The FMCSA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, requires, under 49 CFR 382.603 that supervisors of drivers who operate motor vehicles requiring a commercial driver license, take a course consisting of 60 minutes of training on the symptoms of alcohol abuse and another 60 minutes of training on the symptoms of controlled substances. The purpose of this training is to enable supervisors to determine whether reasonable suspicion exists to require a driver to undergo testing. This regulation is a mandate for all company employees that are designated to supervise drivers.
Compliant Supervisor Training discusses the regulatory requirements regarding reasonable suspicion determination; the testing processes; how to approach a driver, including techniques to use to ease tense situations; how to document observed behavior; what the process is after testing; and what the warning signs of alcohol misuse and drug abuse are, inclusive of what to look for to determine reasonable suspicion.
Please be aware that if your company operates vehicles that require a CDL on the public roads and you have more than one employee in the company, under §382.603 your supervisors are required to get DOT Supervisor Training. Although there isn’t any requirement for this training to be repeated after a supervisor has completed the course, it is recommended that supervisors refresh their training at least every 18 months.
The FMCSA regulations also require that you develop a written policy on controlled substances use and alcohol misuse in the workplace and that the policy be provided to every driver.
Supervisory training is required to determine if drug or alcohol testing is needed and to determine if a there is reasonable suspicion to believe that a covered employee has used a prohibited drug and or has engaged in alcohol misuse. This is not to be confused with random testing which is mandatory requirement to test a specific percentage of your DOT employee pool at the minimum annual percentage rate.
Alliance 2020 is partnered with the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) to provide supervisor training that satisfies FMCSA requirements. Click here to view our complete library of training resources.
