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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery store shelves, and inflated costs have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting supply chain issues, together with an absence of truck drivers to transport items from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly due to the growing old population 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 economic licenses. Nonetheless, that won’t affect another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. which might be contributing to an increase in violations. In 2022, a growing variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which may soon worsen the already suffering supply chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so previously year and three more are anticipated to by the tip of 2022—more truck drivers have examined optimistic for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial vehicle drivers have examined constructive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% improve year over 12 months.

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 products like CBD whereas off duty in a state the place these substances are legal, they could still be faced with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal stage.

“Whereas states may allow medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage don't acknowledge any official medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial automobile drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use as the same as using every other illicit drug.”

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

Under rules set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—prior to beginning a brand new job. They can also be examined at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration additionally upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the average number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there are now new saliva tests being proposed as well.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug test, that can be grounds for termination under DOT laws. At greatest, they're temporarily taken off the highway 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 also required to checklist business drivers who fail a drug take a look at in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are also required to test the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which might prevent them from being employed.

Lately, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it more broadly out there and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. According to the FMCSA, “a driver might not use marijuana even if [it] is really helpful by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s grow to be legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions also has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A commercial 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 as much as a month later and be taken off the road. The American Dependancy Centers says for infrequent marijuana users—that means those that use the substance less than two times every week—it may well show up in their urine for up to three days. Somebody who uses marijuana a number of times every week can check optimistic for up to three weeks, and those who use marijuana even more continuously can “take a look at constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are simply a few of the current points affecting the supply chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of products inside the U.S., based on a report from the White Home, but a rising number of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial vehicle drivers must endure once faced with a marijuana violation can hold 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 course of. 

If violations proceed on the present rate, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the supply chain, which means higher costs not only for commodities but the cost of living at giant.

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