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Trucking coalition seeks federal marijuana test plan
Group warns DEA rescheduling could disrupt drug testing or safety-sensitive transportation workers
Key Takeaways:
- On June 29, a coalition led by American Trucking Associations urged four federal agencies to coordinate marijuana testing as DEA moves to reschedule the drug.
- The group said DOT logged 7 million tests in 2025 and nearly 56,000 positive marijuana results, warning rescheduling could weaken safety-sensitive testing.
- The coalition asked DEA, DOT, HHS and Justice to preserve testing authority, lab certifications and federal coordination before any final rescheduling action.
A trucking-industry coalition is asking four federal agencies to coordinate marijuana testing for transportation workers to prevent undetected use in critical public operations.
A two-page letter outlined precautions the government agencies should take as the Drug Enforcement Administration prepares to downgrade marijuana’s Schedule I classification, which treats it as having no currently accepted medical use.
The DEA is conducting a proposed rulemaking to reschedule the drug to Schedule III, a category for substances with a moderate-to-low potential for physical and psychological dependence.
“Practically, this would mean truck and bus drivers, pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, air mechanics, rail operating personnel, dispatchers and signal personnel, transit operators and pipeline workers could continue performing safety-critical, high-risk duties without any reliable means of confirming they are not actively using marijuana,” warned the June 29 letter from 19 transportation and safety organizations.
The letter was sent to DEA Administrator Terrance Cole and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, as well as to acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The organizations voiced concern that the ongoing rulemaking lacks transportation safety considerations that will impact both the traveling public and the four government agencies with shared responsibilities.
Led by American Trucking Associations, the coalition pointed out that “because no validated test exists to measure real‑time marijuana impairment, transportation safety relies heavily on controlled‑substance testing to identify recent use and prevent potentially impaired individuals from performing safety‑sensitive duties. Rescheduling could create legal or regulatory gaps that weaken the existing drug testing framework upon which regulated employers rely.”
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Without clear federal guidance, transportation employers would be unsure about compliance requirements, leading to “direct repercussions for public safety. This concern is shared by the National Transportation Safety Board, which has warned that any final rule must not compromise marijuana testing for safety‑sensitive transportation employees,” the letter stated.
Its signatories included the American Pyrotechnics Association, Airlines for America, Association of American Railroads, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Institute of Makers of Explosives, Intermodal Association of North America and Gases and Welding Distributors Association.
The group noted that the Department of Transportation’s drug and alcohol testing program recorded 7 million tests in 2025, with nearly 56,000 positive marijuana results across all public transportation modes. This testing program is linked to HHS Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs and HHS‑certified laboratories.
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“Although DOT has expressed its intent to continue testing for marijuana, a commitment we deeply appreciate, it is unclear whether DOT will retain the ability to rely on HHS procedures and certifications following the rescheduling. Without that alignment, DOT may maintain the authority to test but lack the scientific and procedural infrastructure to do so,” the letter declared.
The group underscored that marijuana is one of the most frequently detected drugs in transportation testing programs.
Reclassification also is likely to result in “unintended consequences for transportation safety if key safeguards are not preserved,” the letter noted.
The four agencies were urged to:
- Safeguard long-term marijuana testing for all safety-sensitive transportation workers
- Affirm the authority of DOT-regulated employers to conduct this testing
- Ensure HHS laboratory certification and test guidelines remain available and aligned with DOT’s safety mission
- Establish a coordinated federal strategy focused on the transportation safety implications of rescheduling
“The traveling public and the workers who keep our transportation system functioning safely deserve a process that ensures these safeguards remain firmly in place before any final action is taken,” the coalition declared.
