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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have develop into the norm for American shoppers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain points, together with a scarcity of truck drivers to move 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 ageing inhabitants 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 business licenses. Nonetheless, that won’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines across the U.S. which can be contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing variety of truckers are being taken off the job, which could quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so previously 12 months and three extra are anticipated to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business 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% increase 12 months over yr.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. However even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off duty in a state the place those substances are authorized, they might nonetheless be faced with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage on the federal degree.

“Whereas states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy don't recognize any professional medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial car drivers reads. “Even if a state allows using marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as the use of some other illicit drug.”

Stacker looked at what’s inflicting 1000's of truckers to be faraway from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued provide chain disruptions.

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

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

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

In recent times, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra broadly obtainable and used. However, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In line with the FMCSA, “a driver could not use marijuana even when [it] is really useful by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s turn 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 might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is legal, however nonetheless test constructive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the road. The American Addiction Facilities says for infrequent marijuana customers—meaning those who use the substance lower than two instances every week—it will probably show up of their urine for up to three days. Someone who uses marijuana several instances per week can check positive for as much as three weeks, and those who use marijuana much more regularly can “check constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and goods waiting to be unloaded at ports are simply among the current points affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise inside the U.S., in keeping with a report from the White Home, however a rising number of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that business automobile drivers must endure once faced with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work at all. In line with the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 commercial drivers are presently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations proceed at the current price, the truck driver scarcity will additional disrupt the supply chain, which means increased costs not only for commodities however the cost of living at giant.

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