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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery store shelves, and inflated prices have grow to be the norm for American consumers over the previous two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing supply chain issues, together with a scarcity of truck drivers to move items from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the driver scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly because of 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 commercial licenses. Nonetheless, that received’t impact one other hurdle: disparate marijuana laws across the U.S. which are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could quickly worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As more states legalize leisure marijuana—four of which did so previously yr and three more are anticipated to by the end of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined positive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 business car drivers have examined positive 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 travel cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states allow it for medicinal purposes. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off obligation in a state the place these substances are authorized, they might nonetheless be faced with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance coverage at the federal level.

“Whereas states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy do not recognize any respectable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business automobile drivers reads. “Even when a state permits the use of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as using every other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s causing 1000's of truckers to be faraway from their jobs, and the looming domino effect of the continued supply chain disruptions.

Under rules set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—prior to beginning a new job. They can be tested at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Service Safety Administration also upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the common variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use by way of urinalysis, but there are now new saliva tests being proposed as nicely.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug take a look at, that may be grounds for termination below DOT rules. At greatest, they're temporarily taken off the street and required to finish an analysis with a substance misuse skilled who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can sometimes take months.

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to checklist commercial 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 commercial driver had any earlier violations, which would stop them from being hired.

In recent years, more states have legalized both leisure and medical marijuana, making it extra widely accessible and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use continues to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. In line with the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is recommended by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even because it’s grow to be legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and other jurisdictions also has not modified the applying of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A industrial driver might use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, however nonetheless check constructive for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the street. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana customers—which means those that use the substance less than two instances per week—it could possibly present up in their urine for up to three days. Someone who makes use of marijuana several times every week can test positive for up to three weeks, and those that use marijuana much more often can “test optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and goods ready to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the current issues affecting the availability chain throughout America. Trucking transports 72% of merchandise throughout the U.S., in line with a report from the White Home, however a growing variety of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that business automobile drivers should bear as soon as 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 business drivers are presently in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue at the current rate, the truck driver shortage will additional disrupt the provision chain, which implies increased prices not just for commodities however the price of living at massive.

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