[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 5]

[Revised as of October 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR382.305]



[Page 174-176]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

        CHAPTER III--FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION,

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 382_CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND ALCOHOL USE AND TESTING--Table of Contents

 

                        Subpart C_Tests Required

 

Sec.  382.305  Random testing.



    (a) Every employer shall comply with the requirements of this 

section. Every driver shall submit to random alcohol and controlled 

substance testing as required in this section.

    (b)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) through (e) of this 

section, the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing 

shall be 10 percent of the average number of driver positions.

    (2) Except as provided in paragraphs (f) through (h) of this 

section, the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled 

substances testing shall be 50 percent of the average number of driver 

positions.

    (c) The FMCSA Administrator's decision to increase or decrease the 

minimum annual percentage rate for alcohol testing is based on the 

reported violation rate for the entire industry. All information used 

for this determination is drawn from the alcohol management information 

system reports required by Sec.  382.403. In order to ensure reliability 

of the data, the FMCSA Administrator considers the quality and 

completeness of the reported data, may obtain additional information or 

reports from employers, and may make appropriate modifications in 

calculating the industry violation rate. In the event of a change in the 

annual percentage rate, the FMCSA Administrator will publish in the 

Federal Register the new minimum annual percentage rate for random 

alcohol testing of drivers. The new minimum annual percentage rate for 

random alcohol testing will be applicable starting January 1 of the 

calendar year following publication in the Federal Register.

    (d)(1) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol 

testing is 25 percent or more, the FMCSA Administrator may lower this 

rate to 10 percent of all driver positions if the FMCSA Administrator 

determines that the data received under the reporting requirements of 

Sec.  382.403 for two consecutive calendar years indicate that



[[Page 175]]



the violation rate is less than 0.5 percent.

    (2) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol 

testing is 50 percent, the FMCSA Administrator may lower this rate to 25 

percent of all driver positions if the FMCSA Administrator determines 

that the data received under the reporting requirements of Sec.  382.403 

for two consecutive calendar years indicate that the violation rate is 

less than 1.0 percent but equal to or greater than 0.5 percent.

    (e)(1) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol 

testing is 10 percent, and the data received under the reporting 

requirements of Sec.  382.403 for that calendar year indicate that the 

violation rate is equal to or greater than 0.5 percent, but less than 

1.0 percent, the FMCSA Administrator will increase the minimum annual 

percentage rate for random alcohol testing to 25 percent for all driver 

positions.

    (2) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol 

testing is 25 percent or less, and the data received under the reporting 

requirements of Sec.  382.403 for that calendar year indicate that the 

violation rate is equal to or greater than 1.0 percent, the FMCSA 

Administrator will increase the minimum annual percentage rate for 

random alcohol testing to 50 percent for all driver positions.

    (f) The FMCSA Administrator's decision to increase or decrease the 

minimum annual percentage rate for controlled substances testing is 

based on the reported positive rate for the entire industry. All 

information used for this determination is drawn from the controlled 

substances management information system reports required by Sec.  

382.403. In order to ensure reliability of the data, the FMCSA 

Administrator considers the quality and completeness of the reported 

data, may obtain additional information or reports from employers, and 

may make appropriate modifications in calculating the industry positive 

rate. In the event of a change in the annual percentage rate, the FMCSA 

Administrator will publish in the Federal Register the new minimum 

annual percentage rate for controlled substances testing of drivers. The 

new minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled substances 

testing will be applicable starting January 1 of the calendar year 

following publication in the Federal Register.

    (g) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled 

substances testing is 50 percent, the FMCSA Administrator may lower this 

rate to 25 percent of all driver positions if the FMCSA Administrator 

determines that the data received under the reporting requirements of 

Sec.  382.403 for two consecutive calendar years indicate that the 

positive rate is less than 1.0 percent.

    (h) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled 

substances testing is 25 percent, and the data received under the 

reporting requirements of Sec.  382.403 for any calendar year indicate 

that the reported positive rate is equal to or greater than 1.0 percent, 

the FMCSA Administrator will increase the minimum annual percentage rate 

for random controlled substances testing to 50 percent of all driver 

positions.

    (i)(1) The selection of drivers for random alcohol and controlled 

substances testing shall be made by a scientifically valid method, such 

as a random number table or a computer-based random number generator 

that is matched with drivers' Social Security numbers, payroll 

identification numbers, or other comparable identifying numbers.

    (2) Each driver selected for random alcohol and controlled 

substances testing under the selection process used, shall have an equal 

chance of being tested each time selections are made.

    (3) Each driver selected for testing shall be tested during the 

selection period.

    (j)(1)To calculate the total number of covered drivers eligible for 

random testing throughout the year, as an employer, you must add the 

total number of covered drivers eligible for testing during each random 

testing period for the year and divide that total by the number of 

random testing periods. Covered employees, and only covered employees, 

are to be in an employer's random testing pool, and all covered drivers 

must be in the random pool. If you are an employer conducting random 

testing more often than once per



[[Page 176]]



month (e.g., daily, weekly, bi-weekly) you do not need to compute this 

total number of covered drivers rate more than on a once per month 

basis.

    (2) As an employer, you may use a service agent (e.g., a C/TPA) to 

perform random selections for you, and your covered drivers may be part 

of a larger random testing pool of covered employees. However, you must 

ensure that the service agent you use is testing at the appropriate 

percentage established for your industry and that only covered employees 

are in the random testing pool.

    (k)(1) Each employer shall ensure that random alcohol and controlled 

substances tests conducted under this part are unannounced.

    (2) Each employer shall ensure that the dates for administering 

random alcohol and controlled substances tests conducted under this part 

are spread reasonably throughout the calendar year.

    (l) Each employer shall require that each driver who is notified of 

selection for random alcohol and/or controlled substances testing 

proceeds to the test site immediately; provided, however, that if the 

driver is performing a safety-sensitive function, other than driving a 

commercial motor vehicle, at the time of notification, the employer 

shall instead ensure that the driver ceases to perform the safety-

sensitive function and proceeds to the testing site as soon as possible.

    (m) A driver shall only be tested for alcohol while the driver is 

performing safety-sensitive functions, just before the driver is to 

perform safety-sensitive functions, or just after the driver has ceased 

performing such functions.

    (n) If a given driver is subject to random alcohol or controlled 

substances testing under the random alcohol or controlled substances 

testing rules of more than one DOT agency for the same employer, the 

driver shall be subject to random alcohol and/or controlled substances 

testing at the annual percentage rate established for the calendar year 

by the DOT agency regulating more than 50 percent of the driver's 

function.

    (o) If an employer is required to conduct random alcohol or 

controlled substances testing under the alcohol or controlled substances 

testing rules of more than one DOT agency, the employer may--

    (1) Establish separate pools for random selection, with each pool 

containing the DOT-covered employees who are subject to testing at the 

same required minimum annual percentage rate; or

    (2) Randomly select such employees for testing at the highest 

minimum annual percentage rate established for the calendar year by any 

DOT agency to which the employer is subject.



[66 FR 43103, Aug. 17, 2001, as amended at 67 FR 61821, Oct. 2, 2002; 68 

FR 75459, Dec. 31, 2003]