FMCSA Halves Rate for Random Drug Testing in 2016

Late last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it "will lower the random testing rate for controlled substances [for drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs)] from the current 50 percent to 25 percent for calendar year 2016. The effective date was January 1, 2016.

In its announcement, FMCSA noted, "The FMCSA Administrator has the discretion to decrease the minimum annual random testing percentage rate based on the reported positive random test rate for the entire motor carrier industry. Based on the controlled substances random test data in FMCSA's Management Information System (MIS) for calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013, the positive rate for controlled substances random testing fell below the 1.0 percent threshold for 3 consecutive calendar years. As a result, the Agency will lower the controlled substances minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled substances testing to 25 percent of the average number of driver positions."