DOT Compliance Programs

Drug Testing Network provides management of DOT Compliance Programs to ensure that our clients meet all the requirements set forth by the DOT.

The six agencies under the DOT umbrella (FMCSA, FAA, FTA, RSPA, USCG, FRA) all have different compliance requirements therefore, our staff of trained professionals maintains current with the changes in the regulations as they pertain to each particular agency.

Request Information Packet

Department of Transportation Testing Programs

Types of Tests:

Pre-Employment Drug Testing:

The increased danger of working in an environment where drug use may be present has led to a growing acceptance of pre-employment drug testing.  In general, courts have approved testing at the application stage (even with collective bargaining agreements in place) because testing is consensual.  Employers have a legitimate interest in not hiring individuals whose drug abuse may render them unable to perform satisfactorily on the job and the testing is directly related to the ability to perform the job. 

DOT regulations state that; prior to the first time an individual performs safety-sensitive functions for an employer, the individual shall undergo testing for controlled substances as a condition prior to being used. No employer shall allow an individual, who the employer intends to hire or use, to perform safety-sensitive functions unless the employer has received a controlled substances test result from the MRO or C/TPA indicating a verified negative test result for that individual.

Pre-Employment Alcohol Testing: None Required.

Back to "Types of Tests"

Random Drug & Alcohol Testing:

DOT employers are responsible for conducting random, unannounced, drug & alcohol tests. The total number of random tests conducted each year varies between agencies. The goal of random testing is to

Below are the current annual testing rates for each agency under the DOT.

Back to "Types of Tests"

Post-Accident Drug & Alcohol Testing

As soon as practicable following an occurrence involving an accident, each employer shall test for drug & alcohol for each of its surviving employees who were performing safety-sensitive functions. The criteria for post accident testing varies within each agency regulated by the DOT and employers should refer to their particular regulatory agency for guidance.

Back to "Types of Tests"

Reasonable Suspicion Drug Testing

An employer shall require an employee to submit to a controlled substances test when the employer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the employee has violated the prohibitions concerning controlled substances. The employer's determination that reasonable suspicion exists to require the driver to undergo a controlled substances test must be based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech or body odors of the driver. The observations may include indications of the chronic and withdrawal effects of controlled substances.

Back to "Types of Tests"

Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol Testing

An employer shall require an employee to submit to an alcohol test when the employer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the employee has violated the prohibitions concerning alcohol. The employer's determination that reasonable suspicion exists to require the driver to undergo an alcohol test must be based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech or body odors of the driver.

Important Notice: The required observations for drug and/or alcohol reasonable suspicion testing shall be made by a supervisor or company official who is trained in accordance with DOT regulations. Supervisor training is a DOT mandatory requirement.

Back to "Types of Tests"