American Trucking Associations Wednesday urged Congress to authorize and fund a centralized clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol testing results of truck drivers.
The group made the request to ensure that employers are aware of previous positive test results during the hiring process
ATA President Bill Graves said such a clearinghouse will improve the industry’s ability to keep alcohol and drug abusers off the road and improve road safety. ATA said it has lobbied for a national clearinghouse of positive test results since the 1990s.
“ATA and its members believe that state-based reporting efforts are a good first step, but the optimal solution is a national clearinghouse,” Graves said.
“There’s nothing more important to us and our member companies than the safety of our carriers and their drivers and sharing the road safely with the motoring public,” he said at a news conference in Washington.
In 2004 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported to Congress on the merits of reporting positive test results to states. Currently, five states have instituted a drug and alcohol clearinghouse.
FMCSA supports the concept of making it as easy as possible for employers to identify drivers who test positive for drugs, a spokeswoman told the Associated Press.
Federal law requires pre-employment drug testing of drivers, as well as random checks and testing after most serious accidents, AP reported.
Staff Reporter Eric Miller contributed to this story.