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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer shelves, and inflated costs have change into the norm for American shoppers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing provide chain issues, including a lack of truck drivers to move goods from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driving 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 extra truck drivers on the highway by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nonetheless, that received’t impact one other hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. which are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which may soon worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so in the past yr and three extra are expected to by the top of 2022—more truck drivers have tested positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial car drivers have examined optimistic for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance yr over yr.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state rules as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal purposes. But even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD while off obligation in a state the place these substances are authorized, they could still be faced with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal stage.

“While states could permit medical use of marijuana, federal laws and policy don't recognize any official medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial car drivers reads. “Even when a state allows using marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the same as the usage of some other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s inflicting 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 be examined at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration also upped the random drug testing fee from 25% of the common number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there are actually new saliva exams being proposed as nicely.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug check, that can be grounds for termination under DOT regulations. At finest, they are temporarily taken off the road and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can generally take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to checklist commercial drivers who fail a drug check in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for five years. Potential employers are additionally required to verify 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 widely out there and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. According to the FMCSA, “a driver could not use marijuana even if [it] is advisable by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s develop into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A business driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, but still check positive for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the road. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana customers—meaning those that use the substance less than two times every week—it may possibly show up in their urine for as much as three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana several times per week can take a look at constructive for as much as three weeks, and those that use marijuana even more steadily can “test positive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are simply some of the present points affecting the supply chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise throughout the U.S., based on a report from the White House, but a growing number of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that business car drivers must bear as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can maintain them from returning to work in any respect. In line with the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 business drivers are at the moment 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 charge, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the supply chain, which means increased costs not only for commodities but the cost of residing at massive.

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