Students in Truck Driving Schools – DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing

A student in a Truck Driving School with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) is required to have a drug test and initial query in the FMCSA Clearinghouse. In addition, the student driver must be enrolled in a random testing consortium.

In this article we will cover:

Student Drivers and the FMCSA Clearinghouse

For the FMCSA Clearinghouse the student driver must register using the current commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit (CLP) information. This is required to view your Clearinghouse record and respond to query requests.

For students in a driver school not affiliated or operated by a motor carrier (employer), the student driver must designate their consortium/third-party administration (C/TPA). Do not designate a C/TPA in the Clearinghouse without first reaching out to them. Your driving school may or not be the consortium/third-party administration (C/TPA).

Bottom line the student driver must comply with FMCSA drug & alcohol testing regulations. This can be done with a consortium/third-party administration (C/TPA) or with the truck driving school this is registered as a consortium/third-party administration (C/TPA).
Check out our compliant services for DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing program for student drivers

Truck Driving Schools and the FMCSA Clearinghouse

Traditionally truck driving schools have required DOT drug and alcohol testing of students. These schools have also required random drug and alcohol testing programs. A new ruling has emphasized that there is not employer – employee relationship in a driving school program where the driver school is not affiliated or operated by a motor carrier (employer).

Student drivers should not be tested in the same employer drug testing account as the truck driving school instructors.

With this new ruling, the students are required to have a drug test and initial query in the FMCSA Clearinghouse. In addition, the student driver must be enrolled in a random testing consortium. This can be accomplished by the student in one of two ways:

National Drug Screening, Inc is available to assist student drivers with their responsibilities to get an initial drug test and initial query in the FMCSA Clearinghouse along with getting enrolled into random testing consortium.

National Drug Screening is also available to assist truck driving schools to operate as a consortium/third-party administration (C/TPA) including registration in the FMCSA Clearinghouse. The truck driving school operating as a TPA will need two programs; one for their own employees (instructors) and one for the students.

Summary information on truck driving schools and students from FMCSA Clearinghouse

CDL driving schools can request assistance from National Drug Screening to operate as a consortium/ third-party administrator (C/TPA) and or set up an in-house program for your own employees(instructors) – call 321 622 2020 or contact us.

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