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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated costs have turn into the norm for American customers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain points, including a scarcity of truck drivers to move items from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver scarcity had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly due to the getting old inhabitants and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get extra truck drivers on the road by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nonetheless, that received’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. which might be contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing number 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 in the past year and three more are anticipated to by the tip of 2022—more truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial vehicle drivers have tested constructive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% increase 12 months over year.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal functions. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off responsibility in a state where these substances are authorized, they may nonetheless be confronted with a violation because of the Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal stage.

“Whereas states might enable medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy don't recognize any respectable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business vehicle drivers reads. “Even when a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT rules deal with its use as the identical as using another illicit drug.”

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

Beneath regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—previous to starting a brand new job. They can also be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Safety Administration additionally upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the average variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there are actually new saliva checks being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug test, that can be grounds for termination beneath DOT rules. At best, they're temporarily taken off the road and required to finish 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 checklist business drivers who fail a drug take a look at within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are also required to check the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which would forestall them from being employed.

Lately, more states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it extra broadly accessible and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. Based on the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is beneficial 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 applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A industrial driver may use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, however nonetheless take a look at optimistic for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Addiction Facilities says for infrequent marijuana users—which means those that use the substance less than two times per week—it may possibly present up of their urine for up to three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana a number of instances every week can test positive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more continuously can “check positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are just some of the current points affecting the availability chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise inside the U.S., based on a report from the White Home, but a rising number of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that industrial car drivers must undergo as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can preserve them from returning to work in any respect. In keeping with the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 business drivers are currently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue at the present price, the truck driver scarcity will additional disrupt the availability chain, which implies higher costs not only for commodities however the cost of dwelling at giant.

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