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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated costs have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing supply 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 excessive of 80,000, partly due to the growing old population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nevertheless, that gained’t impact another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws 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 might soon worsen the already struggling supply chain.

As extra states legalize leisure marijuana—4 of which did so in the past 12 months and three extra are expected to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business vehicle drivers have examined optimistic for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance 12 months over year.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal functions. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD whereas off obligation in a state the place these substances are authorized, they might still be confronted with a violation because of the Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal degree.

“While states might enable medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not recognize any reputable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business car drivers reads. “Even when a state allows using marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the use of another 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 supply chain disruptions.

Beneath laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—previous to beginning a brand new job. They can also be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration also upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the average variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there at the moment are new saliva assessments being proposed as well.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug check, that may be grounds for termination beneath DOT laws. At best, they are temporarily taken off the highway and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation process, which might typically take months.

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to listing industrial 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 business driver had any previous violations, which would forestall them from being employed.

In recent years, extra states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra widely available and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use remains 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 really useful 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 different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the applying of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A business driver might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, however 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 users—that means those that use the substance lower than two times every week—it may present up of their urine for as much as three days. Someone who makes use of marijuana a number of instances per week can take a look at optimistic for up to three weeks, and people who use marijuana much more often can “check constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, factory closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are just a few of the present points affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise inside the U.S., in accordance with a report from the White Home, but a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial car drivers must undergo once confronted with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. In line with the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 business drivers are currently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations proceed at the present fee, the truck driver scarcity will additional disrupt the supply chain, which suggests greater prices not just for commodities however the price of living at large.

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