Many of you have sent me emails you have received from consulting firms stating that you are required to have your supervisors of CDL drivers trained in Drug and Alcohol Reasonable Suspicion Testing. These emails are often used as “scare tactics” to get you to purchase their supervisor training courses, webinars, etc.
Well, they are correct that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires this training for your supervisors. But the good news is that the FMCSA makes this training available to you at NO COST!
So, let's look at what the regulations say about training your supervisors of CDL drivers.
By the way, this applies to all motor carriers, both intrastate and interstate.
Who Is Subject to Supervisor Training for Reasonable Suspicion Testing?
CFR §382.603 – Training for Supervisors
Each employer shall ensure that all persons designated to supervise CDL drivers receive at least 60 minutes of training on alcohol misuse and an additional 60 minutes of training on controlled substance use.
The training will be used by supervisors to determine whether reasonable suspicion exists to require a driver to undergo testing under §382.307.
The training shall include the physical, behavioral, speech, and performance indicators of probable alcohol misuse and controlled substance use.
Recurrent training for supervisory personnel is not required.
So, Where Can I Get the Training?
The FMCSA has supervisor training available in video format that can be
downloaded from its website for FREE!
Go to:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/us-department-transportation-dot-drug-alcohol-supervisor-training-guidance
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the last link:
https://transit-safety.fta.dot.gov/DrugAndAlcohol/Tools/ReasonableSuspicion.aspx
The video may take some time to download, depending on its length and the video quality you choose.
You can also check with your Drug and Alcohol (D&A) Third-Party Administrator to see if they provide this training.
Are There Any Training Requirements in the Regulations Specific to Drivers?
In addition to the Hazardous Materials training requirements for drivers, the following regulation applies to CDL drivers who meet the specified criteria:
Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
ELDT establishes minimum training standards for interstate and intrastate drivers applying for their initial CDL, upgrading their current CDL, or obtaining a hazardous materials, passenger, or school bus endorsement for the first time.
The prescribed training requires theory (knowledge) instruction and, when applicable, behind-the-wheel instruction on both a range and public roads.
The ELDT regulation went into effect on February 7, 2022.
