CDL urine test question.

[QRTRHRS]

I decided to keep my CDL even though I am not driving any big rig anymore. I had been skipping the medical exam for a few years. I passed my physical which included the urine test of course. Going forward, what about random urine tests? In the past, my employers used a computer program to generate random employee lists to get tested. For anyone the same situation or perhaps self employed, what do you do to meet this requirement? I did not think to ask my provider.

Something else that I learned about how often I must get an exam. After I retired, I drove a school bus for a few years. At that time, the "S" endorsement holders had to be examined yearly. July 1, 2023, that had changed to every two years. However, because I take certain medications I must still get examined every year.

 

[Alan W.]

Sent you a private message.

 

[mikester]

Drink more coffee

 

[hayden]

This is a bit of a tangent, but I'm curious whether the CDL requirements are strictly State requirements, or if there are federal DOT requirements that are part of it? This has become an issue boats and ships, and I'm wondering if it's an issue with CDLs as well.

I don't have a CDL, but I do have a US Coast Guard (and International) marine captains license. Much like for a CDL, I'm subject to periodic medical exams and drug testing. I don't smoke pot, but with it legal now in many states, some people do. But the USCG license is federal where pot is still illegal. And unlike booze, pot remains detectable by drug testing for a long time. The result is all sorts of people getting denied their USCG license.

So does this apply to a CDL as well? Are you subject to state or federal drug testing? I'm guessing it's federal since it's all about interstate trucking, but I don't know.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

When I took my CDL physical a 15 years ago the urine test for the physical was not drug related, I think it had to do with testing blood sugar levels. I know this because a friend of mine was the doctor that gave and signed off on these physicals.

 

[LittleBill21]

what exactly is the question here?? how to beat the drug test?

 

[Hay Dude]

what exactly is the question here?? how to beat the drug test?

Yeah, exactly….what is the question?
I am randomly tested. Sometimes it’s 1X per year, other years it’s been 4x per year.
Mine is done by a “lottery”.

I’ve never done drugs, and barely drink, so no worries here.

 

[Cycledude]

I believe the urine test is mostly for illegal drugs, that’s why it’s random which makes it more difficult to prepare for.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I am renewing my license and even though I am not driving professionally, I am keeping my CDL.

Going forward, I am wondering about continuing the routine urine tests if not provided/required by an employer? I was briefly looking at the regs but did not see the info that I want.

I did not think to ask my physical provider. If they forward that info to DOT or what?

And no. I am not trying to beat the tests.

Re: legal pot, etc. use. When I was still driving the school bus, our director told is not to use any CBD products. I did not so I did not persue the subject.

hayden, CDL requirments are federal. I have also worked in aerospace manufacturing where we were subject to random and annual testing.

 

[QRTRHRS]

They do look at blood sugar and blood in the urine. Some have learned that they have issues that they were not aware of.

One company that I worked for also did dna testing on hair samples. If I recall correctly, that test would look back 90 days supposedly.

 

[hayden]

what exactly is the question here?? how to beat the drug test?

If you are a pot smoker, will you fail a CDL drug test? Is it even a drug test? And no, I'm not trying to beat the test. I don't do any drugs, and barely drink at all. I have passed the marine captains drug test many time, but know that if you are a pot smoker, even if that's legal in whatever state you are in, you will flunk the US Coast Guard drug test and not be able to hold a boat captain's license.

 

[sandman2234]

CDL's are Federal.
I taught at a school where students were shipped in from all over. Immediate drug test, and those from Denver would argue that it was legal for them to smoke weed. Our simple reply was that if they were going to drive outside Colorado, then they had to obey the rest of the states laws. Then they would see the way out, and say..."Yeah, I am only going to drive in Colorado"! So we would tell them to go get a license in Colorado, cause the rest of the states weren't playing that game!
The recruiter for Colorado would then tell them to clean up before coming to Florida so they could pass the entrance drug test. What we didn't advertise, was after classroom week ended, we would pop another drug test on them b4 they got in a truck. That meant that if they passed the first one and got nailed on second one, they had been smoking in Florida, which wasn't legal! That was one of the tidbits we mentioned when we told them to pack their stuff and leave!
David from jax

 

[Rustyiron]

I am renewing my license and even though I am not driving professionally, I am keeping my CDL.

Going forward, I am wondering about continuing the routine urine tests if not provided/required by an employer? I was briefly looking at the regs but did not see the info that I want.

I did not think to ask my physical provider. If they forward that info to DOT or what?

And no. I am not trying to beat the tests.

Re: legal pot, etc. use. When I was still driving the school bus, our director told is not to use any CBD products. I did not so I did not persue the subject.

hayden, CDL requirments are federal. I have also worked in aerospace manufacturing where we were subject to random and annual testing.

FWIW I have a friend who has a cdl to drive Chrysler executives around DC. He's been there for a very long time (I think he's mentioned 30 years) and he's an accomplished bluegrass picker (no liquor or drugs) but arthritis is bothering him. He bought some 50 state legal CBD and then paid for his own drug test and knowing him, it was as an "official" of a testing as possible.
Nothing showed up and he's finding some relief for his music.

 

[MossRoad]

I decided to keep my CDL even though I am not driving any big rig anymore. I had been skipping the medical exam for a few years. I passed my physical which included the urine test of course. Going forward, what about random urine tests? In the past, my employers used a computer program to generate random employee lists to get tested. For anyone the same situation or perhaps self employed, what do you do to meet this requirement? I did not think to ask my provider.

Something else that I learned about how often I must get an exam. After I retired, I drove a school bus for a few years. At that time, the "S" endorsement holders had to be examined yearly. July 1, 2023, that had changed to every two years. However, because I take certain medications I must still get examined every year.

That's the question...

if you are not employed by a company, or self employed, who tells you when to get tested?

Look like you may have to put yourself into a consortium for random drug testing.

Click here and search for 'owner'

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/drug-alcohol-testing/random-testing

 

[5030]

Around here, pee tests went away a while ago. Now it's a hair pull and they don't care where the hair comes from either. Could be your head (neck) or armpit or even down there....lol Now, if it was a pretty lass, down there is a non issue.

 

[ultrarunner]

The hospital has random drug testing and I was caught up in it once... it was as people were reporting to work... we had occupational drug testing on site back then so.it was easy..

Off topic but the lab would always have interesting stories like the burly trucker urine sample indicating he is pregnant or urine diluted and way under body temp.

I said I will agree this one time and the next time I take it I resign...

NEVER drugs, NEVER drink, alcohol, coffee, cuss or swear.

Turns out a new anesthesiologists to us had a drug program and was syphoning off drugs...

It's the only time in 33 years we have had a problem and it wasn't even employee related as the docs are their own group except for Chief of Staff.

That said my contractor friends eliminate 80- 90% of new hire candidates on drugs and/or clean drivers licence... it really is that bad here in the trades where drugs are mostly decriminalized.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve only been tested at the by annual physical. Random testing is news for me although I don’t work for a company.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Around here, pee tests went away a while ago. Now it's a hair pull and they don't care where the hair comes from either. Could be your head (neck) or armpit or even down there....lol Now, if it was a pretty lass, down there is a non issue.

2007-2008 time frame the company that I drove for did both. One of the drivers was bald, they pulled a couple of hairs off of his chest. LOL!

When I was driving the school bus, I got back to the shop and headed straight to the men's room. I no sooner got done and here comes the contract medical people and I was on the "hit list". I think that I drank like four cups of coffee and a couple of Sprites before I could make an "offering". After that, the supervisor would tell us over the 2 way to come straight to his office.

 

[MossRoad]

2007-2008 time frame the company that I drove for did both. One of the drivers was bald, they pulled a couple of hairs off of his chest. LOL!

When I was driving the school bus, I got back to the shop and headed straight to the men's room. I no sooner got done and here comes the contract medical people and I was on the "hit list". I think that I drank like four cups of coffee and a couple of Sprites before I could make an "offering". After that, the supervisor would tell us over the 2 way to come straight to his office.

Similar thing happened to my wife's coworker's husband. He drove his route, came to the office, used the restroom before he was going to leave to get his kid, then they asked him for a urine test. He tried buy had nothing to give. He had to leave to pick up his kid from daycare before it closed. They refused to let him leave and told him if he did, they'd fire him. He told them to come with him. He'd chug water on the way and come back to pee. He asked if they'd go get his kid. Anything. But they said if he didn't immediately produce, he'd be fired if he walked out of the room.... he had no choice. He left. He got fired.

 

[deserteagle71]

Random testing is news for me although I don’t work for a company.

Mining companies I've worked for have done random testing for many, many years. Your number might come up once a year - or it might come up twice in a week. Check for alcohol and drugs. If you tested positive you were immediately escorted off the property and told not to come back. And I don't blame them...running equipment that costs millions of dollars and weighs over a million pounds, can't have an operator that's impaired in any way.