When it comes to workers who have jobs transporting the public, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires each and every person employed to be 100% compliant with the drug and alcohol regulations they’ve set into place. These workers have jobs in areas including commercial trucking, public transportation, piloting, driving trains and boats, and luxury car companies like Modern Limousine Service. DOT compliance regulations require workers to be drug-free at all times, and to be alcohol-free when they’re working. Makes sense, right? These guys are operating giant vehicles that often carry other passengers.
A DOT compliance policy means that for the entirety of a worker’s career—whether they’re a bus driver, a pilot, a boat captain, or any other type of driver who needs to be DOT compliant—that worker will have to undergo regular drug testing for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, and more.
There are lots of factors that go into the effectiveness of DOT drug and alcohol testing and why it’s so important for public and commercial drivers to be compliant.
DOT Compliance Testing Is Extremely Thorough
Companies that manage DOT compliant commercial drivers have the huge responsibility of ensuring the safety of the public by providing responsible and capable drivers. This is accomplished by making sure that those drivers receive the best possible drug and alcohol testing available.
DOT compliance testing delivers the most accurate results of any other drug testing on the market because it adheres to the strict rules regulated by the DOT. These strict rules include thorough laboratory testing and scrutiny from drug testing specialists. Drivers are also tested randomly throughout the years so that they can’t cheat or manipulate drug test results.
Safety For The Public, The Drivers, And The Company
The DOT’s number one priority is public safety. This includes the driver, their customers, and anyone on the road or nearby sidewalk at the same time. Drugs and alcohol greatly impair a person’s ability to perform functions normally and safely, and fatal accidents have occurred due to drivers who haven’t obeyed DOT regulations. These incidents obviously hurt human lives as well as the company itself—and the tragedy is, it could have been prevented.
By having a strong DOT program in place, companies can ensure that their drivers are always alcohol and drug-free, therefore stopping these accidents.
Stopping Irresponsible Commercial Drivers From Causing Injury
Because DOT compliance drug and alcohol testing administered randomly, it’s an employer’s best method for identifying workers with substance abuse problems. The employer can determine the best course of action to facilitate the worker’s treatment.
Pre-employment drug testing is another way that company owners can identify at-risk drivers and make the best decision possible regarding their business and the safety of the public. Drivers can also be tested if their employer has reasonable suspicion to believe they are abusing drugs or alcohol, and if a driver is involved in an accident while on the job, they’re required to have a test immediately after the accident.
DOT Compliance Testing Ensures Safety
Let’s take Modern Limousine Service for example. Immediately after one of our drivers is employed, they are required to have a DOT-compliant pre-employment drug testing. Only after their test results come back negative can they begin performing their driving duties. Once they start working for us, they will be subject to random drug testing at any time throughout their career with us. This will keep them drug-free and doing their job responsibly.
At Modern Limousine Service, we make safety our top concern. That’s why we set high standards for our business and ensure our drivers are always DOT drug and alcohol compliant. We do this by working with DOT compliance companies like New Era Drug Testing to ensure our drivers are as safe as possible. We take our responsibility to transport passengers very seriously, as any driver should. Please keep us in mind if you ever need a car service in Los Angeles, and know that you will get to your destination safely with a professionally-trained DOT driver.
