Pre-Employment Drug Test

Definition

A pre-employment drug test is a controlled-substance test the motor carrier must administer to every CDL applicant before allowing the driver to perform safety-sensitive functions, under 49 CFR §382.301. The test must screen for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine, and amphetamines (including methamphetamine and MDMA) using a 5-panel urine specimen. The carrier must also run a Clearinghouse full query under §382.701(a) before the first dispatch. A negative result must be received before the driver can be released for over-the-road duty; positive results, refusals, or substituted specimens move the driver into Clearinghouse "prohibited" status.