CDL drivers working for multiple employers are more common than you think. There are specific regulations from FMCSA regarding such drivers.
Drivers who work for multiple employers are broadly classified into the following:
- Drivers who hold regular employment with multiple employers
- Drivers regularly employed by a motor carrier but occasionally drive for another motor carrier
- Drivers with multiple employers in a non-motor carrier role who occasionally or part-time drive for a motor carrier
- Occasional Drivers
Regulations for drug and alcohol testing for shared drivers
1. Drug and alcohol testing regulations apply to any driver who:
- Operates a commercial motor vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more.
- Transports 16 passengers or more.
- Transports Hazardous Materials requiring placarding.
2. Conduct pre-employment drug testing for all new drivers with multiple employers, whether shared or not. This prevents the motor carrier company from liabilities and eliminates the need to rely on another motor carrier for compliance.
3. Add a driver with multiple employers to the random pool for each employer. An owner-operator is both a driver and an employer. If an owner-operator drives only under another employer’s authority, include the driver in that employer’s random pool. If the driver also works for themselves under their own authority, they must also join an owner-operator consortium.
All other forms of drug testing like post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty, and follow-up testing would apply to shared drivers.
FMCSA Clearinghouse regulations for shared drivers
The Clearinghouse pre-employment drug testing and query rules apply whenever the driver engages in any FMCSA-regulated tasks and to each employer for whom a driver works.
To sum it up, motor carrier companies are required to follow drug and alcohol testing regulations and maintain a driver qualification file for each driver operating a commercial motor vehicle.
What can InOut Labs do?
As rules and regulations are being revised regularly, it becomes increasingly difficult for employers to keep track of the changes. At InOut Labs we help you navigate the complexities of DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations and ensure you’re compliant with all DOT agencies.
