When can you skip pre-employment testing?

When you hire a new driver for your company or are an owner-operator starting your own DOT drug-free workplace program you’ve got to do pre-employment testing before hitting the road. If you skip it you are at risk for costly fines and might even be shut down depending on the situation.

So does that mean you always have to do a pre-employment test every time a driver is hired? First, you don’t ever need to do pre-employment alcohol testing ever. It’s not required. So don't waste your time and money on it.

So when is pre-employment drug (only) testing required:

• When you as a driver start a business under your own authority.
• When you hire a new driver.
• When a part time driver has not been active in your random pool for 30 days or more.

There are some exceptions that will allow you to skip pre-employment drug testing. You may skip it if a driver (or you as an owner operator)...

were in another DOT complying drug program within 30 days of when they (or you) start in your program and...

were either tested (any required type) within the last six months or...

were in the previous program for a full year prior to starting in yours and...

You can get a signed verification of their (or your) participation in the previous program from the previous employer or program administrator.

If it’s been longer than 30 days or either of the other two conditions aren't true or you can't get verification in writing--then you’ll need to get pre-employment testing done before that driver gets in the cab and drives.

It’s important to get it done because this is one of the areas that inspectors often fine motor carriers for, and the fines can be very costly. Also the liability for a motor carrier that allows an untested driver behind the wheel can be devastating if a driver gets caught or causes a serious accident.