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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store cabinets, and inflated costs have change into the norm for American consumers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing provide chain points, including an absence of truck drivers to transport items from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver shortage had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly due to the getting old 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 business licenses. Nevertheless, that won’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. that are contributing to a rise 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 more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so up to now year and three extra are anticipated to by the tip of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business car drivers have tested constructive for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve year over 12 months.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit 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 legal, they may still be confronted with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal stage.

“While states might permit medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and coverage do not acknowledge any authentic medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state permits using marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the identical as using any other illicit drug.”

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

Under regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—together with marijuana—previous to beginning a new job. They can 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 charge from 25% of the common number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, however there are actually new saliva tests being proposed as effectively.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug test, that may be grounds for termination beneath DOT regulations. At finest, they're briefly taken off the road and required to complete an analysis with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation course of, which may sometimes take months.

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

In recent years, extra states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it more extensively available and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for industrial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver might 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 because it’s change into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing rules.”

A commercial driver might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, but still take a look at optimistic for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Centers says for rare marijuana customers—that means those who use the substance lower than two occasions every week—it might show up in their urine for up to three days. Somebody who uses marijuana several occasions per week can check constructive for up to three weeks, and those who use marijuana even more steadily can “test optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just among the current points affecting the supply chain throughout 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 industrial car drivers should bear as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work at all. In accordance with the FMCSA’s month-to-month 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 process. 

If violations proceed at the current fee, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which means greater costs not only for commodities but the price of dwelling at massive.

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