Re: Drivers Who Test Positive

[rreschran]

There's no doubt that good drivers are hard to find. It's even harder to find and retain good drivers that are clean on the drug screen. In one San Diego company there was a known drug problem. It was even alleged that a driver may have been selling drugs from the company's tow truck. At the request of the company's owner, their newly hired manager initiated drug screen testing for all of the company's drivers. As many as five tested positive and one more refused the test. All six were dismissed. This action sent a message company-wide and created a huge coverage of all accounts, cleaned-up the company and returned the company's reputation to what it once was.So, when you have a good driver that shows some kind of illegal substance in their system as a result of a drug screen, what do you do with them based on the requirements of federal guidelines? At what risk do you keep the driver and fly under the radar?      R.

[GRUMPS The Towman]

I cant see how anyone can let an Operator with a substance abuse issue fly under the radar these days. God forbid something horrible should happen,Your fault or not, The first thing they want is a vial of blood and medical records of the CMV driver involved around here. Test positive and it suddenly IS your fault regardless. I am not a drinker anymore, I used to be a regular beer or two a night guy. But there is usually one occasion a year (usually thanksgiving with the in-laws... Yeah, You know what I mean... LOL ) where I may have a drink or two and i purposely will not work the next day so I know for fact there is no trace of alcohol in my system to be used against me if the worst were to happen. I dont even do a beer with dinner anymore just because of the horror stories I have heard from people.

If I were to have a driver with a substance issue and I felt he was worth keeping I would certainly try to help in anyway I can to get him cleaned up. But for the interim time from the positive results, He would be off the road. I just cant see taking that risk.