Drug & Alcohol Regulation Updates Newsletters

13th Annual National Conference Registration Available Soon!
Annual MIS Reporting
No "Expiration" on Return-To-Duty Requirements
Using Mobile Collection Sites
Who Should Be Trained to Make Reasonable Suspicion Determinations
Reasonable Suspicion Training
Coming Soon: MIS Reporting Instructional Video
Clarification: An Employee Who Consumes Alcohol While On-Call Has Not Violated A FTA Prohibition
Reviewing SAP Letters & Testing Plans
After Hours Testing
Firearm Discharge is Not Cause for FTA Post-Accident Testing
Spot-Checking Your Consortium/TPA
Drug and Alcohol Training

Issue 63

August 2017

2016 Drug and Alcohol MIS Results
Alcohol Results Less Than 0.04 Are Not DOT Violations
Responding to a 40.25 Request for Testing Information
The Collector’s Role
Another Successful FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference on the Books!
Drug and Alcohol Training
Timely Reasonable Suspicion Testing
Employer Oversight of MROs
Pre-Employment Test Refusals
C/TPA Information Required on Annual MIS Submissions
Top 5 Audit Findings
Collector Errors & Affidavits
Clarification: Tire Retreading is Not a Safety-Sensitive Function
Drug and Alcohol Word Scramble
Lift Operation and Post-Accident Testing Decisions

Issue 62

April 2017

DOT Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
FTA Drug and Alcohol Management Information System (DAMIS) Reporting
Alere Records Drug Tests Times in Central Time Zones
Daylight Savings Time: Make Sure Clocks were Changed!
Drug and Alcohol Training
How Many SAP Referrals?
Free Drug & Alcohol Resources
Telephone Preferred for Positive Drug Test Results
Policies and the Term "Substance Abuse Professional"
Random Rosters - Accuracy Counts
Removal of an Employee from Safety-Sensitive Duty Following a Post-Accident or Reasonable Suspicion Occurrence
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The Anti-Drug and Alcohol Misuse Policy

Issue 61

January 2017

Use of Video Cameras in Reasonable Suspicion Determinations
Reminder: Annual MIS Reporting Due March 15th!
Clarifying Federal Requirements for Shared Mobility
Company Policies Must State a Position on Negative-Dilute Tests
Evidential Breath Testing Devices and Manual Mode
Federal Drug Testing Electronic Custody and Control Approved Lab List
Role of the Substance Abuse Professional
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Drug and Alcohol Training
Employees Must Relinquish Firearms at Collection Site
Non-DOT Follow-up Tests Are Not Allowed
Tracking Post-Accident Testing Delays

Issue 60

October 2016

11th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference A Success!
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Lowers Drug Testing Rate
Ubers, Lyfts, and Ride-Sourcing: Do the Regulations Apply?
What Employers Need to Know About Monitoring Collection Sites
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Follow the Plan: Quality Assurance Plans (QAPs)
49 U.S.C Section 5339 Buses and Bus Facilities Grants Program Established
Reclassifying DOT Drug Tests
Are Taxicab Companies Covered under FTA Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulations?
Substance Abuse Professionals as Gatekeepers
2016 DOT Random Testing Rates
Do My Contractors Fall under the FTA Regulations?
Follow-Up Testing Must Be Unpredictable
Safety Concerns Require Medical Review Officers to Report Medical Information
Drug and Alcohol Training

Issue 59

March 2016

2014 Drug and Alcohol MIS (Management Information Systems) Results
A Notice to Collectors on Using the Electronic Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control (eCCF) Form
DAMIS Improvements
Pre-Employment Tests and the 90-Day Rule
The Importance of Accurate Contact Information
Semi-Annual Statistical Summaries
Discovering the Return-to-Duty Process Was Not Followed—Now What to Do?
Stand Downs and Drug Test Results
Compliance Creep—Consequence of Complacency
No Time Limits on Reasonable Suspicion Drug Testing
Drug and Alcohol Training
FTA Drug and Alcohol Crossword Puzzle
Contractor Tow Trucks Usually Covered by FMCSA
Acetone Does Not Interfere With DOT Alcohol Testing

Issue 58

October 2015

Public Interest Exclusion (PIE) Order Issued
Collectors and Refusal Documentation
No Need for Redundant Pre-Employment and Return-to-Duty Tests
Prior Employer Testing Histories
Securing Donor Items for DOT Collections
HHS Proposes Major Changes to Drug Testing Procedures
Part 40 Amended to Include eCCF
FAA Creates DER Video Series
FTA Issues Series of Rx/OTC Brochures
Possession of CDL Not Automatically Safety-Sensitive
Drug and Alcohol Training
FTA Drug and Alcohol Word Scramble
SAP Referral Required for Pre-employment Positives/Refusals

Issue 57

April 2015

Records Retention for Employers Offering a "Second Chance"
New Hires and Old Tests
Roundups and Random Batch Testing
Does Airbag Deployment Constitute Disabling Damage?
Officers Serving as BATs - Good Idea or Not?
Documentation Required for Post-Accident Test Delays
MIS Reporting Tips
Online Collector Training - Proceed with Caution
2015 DOT Random Testing Rates
Correct DOT Agency on Custody and Control Form
Annual Testing Results for 2014
New Tools on the Website
FTA Drug and Alcohol Word Search
Tourist Trolley or Road Trolley?

Issue 56

January 2015

Information Release: Lawsuits, Grievances, and Unemployment and Worker's Compensation Proceedings
Using SAP Networks and Brokerages
Correct MRO Information on Forms
Important Announcement!
Follow-up Testing and Extended Absences
Annual MIS Reporting
Reading the Temperature Strip—Doing it Right
Blind Specimens Required for Large Employers and Consortia
Common Collection Site Errors
FTA Drug and Alcohol Training Available
Reminder to Medical Review Officers (MROs) Verifying an Employee's Prescription
Must Show the Backs of the Forms
Shy Bladder—the Three-Hour Period
10th Annual National Conference Registration Online Now!
FTA Drug and Alcohol Crossword Puzzle
Why Calibration Checks are Important— What Documentation is Required

Issue 55

August 2014

The 9th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference
Rise in the use of Marijuana by Safety-Sensitive Employees
Refusal Decision Makers
2014 CCF Used as Paper or Electronic (eCCF)
Mid-Period Random Selections Not Allowed
FMCSA National Clearinghouse on Drug and Alcohol Program Violators-Proposed Rule
Drug and Alcohol Testing for Employees with Disabilities
Random Selection Draws for Very Small Employers
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
FTA Reasonable Suspicion Determination Cards are Available to Order
When Does A Drug or Alcohol Test Commence?
Retention of Annual Drug and Alcohol Management Information System (MIS) Reports
Updating Drug and Alcohol Policies-"Public Transportation" vs. "Mass Transportation"
Tasers and Stun Guns Are Not Considered a Firearm
FTA 5311 Tribal Transit Program
Previous DOT-Covered Employer Records - What Constitutes a Good Faith Effort?

Issue 54

April 2014

New Acting Director of Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance
Post-Accident – Definition of Operation of Vehicle Lifts/Doors on Light Rail
Oversight Responsibility
Refusals Recognized by FTA
Efforts to Improve Collection Process May Violate Rule
Testing Above the Federal Minimums
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
Drug-Free Workplace Act—25th Anniversary
What Do You Have Hanging On Your Walls?
FTA Grantees Have Access to Contractor/Subrecipient Records
DAMIS Packages Mailed in December
Electronic CCFs Not Permitted
Ferry Boat Operators Must Submit MIS

Issue 53

January 2014

Alternate Selections in Random Testing
Alternative Methodologies for Drug Testing
Post-Accident: What is the "Best Information Available"?
ODAPC – Great Source of Information and Technical Assistance Materials
Is Your EBT Compromising Your Compliance?
Ninth Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol National Conference to be held in April 2014 in Little Rock, Arkansas
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
Early Morning and Late Night Alcohol Tests – Part 2: How to Accomplish Them
Administrative vs. MRO-Produced Refusals
Dispatcher/Scheduler/Call-Taker: When Do You Consider Employees Safety-Sensitive?
Common Mistakes Found on Custody and Control Forms (CCF)
SAMHSA Releases Report on Energy Drinks

Issue 52

July 2013

New Acting Program Manager of FTA Drug and Alcohol Program
Keynote Speaker Swart Stresses DOT's Position on Medical Marijuana at National Conference
Early Morning and Late Night Alcohol Tests - PART 1: Why They Are Important
National Conference Attracts 500 Participants
Post-Accident Testing for Maintenance Personnel
MIS Late Letters Going Out
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
FTA Audits Only Performed by FTA
FTA Drug Testing Records-Security and Separation
Maintenance Contractors
Blood Alcohol Content Greater than or Equal to 0.02, but Less than 0.04 - Now What?
Reasonable Suspicion Must Be REASONABLE
Not All Evidential Breath Testing Devices Can Be Used For DOT Confirmation Tests

Issue 51

Collection Sites May Be Visited by "Undercover" Inspectors
Immediate Means Immediate
National Focus on Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic
When EBTs Fail to Print Confirmation Tests
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
Transit Safety Institute (TSI) Training Schedule
Marijuana Class I Appeal Rejected By Federal Court, Still Dangerous With No Accepted Medical Use
Notification Forms: Accuracy is Key
Reviewing Collector Credentials?
How to Revise a Submitted Annual MIS Report
Post-Accident Flow Chart
Why File Management is Critical to Compliance
Providing Modal Authority for the CCF
FTA Supports Reasonable Suspicion Testing
Do Not Double Report MIS Testing Results
Best Practice: Provide Updated DER Information Before Each Collection
Employers: Save Copies of Your MIS Submissions for Your Records!

Issue 50

Random Selections Needed Prior to Beginning of Testing Period
DAMIS Packages Mailed in December
Random Testing Rates for 2013
Transmission of "non-negative" results
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
Transit Safety Institute (TSI) Training Schedule
When Is a Self-Referral Too Late?
Report Provides Disturbing Insight into Rx Misuse
Pass-Through Agencies May Not Be Required to Have Policy
How to Find a Qualified MRO and SAP
What Happens When You Have a Re-Collect Negative Dilute
Dissemination of Pre-Employment Positives
Are Employees of Armored Car Guards Performing a Safety-Sensitive Function?
2011 Positive Rate Climbs to 0.85 Percent
Daylight Savings Time: Make Sure Clocks were Changed!
Federal Register Final Rule

Issue 49

Summer 2012

Popular EBTs Removed from Conforming Products List
The "Drug-Before-Alcohol" Problem in Testing
Reclassified Tests Should Be Reported
Ten Most Common Prescription Medications Used By Transit Employees
What to Do When Your Collection Site Is Unable or Unwilling to Do It Right
Cab Companies: Best Practices for Oversight
Reasonable Suspicion Testing: Impairment vs. Diagnosis
Weekend and Off-Hours Testing
Consistency Is Critical
U.S. DOT's Stance on Medical Marijuana
How to Update Your Contractor List for Annual MIS Reporting

Issue 48

Spring 2012

90-Day Pre-Employment vs. Return-to-Duty
When is "No" a "Test Refusal"?
What Does It Mean to "Refuse a Urine Test?"
Sixty-Minute Training Lacking
New Ways Prohibited Drug Users Are Fooling Collectors
ODAPC Issues Strong Reminder of Regulatory Requirement
K2/Spice: Education is the Key
DOT Unveils Mock-Collection Video
Second Chance vs. Zero Tolerance
7th Annual Conference Another Success!
Drug and Alcohol Training Schedule
Semi-Annual Statistical Summary from the Laboratory
Correcting your DAMIS Submission Until August
DTAB Recommendations Have No Immediate Impact on DOT Drug Testing Programs
When is a Vehicle in "Operation"? What is an "Accident"?
The Status of Drug and Alcohol Management Information System (DAMIS) 2011 Reporting

Issue 47

Winter 2011

7th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference in Miami
Five Practices Mistaken for Regulations
Automatic Sinks and Toilets Pose Challenge
DAMIS Annual Reports due March 15th
New Questions in the DAPM Questionnaire
MRO Must Maintain Originals of CCFs
Ensuring a Truly Random Testing Program
Random Testing for Small Transit Systems
Six Changes That Will Immediately Improve Your Drug and Alcohol Program
CHANTIX Use Poses Safety Risk for Transportation Professionals
Drug and Alcohol Training
Testing Following Self-Referral under Employer Authority
Specimen Collection Quality Assurance Procedures

Issue 46

Fall 2011

New CCF Must Be Used
7th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference
2011 National Drug Control Strategy Released
MROs Must Follow Procedures to Report Test Results
Preparing for an Audit
Remember to Meet Record Retention Requirements
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx & OTC Medications - Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis
Technical Assistance

Issue 45

Summer 2011

Drug Testing Integrity Act of 2011 (HR 707)
6th Annual Conference A Success
MIS Report Submissions Submitted On Time
Testing Authority Must be Indicated
Collector Training Found Lacking
FTA Issues 2011 Rx/OTC Medication Toolkit
Working Group Reviews FTA Rx/OTC Medication Study
Medicaid Contractors Not Covered by FTA
Indiana Requires Medical Qualification Program and Rx/OTC Medication Policy for All Section 5311 Transit Systems
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx & OTC Medications - Pill Mills
Technical Assistance

Issue 44

Winter 2011

Survey Data Shows Drug Use Increasing
6th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference
Random Test Rates Remain the Same for 2011
6-AM Test Procedure Clarified
Correcting CCFs and ATFs
Discontinue Use of Old ATFs
MIS Reports due March 15, 2011
Ferryboat Operators Must Submit MIS Reports to FTA
Livingston Essential Transportation Service (L.E.T.S.) Emphasizes
Safety in its Rx/OTC Medication Use Policy
MBTA Addresses Rx/OTC Medications as Part of Maintaining a Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx & OTC Medications - Synthetic Marijuana Incense or Drug
Technical Assistance

Issue 43

Fall 2010

New Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form
Conference Scheduled for April 5-7, 2011
MRO Requalification Training Requirements Clarified
Time to Use Old ATFs is Running Out
Employer Requirements Added to Part 40
Employers Should Include Ecstasy in Employee Training
Employers Should Review CCF for Accuracy
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx and OTC Medications - Drug Interactions: Take Multiple
Rx/OTC Medications with Caution
Technical Assistance Materials

Issue 42

Summer 2010

Proposed Rule Becomes Final
6th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference
Definitions Modified and Added
Pre-Employment Drug Test Should Occur Before Medical Exam
Date For New ATF Extended
IITFs Will Not Be Allowed
Random Test Results Remain Stable
Confusion Over Volunteers Clarified
Senate Bill Promises to Give FTA Civil Penalty Authority
Clandestine Collections Reveal Problems At Collection Sites
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings - Delaying Screen Test to Allow Mouth Alcohol to Dissipate Not Allowed
Rx and OTC Medications - Driving and Diabetes
Technical Assistance Materials

Issue 41

Spring 2010

DOT Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
DOT Makes Interim Regulatory Changes Final
5th Annual Conference Best Yet!
Public Interest Exclusion Enforced
FTA Researches Impact of Benzodiazepines on Driving
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings - Training
Rx and OTC Medications - Muscle Relaxants-Use with Caution
Technical Assistance Materials

Issue 40

Fall 2009

Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference to be Held in March
Direct Observation for Return-to-Duty & Follow-up Testing Clarified
Medical Use of Marijuana Remains a Violation of DOT's Regulation
FTA Post-Accident Threshold Still Misunderstood
How to Update your List of Contractors for MIS Reporting
Random Survey of Accidents Underway
Majority of Transit Systems Have Rx/OTC Policy
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings - Previous Employer Record Requests
Rx and OTC Medications - Adderall Use Increasing Among Safety-Sensitive Employees
DOT Updates Technical Assistance Materials

Issue 39

Spring 2009

Court Rules - Direct Observation Rule Stands as Written
MRO Procedures Clarified
4th Annual Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference Biggest Yet
ODAPC Names New Senior Policy Advisor
Random Selection Methods
Makers of "Whizzinator" Plead Guilty in Federal Court
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx and OTC Medications
DOT's 10 Steps to Collection Site Security and Integrity Video
Free Training Available

Issue 38

Winter 2009

Direct Observation for Return-to-Duty and Follow-up Testing On Hold
Random Rates Remain Same for 2009
FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference in Nashville
2008 MIS Reports
Swart Named Director of ODAPC
Rx/OTC Medication Research Underway-Transit Systems Requested to Complete Questionnaire
Questions & Answers
Common Audit Findings
Rx and OTC Medications
DOT's Direct Observation Procedures Available Online
Forty HHS Certified Labs Remain

Updated: Tuesday, February 25, 2020

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