DOT Random Drug Testing Pool

Random drug and alcohol testing is required for safety-sensitive employees in transportation, and random testing is regulated under very specific requirements for frequency and percentage of drivers selected. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) rule—49 CFR Part 40—describes exactly how these practices are to be conducted and what processes to follow. The DOT also provides a guide for "Best practices for DOT random drug and alcohol testing," which contains further information about who is to be tested, how they are chosen, frequency of testing, how to notify employees, and other vital information for drug and alcohol testing in the transportation industry.

Random pool alcohol testing is for safety-sensitive DOT employees in a modality that includes alcohol in their required random testing (e.g., FMSCA for truck drivers). DOT requires the use of Evidential Breath Testers (EBTs) for all DOT alcohol tests. EBTs are breath alcohol devices listed on the federal register.

Non-DOT employees are not part of the DOT random drug and alcohol testing. However, even if it isn't required, you may want to establish a non-DOT random pool to maintain a drug-free workplace and guarantee the performance and stability of your staff. A random testing program enhances your company's integrity, reputation, and profitability. It protects co-workers and the public they serve. A drug testing program minimizes the risk of disruptive employee behavior and potential theft. Random testing is far more effective than only pre-employment testing.

Contact one of our drug testing professionals to discuss your specific drug test needs and determine which of our random pools meets your organization's goals and objectives to reduce workplace drug and alcohol use.

When your company joins Health Street's DOT Random Pool, you will:

Immediately receive a certificate of participation, stored in your secure online portal. Manage staff, order tests, view drug test results, and update the names of your safety-sensitive workers as needed.

Get a monthly email that lists your covered employees. Review and ensure that we have on file the most current names. Make changes by updating the names and status of your covered employees directly in the portal. The Monthly Covered Employees list is securely stored online. If the DOT conducts an audit, they can see that staff was consistently covered, eliminating the need to search for emails or retrieve paper lists.

Receive notification when we make a monthly "pull" of random drug and alcohol testing selections. After confirmation of names, we let you know by email who was chosen and send you an electronic authorization for each person to be tested.

We do not notify your staff directly. DOT regulations dictate that you tell them shortly after you're notified, within the current testing period, usually within the same month.

If an employee is on vacation or traveling, notify them when they return. They should immediately go to the clinic for testing once they're notified.

If the employee has been terminated or is unavailable for more than three weeks, notify Health Street and we'll make another choice.

If a driver fails a drug or alcohol test, they must be removed from safety-sensitive duties and referred to a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). A SAP can also clear a driver to return to duty, so long as he or she passes their return-to-duty drug and/or alcohol test(s). Once cleared, the driver is subject to ongoing return-to-duty testing which may be as frequent as monthly and it can last as long as several years.

The DOT Random Pool Membership offered by Health Street is designed for companies that have safety-sensitive employees. If your business employs individuals such as CDL drivers, pilots, or ship crew, it is mandatory to comply with DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations. By enrolling in Health Street's DOT Random Pool Membership, your company can easily meet these compliance requirements, ensuring a streamlined and hassle-free process for random drug testing.