On Oct. 7, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published its final rule prohibiting state driver licensing agencies from issuing a CDL to any individual prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions because of one or more violations in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. The rule, effective Nov. 8, also requires that licensing agencies remove CDL privileges from the license of any individual prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions.
States must now adopt a comparable state prohibition on operating a commercial motor vehicle for drivers that violate FMCSA’s drug and alcohol program requirements. States must be compliant with the rule by Nov. 18, 2024.
However, ICSA expects many states will implement the federal requirement long before the 2024 date. More than half of the states have authority to adopt federal requirements “by reference” without having to go to their legislatures or through a state rule making process.
If you are a Platinum-level ICSA member who has not yet completed your required enrollment in our drug & alcohol consortium, please do so as soon as possible. Our consortium not only takes care of the mandatory notifications to the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse but also provides regulatory updates and information on managing your drug & alcohol testing requirements. It’s as simple as visiting the Texas Alcohol and Drug Testing website and filling out the enrollment forms. Learn more about ICSA’s drug & alcohol testing requirements.
No driver plans for a breakdown, but every driver should be ready for one. Mechanical issues, tire failures, or other unexpected problems can happen when you least expect it. Knowing how to safely bring your vehicle to a stop and protect yourself and others can help keep a minor inconvenience from becoming a serious incident.
For truckers, testing for marijuana continues. Just as with testing for cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, and opioids, testing for marijuana will continue to be conducted on a pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and return-to-duty basis.
As temperatures rise, so do the risks associated with tires, brakes, and overall vehicle condition. Summer heat doesn’t just stress drivers, it amplifies mechanical weaknesses, making maintenance and inspections more important than ever.