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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer cabinets, and inflated prices have develop into the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing provide chain points, including a lack of truck drivers to move 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 because of the getting older population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the highway by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nonetheless, that won’t impact one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. which are contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a rising variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which could soon worsen the already struggling supply chain.

As more states legalize recreational marijuana—4 of which did so prior to now 12 months and three more are anticipated to by the top of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial car drivers have examined constructive for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve 12 months over yr.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off obligation in a state the place these substances are authorized, they could nonetheless be faced with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy on the federal stage.

“Whereas states could enable medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy do not recognize any reputable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial car drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as using some 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.

Underneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—together with marijuana—prior to beginning a new job. They can be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Safety Administration also upped the random drug testing charge from 25% of the average number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use via urinalysis, but there are now new saliva checks being proposed as nicely.

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

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to list commercial 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 examine the Clearinghouse to see if a business driver had any earlier violations, which would stop them from being hired.

In recent years, more states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it more extensively accessible and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even if [it] is really helpful 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 rules.”

A business driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, but still check positive for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana users—meaning those that use the substance lower than two times every week—it could actually present up of their urine for as much as three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana several times every week can take a look at positive for as much as three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more ceaselessly can “test constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the current issues affecting the supply chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise inside the U.S., based on a report from the White Home, however a growing number of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

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

If violations proceed at the current rate, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the supply chain, which means greater prices not just for commodities but the price of dwelling at large.

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