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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have become the norm for American customers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing provide chain issues, together with a lack of truck drivers to move goods from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly because of the growing older population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get extra truck drivers on the highway by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of economic licenses. Nevertheless, that won’t have an effect on one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. which can be contributing to an increase 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 more states legalize leisure marijuana—4 of which did so prior to now 12 months and three extra are anticipated to by the tip of 2022—more truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial automobile drivers have examined positive for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% increase 12 months over yr.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state rules as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD whereas off responsibility in a state where those substances are legal, they may still be confronted with a violation because of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal stage.

“While states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not recognize any respectable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state allows using marijuana, DOT rules treat its use as the same as the use of every other illicit drug.”

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

Under laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—prior to beginning a brand new job. They can be examined at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Security Administration additionally upped the random drug testing charge from 25% of the common number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there are now new saliva exams being proposed as nicely.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug check, that can be grounds for termination under DOT regulations. At finest, they're quickly taken off the road and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can generally take months.

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to list business drivers who fail a drug check within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for five years. Potential employers are also required to check the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which would prevent them from being employed.

Lately, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra broadly accessible and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions aside. In line with the FMCSA, “a driver could not use marijuana even when [it] is advisable by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s grow to be legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the application of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing rules.”

A business driver might use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, but still take a look at positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Addiction Centers says for rare marijuana customers—that means those that use the substance less than two occasions a week—it could actually present up in their urine for as much as three days. Somebody who uses marijuana several occasions per week can test optimistic for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more continuously can “test optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the current points affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise throughout the U.S., in accordance with a report from the White House, but a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that business vehicle drivers must endure as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work at all. According to the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 industrial drivers are currently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed on the present price, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the provision chain, which implies greater prices not only for commodities however the price of dwelling at giant.

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