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


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Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the highway this year, including extra provide chain disruptions
2022-05-23 14:35:17
#Marijuana #violations #truck #drivers #road #yr #adding #supply #chain #disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery store cabinets, and inflated costs have turn out to be the norm for American consumers over the past two years. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges causing provide chain points, together with a lack of truck drivers to transport items from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly as a result of getting older population and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of economic licenses. Nevertheless, that gained’t have an effect on another hurdle: disparate marijuana legal guidelines throughout the U.S. that are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a rising number of truckers are being taken off the job, which could soon worsen the already suffering provide chain.

As more states legalize recreational marijuana—4 of which did so up to now yr and three more are anticipated to by the top of 2022—extra truck drivers have examined optimistic for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 industrial car drivers have tested constructive for marijuana use. By the same time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% increase 12 months over 12 months.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state laws as 19 states have legalized recreational marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal purposes. But even if a driver used marijuana or hemp-based merchandise like CBD whereas off obligation in a state the place those substances are legal, they might still be faced with a violation as a result of Division of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy on the federal stage.

“While states could enable medical use of marijuana, federal legal guidelines and policy do not acknowledge any reputable medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for business vehicle drivers reads. “Even if a state allows the usage of marijuana, DOT regulations deal with its use as the identical as the usage of some other illicit drug.”

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

Truck drivers are being examined extra and the consequences for drug-related violations have elevated

Underneath rules set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are examined for drug use—including marijuana—previous to starting a new job. They can also be tested at random, in addition to after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Service Security Administration additionally upped the random drug testing price from 25% of the typical number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are mainly screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there are now new saliva checks being proposed as properly.

At worst, if a driver fails just one drug test, that may be grounds for termination beneath DOT rules. At greatest, they're briefly taken off the street and required to finish an analysis 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 industrial drivers who fail a drug take a look at in the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations remain searchable for 5 years. Potential employers are also required to test the Clearinghouse to see if a commercial driver had any previous violations, which might prevent them from being hired.

Differing marijuana legal guidelines by state are causing confusion among truck drivers

In recent times, extra states have legalized each leisure and medical marijuana, making it more extensively out there and used. Nonetheless, marijuana use remains to be prohibited for business truck drivers, state legal guidelines and medical prescriptions apart. According to the FMCSA, “a driver may 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 because it’s become legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions also has not modified the appliance of U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A commercial driver might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state the place marijuana is authorized, but nonetheless take a look at optimistic 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 a week—it will possibly show up of their urine for as much as three days. Someone who uses marijuana a number of occasions per week can take a look at constructive for up to three weeks, and people who use marijuana much more regularly can “test constructive for a month or longer.”

Truck drivers with violations are likely to not return, adding to the scarcity and supply chain woes

Shortages, manufacturing facility closures, and items waiting to be unloaded at ports are just some of the current issues affecting the supply chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products within the U.S., based on a report from the White Home, but a rising variety of industrial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that commercial car drivers must undergo once confronted with a marijuana violation can hold them from returning to work at all. In response to the FMCSA’s month-to-month report, 89,650 business drivers are at the moment in prohibited standing as of April 1, 2022, but 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD course of. 

If violations proceed at the current fee, the truck driver scarcity will further disrupt the availability chain, which means increased prices not just for commodities however the cost of residing at giant.

Copyright 2022 Stacker via Grey Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.


Quelle: www.kplctv.com

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