Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the highway this 12 months, adding extra provide chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer cabinets, and inflated costs have become the norm for American shoppers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges inflicting provide chain points, together with a scarcity of truck drivers to move 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 due to the growing older inhabitants 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 commercial licenses. Nonetheless, that won’t have an effect on one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines 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 soon worsen the already suffering supply chain.

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

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal functions. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD while off duty in a state the place these substances are authorized, they may still be confronted with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy on the federal level.

“While states could allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy do not acknowledge any legit medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the same as the usage of any other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s causing 1000's of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued provide chain disruptions.

Underneath rules set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—prior to starting a new job. They can be examined at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also upped the random drug testing charge from 25% of the typical variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there are now new saliva tests being proposed as effectively.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug check, that may be grounds for termination below DOT rules. At best, they're temporarily taken off the street and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which can generally 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 remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are additionally required to verify the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any earlier violations, which might prevent them from being hired.

Lately, extra states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra broadly obtainable and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for industrial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In accordance with the FMCSA, “a driver could 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 as it’s become legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions also 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 the place 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 Dependancy Facilities says for rare marijuana customers—which means those who use the substance less than two instances a week—it may possibly show up of their urine for as much as three days. Someone who uses marijuana several instances a week can take a look at constructive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana much more ceaselessly can “check optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are simply some of the present issues affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise inside the U.S., in keeping with a report from the White House, however a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that business car drivers should bear as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work at all. According to the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 commercial drivers are at the moment in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them have not begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue at the current price, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which implies larger prices not only for commodities however the price of residing at large.

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