7 Steps for Meeting FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Requirements

Feeling overwhelmed by the new FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse requirements which will be implemented on January 6^th, 2020?

Don’t worry—we’ve developed a checklist based on expert advice from Dave Osiecki at Scopelitis Transportation Consulting to help you transition smoothly when the Clearinghouse kicks in during the new year.

Clearinghouse Checklist

1. Get Educated

Carriers and drivers must know quite a few things before the Clearinghouse opens. The FMCSA Regulatory Resource Center and the FMCSA’s Clearinghouse website are great resources for carriers to educate themselves.

2. Communicate with Your Third-Party Administrators (TPA)

FMCSA took steps to ensure that TPAs can continue to manage carrier programs. Talk with your TPAs now to understand what services they’ll be offering and what you’ll be on the hook to handle.

3. Get Registered

Registration is open for the Clearinghouse, and carriers will be able to identify which TPAs are authorized to interact with the Clearinghouse. Motor carriers should also sign-up for updates to receive all the latest information.

4. Update Current Drug and Alcohol Testing Policies

FMCSA has mandated specific content to be added to testing policies. Employers must provide detailed information which will be reported to Clearinghouse. Motor carriers should also review all other company policies and procedures related to drug and alcohol testing to determine if any needs updating.

5. Communicate with All CDL Drivers

Make sure to give your drivers a basic understanding of what the Clearinghouse is and share with them any new and updated policies.

6. Think Through Your Hiring Process

FMCSA has added additional layers to the hiring process, which require motor carriers to evaluate how to adjust their process for efficiency. Things motor carriers should consider include driver recruiting and when to run a query.

7. Purchase Query Bundles

At the beginning of November, the FMCSA started allowing carriers to purchase bundles of queries. Motor carriers should attempt to estimate the number of queries required annually and budget for them. You can find more information on queries bundles here. https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/Resource/Index/Query-Plan

Want More Info on the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Requirements?

We hope this checklist will help you with early preparation for the upcoming Clearinghouse. Preparation now will go a long way in easing the transition and ensuring full compliance by the time the Clearinghouse is implemented. For more information, get our free white paper by Dave Osiecki and his team at Scopelitis Transportation Consulting.