The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has formally issued a proposal that would establish a national database of truck drivers who have failed or refused to take drug and alcohol tests.
The proposed rule for a drug and alcohol clearinghouse, announced earlier this month but published in the Federal Register on Feb. 20, would require motor carriers and other medical personnel to “report verified positive, adulterated and substituted drug test results, positive alcohol test results, test refusals, negative return-to-duty test results and information on follow-up testing.”
The rule also would require employers to search the clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol test results, and refusals to test, on an annual basis for current employees and as a part of the pre-employment process for prospective employees.
Currently, employers must rely on information provided by the driver, “who might not disclose prior positive drug or alcohol test results, or refusals to test,” the proposed rule said.
The Feb. 20 publication in the Federal Register kicks off a 60-day period during which the public can submit comments by multiple means, including a federal website.
