Model Drug & Alcohol Testing Policy (download)
The purpose of this document is to provide communities with a model statement for use in implementing a drug & alcohol testing program for CDL drivers.
Information about the Random Selection Process
Commonly Asked Questions:
How is the selection made? Our procedure is to select names from a "pool" of employees. Employees are listed in our database with their name and employee ID number or social security number. Approximately every 2 months, a selection from those names in the pool is requested by the computer. All employees in the pool have the potential of being selected regardless of whether or not they have been previously chosen. Employees may therefore be selected multiple times during a year or not at all.
The selection process is completed approximately every 2 months. The computer is asked for a percentage of the names in the pool to be tested for drugs and for alcohol. The printout lists by town, the employees who were selected. The total of the combined percentages chosen from the pool at the end of the year equals the required 50% drug tests and 10% alcohol tests required by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Each selection period, there are some employees selected who due to illness or other reasons are unavailable for testing. For this reason, the number of employees selected every two months may exceed the 50% and 10% required annually.
How is the testing scheduled? After the computer makes the selection, the office manager or his/her assistant will determine where the collector(s) will be testing the next day. A schedule is created and the contact person is called. The employee is requested and the time and location given for the test. Since we do not like to disrupt your workplace, we try to avoid testing all employees selected at one time. In general, if 3 or fewer names are selected for a town, we will ask for all of the employees. If more than 3 are selected, we will test half the selected employees the first month and half the second month. For example, if 4 employees are selected, we will test 2 the first month and the other 2 the following month.
(Please have a contact person available for calls. Having two (2) contact people alleviates the problem of scheduling dilemmas when the original contact is unavailable.)
What happens if one of the employees asked for is unavailable? Please let Mobile Testing Services, Inc. know why the employee is out (sick, vacation, worker’s compensation, etc.) and when they are expected back (if you know). Mobile Testing Services, Inc. will attempt to schedule another time to do that test during the two-month selection period. If the test is not completed during that timeframe, the employee is not tested. His or her name will be put back into the pool and included in the next selection process.
What happens if an employee is out when a test is scheduled for him/her? If an employee is out on the day we are scheduled to come and test, please tell us in advance so that we can avoid coming for no reason. If an employee calls in sick, please call MTS at (800)649-7442 on the day of the test, so that the collector can be notified not to come (unless there are several employees to be tested). If the collector arrives at a site to do a test and the person chosen to be tested is not available, the collector can call (at his discretion) the Mobile Testing office and request another name from the list of those already chosen.
Who do I notify of employee turn over? All CDL employee changes should be sent to Mobile Testing Services, Inc. and MIIA whether it is a notification that someone is leaving or an addition to your personnel. This is critical because it keeps the numbers in the pool accurate.
How do I contact Mobile Testing Services, Inc.? The address for Mobile Testing Services is 20 West Canal Street #5; Winooski, VT 05404. Phone: (800) 649-7442 and (802) 655-3661. Fax:(802) 655-8396. Email address: mtsi@together.net.
What problems arise if the information in the pool is not accurate? If the computer is selecting names of personnel who are no longer employed, the tests can not be performed and the number of tests that need to be done in a specific time frame can not be done. This puts the whole pool in jeopardy of being in non-compliance with the DOT. If employees are not added to the pool, their names are not subject to being selected and this creates an unfair situation in which those in the pool are more likely to be selected multiple times. This is also an issue of non-compliance when CDL drivers are not subject to testing.
When should an employee be notified that he / she is going to be tested? Employees should not be given "advance" notice that a drug/alcohol test is going to be performed.
Alcohol and Drug Testing Prices
Alcohol Testing: $35.
Drug Testing: $65.
Additonal fee of $50 for after hours reasonable suspicion or post-accident test.
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