Drug testing for feeder drivers

[ziffle]

What are the regulations regarding how long a driver is to be notified of a drug test? In Portland OR, the driver is given no notice at all. Sometimes a feeder manager is waiting for the driver at the guard shack as they walk in. I was informed that 5 out of 13 feeder drivers in Payette ID were given 12 hours notice of a test and told to drive to a testing lab on 6/12/06 instead of testing on property. Why the double standard?

[dannyboy]

The way I understand the process, they can test feeder drivers at will. Or not. Here they can give you the notice, or they can send you in as you show up for work. Totally up to them and their whim.

d

It is a DOT requirement that a certain percentage are randomly tested. Here the DOT certified tester drives right on property gives supervisor list and waits for drivers to get back or report for work.

[Dutch Dawg]

Originally Posted by dannyboy

The way I understand the process, they can test feeder drivers at will. Or not.......

My understanding of the process is that no prior notice is required. However I believe contract language prevents them from technically testing you "at will" which is to say at their whim. I believe either an accident, injury, probable cause (suspicion of banned substance use), or true random generated testing in compliance with Federal Motor Carrier guidlines would be required.

Some years ago I found myself on the supposed random generated list far too many times in a twelve month period for a reasonable person to believe it was chance. Our steward contacted the district nurse requesting information on the list and the problem was resolved. I believed someone had gotton lazy and was reusing a list. MHO

[trickpony1]

Ziffle-
I think the government mandates that a certain number/per cent of feeder drivers be tested every month (or whatever the time period is).
Perhaps the "testing lab" that you refer to didn't have a techician to send out to your facility and the company was "grasping at straws" and rushing to meet the deadline.
I hope these 5 feeder drivers were paid for their travel time as well as all other time involved in this.
Is the selection process truly "random"? I've seen situations that would strongly suggest that it isn't.

[dannyboy]

Is the selection process truly "random"?

Probably not. If you were a high profile company like UPS and all they had to do was show that X number of drivers were drug tested at "random" but they chose those that they knew were clean to test over and over again, would not that make some sense? Why would you take a chance on having drivers test positive when you did not have to?

And to hear some posters here, 90% of all UPS employees would fail any type of drug test if it were given randomly.

I believed someone had gotton lazy and was reusing a list

Surely you are not suggesting that we have lazy people in management now are you?

Tie, what about it? You all so over worked you would do something like this?

d

[spidey]

Originally Posted by dannyboy

Why would you take a chance on having drivers test positive when you did not have to?
d

To keep them from killing people and distroying UPS equipment? I know that UPS is backwards about many things, but if I were in charge I'd like to know my drivers were clean. Too bad the hassle and paperwork involved encourages the company to turn a blind eye.

[over9five]

I hope it's truly random. I was tested last month, and was told the night before to report for drug testing in the morning.