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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer cabinets, and inflated costs have change into the norm for American shoppers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges inflicting supply chain issues, together with a lack of truck drivers to transport goods from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force shortage had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly as a result of growing older population 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 business licenses. Nonetheless, that received’t have an effect on one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. which might be contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a rising variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which could quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

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

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations 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 whereas off responsibility in a state the place these substances are legal, they may still be faced with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy on the federal level.

“Whereas states could allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy do not acknowledge any professional medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for commercial vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state permits using marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the use of every other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s inflicting thousands of truckers to be faraway 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—previous to beginning a new job. They will also be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration also upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the typical number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use via urinalysis, however there are actually new saliva assessments being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug take a look at, that can be grounds for termination underneath DOT regulations. At best, they're temporarily taken off the road and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation process, which can typically take months.

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

Lately, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra extensively available and used. However, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In accordance with the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is advisable 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 additionally has not modified the applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing rules.”

A industrial driver might use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is legal, however still take a look at optimistic for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Centers says for rare marijuana customers—that means those that use the substance less than two instances per week—it could present up of their urine for up to three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana a number of times every week can check constructive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more ceaselessly can “take a look at constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are simply a few of the present issues affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products throughout the U.S., based on a report from the White House, however a growing variety of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial vehicle drivers should endure as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can preserve them from returning to work in any respect. In keeping with the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 industrial drivers are presently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD course of. 

If violations proceed on the current price, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the availability chain, which implies increased prices not just for commodities however the cost of residing at massive.

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