Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the street this 12 months, including extra supply chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery retailer shelves, and inflated costs have turn into the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing provide chain points, including a lack of truck drivers to move goods from one place to another. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driving force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly due to the growing old inhabitants 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 won’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 quickly worsen the already struggling provide chain.

As extra states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so prior to now 12 months and three extra are expected to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial vehicle drivers have examined positive for marijuana use. By the identical 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 permit it for medicinal functions. But even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off obligation in a state the place these substances are legal, they may still be confronted with a violation because of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy on the federal stage.

“While states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy do not acknowledge any professional medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business vehicle drivers reads. “Even when a state permits using marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the same as the usage of some other illicit drug.”

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

Below regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—prior to starting a brand new job. They can also be tested 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 average variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use via urinalysis, however there at the moment are new saliva exams being proposed as effectively.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug take a look at, that can be grounds for termination under DOT regulations. At finest, they are temporarily taken off the highway and required to complete an evaluation with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which may sometimes take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to record industrial drivers who fail a drug take a look at within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations stay searchable for five years. Potential employers are additionally required to verify the Clearinghouse to see if a industrial driver had any earlier violations, which might stop them from being employed.

In recent times, more states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra widely accessible and used. However, marijuana use is still prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions aside. In accordance with the FMCSA, “a driver might 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 because it’s develop into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing rules.”

A commercial driver could use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is legal, but still test constructive for the substance for as much as a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Facilities says for infrequent marijuana customers—meaning those who use the substance lower than two instances every week—it will possibly present up in their urine for as much as three days. Somebody who uses marijuana several times every week can check constructive for up to three weeks, and people who use marijuana even more incessantly can “check constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the current issues affecting the provision chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise within the U.S., according to a report from the White Home, however a rising number of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial automobile drivers must undergo as soon as faced with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. In keeping with the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 industrial drivers are presently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed at the present fee, the truck driver scarcity will additional disrupt the availability chain, which implies higher costs not only for commodities but the cost of living at giant.

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