DOT Services & Clearinghouse
We Are in Compliance With:
DOT Services
Valley Testing is a strict enforcer of DOT regulations and Clearinghouse requirements in all our testing. We help you ensure that all your employees are in compliance. Your employees’ safety and the business’s security are our top priorities!
Drug and alcohol testing is required for the following administrations:
- Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
And the following are the tests required:
- Pre-Employment
- Random
- Reasonable Suspicion
- Post-Accident
- Return-to-Duty
- Follow-up
Our secure drug and alcohol testing programs benefit truck drivers, bus companies, for-hire carriers, and more.
In recent years, there have been many changes in policies for drug and alcohol testing. The PHMSA has now required that 25% to 50% of employees be chosen for random testing. Prescription Opioids are now included in a new DOT drug panel in addition to the illegal ones — a response to our nation’s growing opioid epidemic, which has permeated the workplace, costing employers nationwide.
At Valley Testing, our drug, and alcohol technicians are up-to-date with the constant changes in the regulations and relay the information to our clients. Our purpose is to serve and educate you on DOT and Clearinghouse requirements and maintain a drug-free work environment for all your employees!
The ClearingHouse
Valley Testing is now in compliance with the DOT (FMCSA) Clearinghouse regulations. The Clearinghouse, a newly modified web-based system, aims to ensure a driver's capability to operate on public roads and establish safety in work environments. In compliance with Part 382.413 of the current DOT regulations, employers were required to conduct a background check of a driver’s previous employer(s) records manually.
An employer can now come in contact with previous employers regarding an employee’s past drug and alcohol test violations. Any violation will be updated in The Clearinghouse database for any employer to see and will remain registered for up to five years. Not only does this law support efficiency in the hiring process between employers, but it also encourages secure workplace conditions.
For More Information
Check out the DOT privacy impact assessment for the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
Employer Information
If you are an employer who hires drivers who possess a CDL (commercial driver’s license) or CLP (commercial driver’s permit), then you are required to subscribe to a drug and alcohol testing program that complies with DOT and FMCSA requirements.
The requirements include the following:
- Registering your company with the Clearinghouse
- Finding a consortia/third-party administrator (C/TPAs) to monitor drug testing
- Pre-employment screening to provide background on new employees
- An annual screening for current drivers at least once a year
Part 382 – Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing
Subpart F – Alcohol Misuse and Controlled Substances Use Information, Training, and Referral
§382.601: Employer obligation to promulgate a policy on the misuse of alcohol and use of controlled substances.
(12) The requirement that the following personal information collected and maintained under this part shall be reported to the Clearinghouse:
(i) A verified positive, adulterated, or substituted drug test result;
(ii) An alcohol confirmation test with a concentration of 0.04 or higher;
(iii) A refusal to submit to any test required by subpart C of this part;
(iv) An employer's report of actual knowledge, as defined at §382.107:
(A) On-duty alcohol use pursuant to §382.205;
(B) Pre-duty alcohol use pursuant to §382.207;
(C) Alcohol use following an accident pursuant to §382.209; and
(D) Controlled substance use pursuant to §382.213;
(v) A substance abuse professional (SAP as defined in §40.3 of this title) report of the successful completion of the return-to-duty process;
(vi) A negative return-to-duty test; and
(vii) An employer's report of completion of follow-up testing.
(c) Optional provision. The materials supplied to drivers may also include information on additional employer policies with respect to the use of alcohol or controlled substances, including any consequences for a driver found to have a specified alcohol or controlled substances level, that is based on the employer's authority independent of this part. Any such additional policies or consequences must be clearly and obviously described as being based on independent authority
(d) Certificate of receipt. Each employer shall ensure that each driver is required to sign a statement certifying that he or she has received a copy of these materials described in this section. Each employer shall maintain the signed certificate and may provide a copy of the certificate to the driver.
Driver Information
Any driver who possesses a CDL or CLP is conformed to meet with DOT regulations, FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Testing Program, and Clearinghouse requirements. If a driver declines a drug and alcohol test, they are not approved to use safety-sensitive equipment, such as operating a CMV. This refusal can lead to restrictions in employment.
When being hired by a new employer, a driver must give full consent to run a background check using Clearinghouse. Make sure to have your CDL numbers prepared when obliging to a test. Drivers should also:
- Register to the Clearinghouse data bank
- Revise their record for accurate employment history and information
- Allow consent for employers to conduct a full query