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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer shelves, and inflated prices have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain issues, together with a lack of truck drivers to transport items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force shortage had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly due to the growing old inhabitants and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the road by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. However, that gained’t impact 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 suffering supply chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so in the past 12 months and three extra are expected to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial vehicle drivers have tested constructive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance year 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 if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off responsibility in a state the place these substances are authorized, they may nonetheless be faced with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal stage.

“Whereas states might allow medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage do not acknowledge any legit medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial car drivers reads. “Even if a state permits using marijuana, DOT rules treat its use as the same as the use of every 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 examined for drug use—together with marijuana—prior to starting a new job. They can 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 charge from 25% of the typical number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there are now new saliva tests being proposed as well.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug check, that can be grounds for termination beneath DOT laws. At best, they're briefly taken off the road and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which might typically take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to checklist industrial drivers who fail a drug take a look at within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are also required to verify the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any earlier violations, which might stop them from being hired.

Lately, extra states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it extra broadly available and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even when [it] is beneficial by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s turn out to be legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions also has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A business driver may use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, however nonetheless take a look at positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the road. The American Addiction Centers says for rare marijuana users—that means those that use the substance lower than two occasions a week—it may present up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who makes use of marijuana several times every week can test positive for as much as three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more continuously can “check optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items waiting to be unloaded at ports are simply among the present points affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., in line with a report from the White Home, however a growing number of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial car drivers should endure as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work in any respect. Based on the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 business drivers are currently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue on the current fee, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which implies greater prices not only for commodities however the price of dwelling at giant.

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