DOT to Consider Oral Exams
No, this does not mean that you will be required to cite the hours-of-service regulations from memory. Instead, it is about drug tests and the methods by which the Department of Transportation (DOT) performs them.
Details
The DOT has filed a Final Rule in the Federal Register saying that it will use “oral fluid” as a means of testing for drug use moving forward. The entire Final Rule is well over 200 pages long. The primary benefits of testing with saliva are three-fold.
First, it is significantly harder to cheat with a test from a swab of the inside of the mouth. Whereas a urine test comes with a higher level of privacy that also compromises on security to a minor extent, oral tests will be done as a quick swab of the inside of the mouth by someone else, making it harder to replace the testing material with a clean version instead.
Secondly, it is expected to be a much cheaper method of drug testing, with the DOT estimating that it will cost $10 to $20 less than a urine test. This means that employers will be able to conduct them with less financial burden as a result of regulation.
Finally, substances appear in saliva faster than they do in urine, so a person who has taken one of the forms of drug very recently is more likely to be caught than pass through with a false positive due to impeccable timing.
Conclusion
Should this method of testing become official regulation on behalf of the DOT, it will be the third form of legal testing that employers will have under their belt, the others being urine and, in specific circumstances, blood.
Before this, there has been much clamor about the idea of hair testing, but not much research has been conducted regarding the effectiveness of the new method, though it shows some promise. Until more research comes out on hair sample testing, mouth swab samples may become the new normal for drug testing.
The Final Rule was published on May 2nd and will become official after 30 days, provided nothing changes.
ABOUT TOPMARK FUNDING
TopMark Funding is a top-rated semi-truck financing and trailer financing company located in Roseville, CA. We specialize in commercial trucking and heavy equipment. Our mission is to become your long-term financial partner by helping you grow your trucking business and fleet.
We’re not here for the short-term, we’re on the long-haul with you!
We have financing options for trailers, semi-trucks, commercial trucks, and small businesses. We have great rates, low down payments, and flexible monthly payments regardless of credit history.
Learn more about Trailer Financing.
Fill out the contact form or give us a call at (866) 627-6644. One of our truck financing specialists will contact you as soon as possible to go over your truck lease needs and learn more about you and your business financing goals.