Professionals
FMCSA emphasized that while commercial drivers aren’t required to immediately register, they must be registered to respond to an employer’s request for consent prior to a pre-employment or other query being conducted.
“As this Congressional mandate is enacted, FMCSA’s goal is to ensure drivers, employers and everyone who will be using the clearinghouse are registered as efficiently and effectively as possible,” said FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez, adding, “we strongly encourage all [commercial motor vehicle] stakeholders to get registered in the clearinghouse now.”
Registration is free. An FMCSA source told FreightWaves that there will be a subsequent announcement when clearinghouse query plans are open for purchase.
An alert issued by the law firm Scopelitis urged carriers to not only begin registering given the impending January 6 deadline, but they should also:
-
Ensure that their federally mandated drug and alcohol testing policies contain all necessary details about the clearinghouse.
-
Develop procedures for running initial queries for prospective drivers and annual queries for existing drivers.
-
Communicate with drivers to ensure they will be properly registered through the clearinghouse if required.
Although new guidance on mask wearing returns the industry to some semblance of normalcy after over a year of lockdowns and restrictions, employers should remain cautious in revising policies.
While Texans are accustomed to living life free of excessive state-level taxes, they were in for a shock when their own U.S. Senator, Republican John Cornyn, used his national platform to advocate for the establishment of a truck-only vehicle miles traveled tax.
As we discuss ways to improve the sales relationship between carrier and shipper, the term “commodity” always comes up. Most carriers feel being a commodity diminishes the services they provide. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Three-part workshop series to focus on effective leadership communication strategies to motivate and retain your essential workers.
The nation’s top trucking research group plans to update previous studies on the effects of legalized marijuana and other drugs on truck safety along with integrating 18- to 20-year-old drivers into the industry.
Throughout the entire 90-year history of trucking in the United States, excessive detention has been a scourge on the industry. An upcoming 90-minute immersive workshop will share tools and strategies to combat this issue and keep the wheels moving and profitable.
While a request for Supreme Court review of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to overturn an injunction banning enforcement of California’s AB5 will almost certainly follow, at this time, motor carriers who operate in California must be prepared to act in accordance with AB5.
The word “safety” is everywhere in the trucking industry. It is talked about nearly every day in the press, Congress has zeroed in on it, and most carriers will say that it is their top priority. With all this attention, it’s easy to believe that safety has become cliché. But it’s not.
A day after Colonial Pipeline said there was light at the end of the tunnel for the line’s closure due to a cyberattack, the impact of the shutdown on the ground is being felt.
Truck drivers and fleets have two months to prepare for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Operation Safe Driver Week, which is set for July 11-17. Here is what inspectors will be looking for.
