Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the road this 12 months, adding more supply chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer cabinets, and inflated prices have turn out to be the norm for American customers over the previous two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing supply chain points, including a lack of truck drivers to transport 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 as a result of getting older population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. However, that received’t affect one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. that are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a rising variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which may quickly worsen the already struggling supply chain.

As more states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so in the past 12 months and three more are expected to by the top of 2022—more truck drivers have examined constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial automobile drivers have examined positive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance yr over 12 months.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal functions. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off obligation in a state where these substances are legal, they may still be faced with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal stage.

“While states may allow medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage don't recognize any legit medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial automobile drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the identical as the usage of every other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s causing 1000's of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued provide chain disruptions.

Underneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—together with marijuana—prior to starting a brand new job. They will also be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Safety Administration additionally upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the average variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use through urinalysis, however there at the moment are new saliva tests being proposed as nicely.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug check, that may be grounds for termination under DOT rules. At best, they are quickly taken off the highway and required to complete an analysis with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which can sometimes take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to record business drivers who fail a drug check in 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 business driver had any previous violations, which might stop them from being hired.

In recent years, extra states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra widely accessible and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for industrial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. Based on the FMCSA, “a driver might 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 because it’s develop 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 business driver could use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, but nonetheless check constructive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the street. The American Habit Centers says for infrequent marijuana users—that means those who use the substance less than two occasions every week—it can show up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who uses marijuana several occasions per week can check positive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana much more often can “check constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are just a few of the current points affecting the supply chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of products inside the U.S., in response to a report from the White House, however a growing variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that commercial car drivers must undergo once confronted with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work in any respect. In accordance with the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 industrial drivers are currently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed at the current charge, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the supply chain, which implies increased costs not only for commodities however the price of living at giant.

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