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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer shelves, and inflated prices have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing provide chain issues, together with an absence of truck drivers to move items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver shortage had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly because of the getting old 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 economic licenses. Nevertheless, that won’t have an effect on one other hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. which might be contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a growing number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could quickly worsen the already suffering supply chain.

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

Truck drivers who journey 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 while off duty in a state the place those substances are legal, they may nonetheless be confronted with a violation because of the Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal degree.

“While states could allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not acknowledge any reliable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial vehicle drivers reads. “Even when a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the same as the usage of any 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.

Under regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—previous to starting a new job. They will also be examined at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also upped the random drug testing rate from 25% of the typical variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, however there are now new saliva tests being proposed as effectively.

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

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

In recent years, extra states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it more widely obtainable and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In line with the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even if [it] is beneficial by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even because it’s become legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions also has not modified the applying of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A industrial driver may use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is legal, but still check positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the road. The American Dependancy Facilities says for infrequent marijuana customers—which means those that use the substance lower than two occasions per week—it could actually show up in their urine for as much as three days. Someone who uses marijuana a number of occasions per week can take a look at constructive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more incessantly can “take a look at positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are simply a few of the present issues affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products inside the U.S., in response to a report from the White Home, however a growing variety of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial automobile drivers must bear once faced with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work at all. Based on the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 business drivers are at present in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations continue on the present charge, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the provision chain, which means increased costs not only for commodities however the price of residing at massive.

Copyright 2022 Stacker by way of Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.