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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer shelves, and inflated costs have develop into the norm for American shoppers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain issues, including an absence of truck drivers to move 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 highway by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nevertheless, that gained’t affect one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. which can be contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which might quickly worsen the already struggling provide chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so prior to now 12 months and three more are expected to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial automobile drivers have examined constructive 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 travel cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal purposes. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off duty in a state where those substances are authorized, they may nonetheless be faced with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal degree.

“Whereas states could permit medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not recognize any reliable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial automobile drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the usage of any other illicit drug.”

Stacker looked at what’s causing 1000's of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino impact of the continued supply chain disruptions.

Below laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—previous to starting a brand new job. They can be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration additionally upped the random drug testing rate from 25% of the typical number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there at the moment are new saliva exams being proposed as effectively.

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

As of January 2020, employers are also required to checklist commercial drivers who fail a drug take a look at in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for five years. Potential employers are also required to examine the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which would forestall them from being employed.

In recent years, more states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it more extensively available and used. However, marijuana use is still prohibited for business truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. According to the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even if [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 different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A industrial driver could use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is legal, however nonetheless test positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the street. The American Addiction Facilities says for infrequent marijuana users—that means those that use the substance less than two occasions a week—it could possibly present up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who uses marijuana a number of occasions per week can test optimistic for as much as three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more often can “test positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are simply a number of the present issues affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., in response to a report from the White Home, however a growing variety of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial automobile drivers should bear as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work in any respect. In response to the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 industrial drivers are at present in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed on the present charge, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the availability chain, which means higher costs not only for commodities but the cost of residing at massive.

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