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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store cabinets, and inflated prices have change into the norm for American consumers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges inflicting provide chain points, including a scarcity of truck drivers to move items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driving force shortage had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly due to the growing older inhabitants 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. Nonetheless, that won’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. that are contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a growing variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which might soon worsen the already suffering supply chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so up to now yr and three more are anticipated to by the end 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% increase year over 12 months.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal functions. However even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD while off duty in a state where these substances are legal, they may still be faced with a violation because of the Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal degree.

“Whereas states could allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not recognize any respectable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state permits the use of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the identical as using any other illicit drug.”

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

Underneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—prior to starting 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 rate from 25% of the average number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there at the moment are new saliva assessments being proposed as effectively.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug check, that can be grounds for termination under DOT laws. At finest, they're briefly taken off the highway and required to finish an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can typically take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to record industrial drivers who fail a drug test in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are additionally required to check the Clearinghouse to see if a industrial driver had any earlier violations, which might forestall them from being employed.

In recent years, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it more extensively accessible and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even when [it] is really useful 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 applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing rules.”

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

Shortages, factory closures, and items waiting to be unloaded at ports are simply a few of the current issues affecting the availability chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., according to a report from the White House, but a growing variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

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

If violations proceed on the present rate, the truck driver scarcity will additional disrupt the provision chain, which suggests larger costs not only for commodities however the price of dwelling at massive.

Copyright 2022 Stacker through Grey Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.