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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer shelves, and inflated prices have develop into the norm for American customers over the previous two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges inflicting supply chain issues, together with 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 shortage had risen to an all-time high 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 highway by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of economic licenses. Nevertheless, that won’t impact one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. which might be contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which might quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As extra states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so up to now yr and three more are expected to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial automobile drivers have examined positive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve yr over 12 months.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state rules as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal functions. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off responsibility in a state where these substances are legal, they may nonetheless be confronted with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal stage.

“Whereas states might permit medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy don't recognize any professional medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business car drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the use of some other illicit drug.”

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

Underneath laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—previous to starting a brand new job. They may also be examined at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Service Safety 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 by way of urinalysis, however there at the moment are new saliva tests being proposed as well.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug check, that can be grounds for termination below DOT regulations. At greatest, they're quickly taken off the highway and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation process, which can sometimes take months.

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

Lately, more states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra widely obtainable and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even if [it] is recommended 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 different jurisdictions also has not modified the appliance of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A industrial driver may use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, however nonetheless check positive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the street. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana users—that means those who use the substance less than two instances per week—it could possibly present up of their urine for up to three days. Someone who uses marijuana several occasions per week can take a look at positive 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 goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just some of the current issues affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., in keeping with a report from the White Home, however a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial car drivers should endure as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. In keeping with the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 industrial drivers are presently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue at the present fee, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the availability chain, which implies larger costs not just for commodities however the price of dwelling at large.

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