Practical guide to Clearinghouse for companies and drivers
- trucking-services-and-logistic
- Apr 29, 2024
- 3 min read
In the world of commercial transportation, road safety is an undisputed priority. Every day, millions of commercial vehicle drivers traverse our roads, transporting goods and people from one place to another. However, there is one persistent threat that can jeopardize this safety: drug and alcohol use by commercial vehicle drivers. To address this challenge, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established the Drug and Alcohol Information Clearinghouse.
The Clearinghouse is a secure online platform that provides employers, government agencies, and law enforcement personnel with real-time information on drug and alcohol violations by commercial licensed drivers (CDLs). This database, established by an act of Congress, aims to improve safety on our roadways by providing an effective tool for monitoring and addressing these violations.
How Do CDL Employers and Drivers Use the Clearinghouse?
Employers can use the Clearinghouse to report and verify drug and alcohol-related violations of their current or potential employees. This allows them to ensure that no driver with a drug and alcohol-related violation is performing safety-critical functions, such as operating a commercial vehicle.
On the other hand, CDL drivers can access their own record at the Center, consent to prospective employers accessing this information, and select a substance abuse professional if needed.
How does the Clearinghouse improve road safety?
The Clearinghouse plays a crucial role in improving road safety in several ways:
Facilitates employers' compliance with vetting and reporting obligations.
It makes it harder for drivers to conceal drug and alcohol-related offenses.
Provides highway inspectors and other law enforcement officials with the means to ensure that drivers receive the necessary evaluation and treatment.
Assists FMCSA in determining employers' compliance with testing and investigation and reporting requirements.
Who is affected by the Clearinghouse?
The Clearinghouse affects all CDL drivers who operate commercial vehicles on public roads, as well as their employers and service agents. This includes a wide range of sectors, such as interstate and intrastate transportation, passenger transportation, school transportation, construction, municipal transportation, and many other areas where a commercial driver's license is required.
How does the Clearinghouse benefit me?
After registering, you can perform the following actions:
Once registered with the Clearinghouse, users have access to a number of vital features to maintain integrity and security in commercial transportation:
Report Drug and Alcohol Violations: This feature allows employers to report any drug and alcohol-related violations by their employees. This includes positive alcohol test results with a concentration of 0.04 or higher, refusals to submit to required alcohol or drug testing, as well as actual knowledge of a violation by the employer.
Reporting Negative Return-to-Work Resolution (RTD) Results: Employers are required to report negative return-to-work (RTD) resolution results and successful completion of a driver follow-up testing plan. This information must be reported by the close of the third business day after it is reported to employers.
Make inquiries about driver eligibility: Employers can make inquiries at the Clearinghouse to verify if prospective employees are prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions, such as operating commercial vehicles, due to an unresolved drug and alcohol program violation. In addition, employers are required to consult all current employees at least once a year. Importantly, all inquiries require the driver's consent to access their information.
The Clearinghouse plays a key role in promoting road safety in commercial transportation. By providing a centralized platform for monitoring and addressing drug and alcohol-related offenses, this tool helps ensure that only qualified drivers free of these dangerous substances are behind the wheel. Ultimately, this contributes to making our roads safer for everyone. Before registering, it is essential to understand how to effectively use this tool and meet its requirements to ensure its effectiveness in improving road safety in our country.
*Information taken from FMSCA Clearinghouse
Download for free the Clearinghouse practical guide:
En TRUCKING SERVICES AND LOGISTIC, puedes encontrarlo todo en un solo lugar: certificación de tarjeta médica, consultas y registro en El Clearinghouse, certificado de programa de drogas y alcohol, drivers files, pruebas de droga y mucho más. Llámanos para una consulta personalizada.
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