The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates six primary agencies:
- 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)
People working under these agencies have a direct impact on the safety of the traveling public and surrounding individuals, which means they're fulfilling "safety-sensitive" roles. Thus, they're required to undergo random drug and alcohol testing in order to continue working.
Random, unannounced drug and alcohol testing is crucial in maintaining not just a safe work environment but also the safety of the general public. The percentage of safety-sensitive workers that need to be tested varies based on the agency and can change each year, depending on the percentage of positive drug test results.
Ensuring that selection is truly random is of utmost importance. For this reason, common methods like rolling dice or choosing names from a hat are unacceptable. Companies should utilize a third-party software to choose employees at random. Each individual should be pooled into a consortium and have an equal chance of being chosen for random testing every year.
Random testing should be done just before, during, or just after safety-sensitive functions are fulfilled. When chosen, employees are required to report for testing immediately at the collection site in order to get the more current, accurate results possible.
Staying compliant with your individual agency along with the Department of Transportation can be a daunting task. Enlist the help of a third-party consortium to help you manage the process. Contact US Drug Test Centers today for assistance with random testing, obtaining specimens, crafting your drug-free workplace policy, working with an MRO, and more.
Ashlee Arnold is one of the founders of US Drug Test Centers and is currently the Vice President. 
