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

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, naked grocery retailer shelves, and inflated costs have become the norm for American consumers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are different challenges causing supply chain points, including 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 shortage had risen to an all-time high of 80,000, partly due to the getting older population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get extra truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of economic licenses. Nevertheless, that received’t impact another hurdle: disparate marijuana laws throughout the U.S. which can be contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which may quickly worsen the already suffering supply chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—four of which did so prior to now 12 months and three more are expected to by the tip of 2022—more truck drivers have examined constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial vehicle drivers have examined positive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% increase year over 12 months.

Truck drivers who travel cross-country face inconsistent state rules as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. But even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD while off duty in a state where those substances are authorized, they could still be confronted with a violation as a result of Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.

“Whereas states may allow medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy do not recognize any authentic medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial car drivers reads. “Even if a state permits using marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the usage of every other illicit drug.”

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

Below regulations set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—together with marijuana—previous to beginning a new job. They will also be examined at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Safety Administration additionally upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the average variety of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use via urinalysis, but there are now new saliva checks being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug take a look at, that may be grounds for termination beneath DOT regulations. At finest, they are temporarily taken off the road and required to finish an evaluation with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can generally take months.

As of January 2020, employers are additionally required to record commercial drivers who fail a drug test within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are additionally required to verify the Clearinghouse to see if a business driver had any previous violations, which would forestall them from being hired.

Lately, extra states have legalized each recreational and medical marijuana, making it more extensively available and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions aside. In keeping with the FMCSA, “a driver could 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 as it’s change into legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions additionally has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing regulations.”

A commercial driver may use marijuana whereas off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, but still check constructive for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the road. The American Habit Facilities says for rare marijuana customers—that means those who use the substance less than two times per week—it could possibly show up in their urine for as much as three days. Somebody who makes use of marijuana several instances every week can take a look at positive for as much as three weeks, and people who use marijuana much more incessantly can “test optimistic for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are just a number of the present points affecting the provision chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products inside the U.S., in line with a report from the White Home, however a growing number of business drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty process that commercial automobile drivers must endure as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can preserve them from returning to work at all. Based on the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 industrial drivers are currently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations proceed on the current rate, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the provision chain, which means greater costs not only for commodities however the price of living at massive.

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