The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse has tracked commercial truck driver drug violations since January 2020. A report based on clearinghouse findings shows an uptick in the number of truck drivers across Indiana and the nation who are abusing drugs on duty.
According to Transport Topics, the number of truck drivers who received drug citations in 2021 increased by 10% over the year before. In 2020, 52,810 commercial truckers had their drug violations logged in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. In 2021, truckers had 58,215 drug violations.
Truck drivers and the use of specific drugs
Most of the drug violations big rig drivers received during both years involved positive drug tests, and marijuana was the most frequent drug to appear on positive truck driver drug tests. In 2021, truck drivers received more than 31,000 drug violations involving marijuana, up from 29,511 such offenses the year prior. More truckers also tested positive for cocaine in 2021 than in 2020, with the number of positive trucker cocaine tests rising from 7,940 in 2020 to 8,765 in 2021.
Truck drivers returning to duty
When a truck driver has a drug offense logged in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, he or she must take certain steps to regain driving privileges. As of early 2022, an estimated 80,000 American truck drivers remained in prohibited driving status, meaning they had not yet completed the return-to-duty process required if they wish to drive professionally again.
Drug use by any driver endangers everyone on the roadway. Drug use among commercial truck drivers creates additional safety threats due to the sheer size and weight of the vehicles involved.