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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have turn out to be the norm for American consumers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing supply chain points, together with a lack of truck drivers to move items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly as a result of ageing 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 commercial licenses. Nonetheless, that gained’t impact one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. which are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could soon worsen the already struggling provide chain.

As extra states legalize leisure marijuana—4 of which did so up to now 12 months and three more are expected to by the tip of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business car drivers have tested positive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance 12 months over yr.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state rules as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off duty in a state where these substances are authorized, they could still be confronted with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal stage.

“Whereas states may permit medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage don't recognize any legitimate medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state allows using marijuana, DOT rules treat its use as the same as using some other illicit drug.”

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

Underneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—prior to beginning a new job. They will also be examined at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Security Administration also upped the random drug testing charge from 25% of the typical variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use via urinalysis, however there at the moment are new saliva exams being proposed as effectively.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug test, that may be grounds for termination underneath DOT rules. At greatest, they are temporarily taken off the street and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which might sometimes take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to listing commercial drivers who fail a drug take a look at within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations stay searchable for five years. Potential employers are additionally required to examine the Clearinghouse to see if a industrial driver had any earlier violations, which might forestall them from being employed.

In recent times, extra states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it extra extensively available and used. However, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver could not use marijuana even when [it] is really helpful by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s turn into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A business driver might use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, but still test positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana customers—which means those that use the substance lower than two instances a week—it can present up of their urine for up to three days. Somebody who uses marijuana several times a week can take a look at positive for up to three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more continuously can “check positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are just some of the current issues affecting the provision chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise within the U.S., in accordance with a report from the White House, but a growing number of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that industrial car drivers should endure as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work in any respect. Based on the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 commercial drivers are at the moment in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations continue at the present rate, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the supply chain, which means larger costs not only for commodities but the price of residing at giant.

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