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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer cabinets, and inflated costs have become the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing supply chain issues, including an absence of truck drivers to move goods from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driving force scarcity had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly as a result of aging 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. However, that received’t affect another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws 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 might soon worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so in the past year and three extra are anticipated to by the tip of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial automobile 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 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 purposes. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD while off responsibility in a state the place these substances are authorized, they could nonetheless be confronted with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.

“While states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage do not acknowledge any legit medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial car drivers reads. “Even when a state permits the use of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as using another illicit drug.”

Stacker looked at what’s causing 1000's of truckers to be faraway from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued supply chain disruptions.

Underneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—together with marijuana—previous to starting a brand new job. They can also be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Safety Administration additionally upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the common variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there at the moment are new saliva exams being proposed as well.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug take a look at, that may be grounds for termination below DOT regulations. At finest, they're briefly taken off the highway and required to finish an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which can generally take months.

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to listing commercial drivers who fail a drug test in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are also required to test the Clearinghouse to see if a business driver had any previous violations, which might stop them from being hired.

In recent years, extra states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it more broadly available and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. In accordance with the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even when [it] is really helpful by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even because it’s change into 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 commercial driver might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is legal, but nonetheless take a look at constructive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Dependancy Centers says for rare marijuana customers—that means those who use the substance less than two occasions per week—it will possibly present up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who makes use of marijuana several times per week can test constructive for up to three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more frequently can “test positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just among the present points affecting the provision chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., based on a report from the White House, but a growing number of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that business car drivers should endure once 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 industrial drivers are currently 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 rate, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the availability chain, which implies greater prices not only for commodities however the cost of dwelling at giant.

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