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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer shelves, and inflated prices have change into the norm for American shoppers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting supply chain issues, including an absence of truck drivers to transport goods from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly due to the ageing population 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 economic licenses. Nevertheless, that gained’t affect one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout 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 might quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so prior to now yr and three extra are anticipated to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business vehicle drivers have examined optimistic for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve 12 months over year.

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

“While states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage do not recognize any legitimate medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state permits using marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the same as using another illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s causing thousands of truckers to be faraway from their jobs, and the looming domino impact of the continued provide chain disruptions.

Beneath laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—previous to beginning a brand new job. They can also be examined at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration also 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, however there are now new saliva checks being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug take a look at, that may be grounds for termination underneath DOT rules. At greatest, they are quickly taken off the road and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which might generally take months.

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

Lately, extra states have legalized each leisure and medical marijuana, making it more widely accessible and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for industrial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. In response to 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 as it’s change into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions additionally has not modified the applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A commercial driver may use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, 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 Habit Centers says for rare marijuana users—that means those who use the substance less than two instances every week—it might probably show up of their urine for up to three days. Someone who makes use of marijuana a number of occasions a week can check constructive for up to three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more continuously can “test positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the current points affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise within the U.S., in accordance with 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 business vehicle drivers should undergo as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. In accordance with the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 industrial drivers are currently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed on the present fee, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which means increased costs not just for commodities however the price of dwelling at massive.

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