Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) Urges Adoption of Hair Testing Law for Truck Drivers
At a recent House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) addressed Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about safety requirements for the commercial trucking industry. In addition to raising the issue of marijuana reclassification, he reiterated his support of hair testing for commercial truck drivers, a measure that Congress adopted in 2015, but which the Department of Health and Human Services has failed to implement.
Congress gave the Department of Health and Human Services one year, until 2016, to adopt testing guidelines so the Dept of Transportation could implement the law. That was 8 years ago. So a drug testing method that is recognized throughout the world has yet to be implemented in the U.S.
In the meantime, research is showing that hair drug tests are 10x more effective at detecting drug use than a urine test. Trucking Alliance carriers have disqualified thousands of drivers for employment. But they simply go to another trucking company that only requires a urine test.
We will continue to advocate for this safety reform, among many others, as an effective means of reducing large-truck crashes.
Why hair tests are more effective
Workers in “safety-sensitive” occupations like truck driving are required to pass a urinalysis drug test. But according to a 2022 Trucking Alliance study, as many as 9 out of 10 truck drivers who use illegal drugs escape detection with a urine test. The hair drug test catches them.
Urinalysis testing is simple and low-cost, but drug users can easily mask the results, with products that can be purchased over the counter.
Hair drug tests are different, because people can’t mask the results. Hair testing has several benefits, including the following:
- Extended detection window of up to 90 days
- In addition to evidence of drug use, it provides the frequency of drug use
- More difficult to manipulate
- Detects significantly more cocaine, opioids, amphetamines/methamphetamines, marijuana, ecstasy, and PCP
How we’re taking action
We’ll continue to advocate for the recognition of hair drug testing of commercial truck drivers, as Congress directed eight years ago. The cost of human life is much too high not to take this issue seriously.
Learn more about the Trucking Alliance
If you’re invested in highway safety and eager to learn more about hair drug testing, or the Trucking Alliance in general, we encourage you to follow our News Section. In addition, we frequently post information on LinkedIn. Have questions or want to get involved? Please feel free to contact us, and we’ll respond as soon as possible!