DOT Drug Testing Locations Gastonia, NC

Our Local DOT Drug testing facilities in Gastonia, NC and the surrounding areas provide DOT Drug Testing, DOT Alcohol Testing, DOT Physicals, Consortium enrollment and other DOT services for Employers, Single operators and all DOT modes that are required to comply with 49 CFR Part 40 in Gastonia, NC including FMCSA, FTA, FAA, USCG, FRA and PHMSA . Testing centers are within minutes of your home or office and same-day service is available in most cases.

Scheduling a DOT test is Fast and Easy, call our scheduling department or schedule your test online 24/7

* You must register by phone or online to receive your donor pass/registration prior to proceeding to the testing center.

(Don't see a DOT drug testing location near you, call us at (800) 221-4291)

Accredited Drug Testing can schedule your DOT drug test at any of our Gastonia, NC Drug testing locations, Call us Today!

"When you need a test, choose the best"

(800) 221-4291

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How to schedule a DOT drug test in Gastonia, NC

To schedule any type of DOT drug test or alcohol test in Gastonia, NC call our local scheduling department at (800) 221-4291. You may also schedule your DOT drug test online utilizing our express scheduling registration system by selecting your test and completing the Donor Information/Registration Section. You must register for the test prior to proceeding to the testing center.

The zip code you enter will be used to determine the closest DOT drug or DOT alcohol testing center that performs the type of test you have selected. A donor pass/registration form with the local testing center address, hours of operation and instructions will be sent to the e-mail address you provided. Take this form with you or have it available on your smartphone to provide to the testing center. No appointment is necessary in most cases. However, you must complete the donor information section and pay for the test at the time of registration.

Our laboratories are SAMHSA-certified and all test results are verified by our in-house licensed physicians who serve as Medical Review Officers (MRO).

In addition to providing DOT drug testing and DOT breath alcohol testing in Gastonia, NC , Accredited Drug Testing also has additional testing centers throughout the metropolitan area and surrounding cities.

On the road or on vacation, no worries, Accredited Drug Testing has over 20,000 testing centers in all cities Nationwide and we can schedule your test, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!

(800) 221-4291

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DOT Changes to Part 40

On May 2, 2023, the Department of Transportation published its final rule in the Federal Register to include oral fluid testing in the DOT drug testing program.  This final rule became effective June 1, 2023.

Please note that DOT oral fluid testing cannot be implemented as of yet until the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies at least two laboratories. One as a primary lab and a second lab to serve as split specimen testing.

Changes to DOT-regulated employees?

DOT-regulated safety-sensitive employees can now be subject to an oral fluid collection or urine drug testing collection for ANY DOT-regulated test and this choice is up to the employer.  DOT has also authorized that Substance Abuse Professionals (SAP) evaluations may continue to be conducted remotely.

How do these changes affect DOT employers?

Employers must select what methodology they would like to use for their drug testing program (randoms' oral fluid, pre-employment urine, etc). Ensure you have a business relationship/agreement with any collections site for the services you wish to use for your drug testing program.  As an employer, you must also have your Designated Employer representative available 24-7 in the event any problem collections or situations arise or to discuss any standing orders that may arise for problem collections.

What are the DOT drug testing requirements?.

In 1991, the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act created the following DOT Agencies which established drug and alcohol testing regulations to ensure that aircraft, trains, trucks, and buses were operated in a safe and responsible manner. As an employer or individual operating in a "Safety Sensitive" position, it is important to understand how these regulations impact you.

49 CFR Part 40 (commonly known as Part 40) explains:

• How drug and alcohol testing is conducted
• Who is authorized to participate in the drug and alcohol testing program
• What employees must do before they may return to duty after a drug and/or alcohol violation

Each DOT Agency and the USCG have specific regulations that cover:

• The agency's prohibitions on drug and alcohol use
• Who is subject to comply with these regulations
• What type of testing is required
• When testing is required
• Consequences of non-compliance

FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) amended its rule that would establish requirements for commercial driver's license employers and individuals with regard to the drug and alcohol clearing house which will take effect on January 6, 2020.

The FMCSA Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will allow employers, the FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies, State Law Enforcement and individual CDL operators to access real-time important information about a CDL Driver's drug and alcohol program violations and the ultimate goal of this database is to enhance safety on our Nation's public roadways.

For specific requirements, click the appropriate agency listed below in which you or your company is regulated by. Ask about our DOT Complete Compliance Package!

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (14 CFR Part 120)
• United States Coast Guard (USCG) (46 CFR Parts 4,5 and 16)
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) (49 CFR Part 382)
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) (49 CFR Part 199)
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (49 CFR Part 655)
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) (49 CFR Part 219)

The Opioid Overdose Crisis

Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids,including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.

• Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.
• Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder.
• An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.
• About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.
• Opioid overdoses increased 30 percent from July 2016 through September 2017 in 52 areas in 45 states.
• The Midwestern region saw opioid overdoses increase 70 percent from July 2016 through September 2017.
• Opioid overdoses in large cities increased by 54 percent in 16 states.

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This subsequently led to widespread diversion and misuse of these medications before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.3,4 Opioid overdose rates began to increase. In 2017, more than 47,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1That same year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers, and 652,000 suffered from a heroin use disorder (not mutually exclusive)

DOT Compliance Checklist in Gastonia, NC

DOT 49 CFR Part 40 Requirements for Safety Sensitive Employees.
(FMCSA-FAA-USCG-FRA-PHMSA-FTA)

• Pre-Employment Tests
• Correct Federal Custody & Control Form (CCF)
• Substance Abuse Professional Process
• Regulations on File
• Random Pool Testing
• *Supervisor Training
• *Written Policy
• Post-Accident Testing Situations
• Previous Employers Checks
• Employee Education
• Record Keeping
• Removal of covered Employee
• Designated Employer Representative

* In addition, any company which employs 2 or more covered employees must have a written drug and alcohol policy and all supervisors must complete the DOT Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion Training. (Click here to learn more about our online training programs)

If a DOT covered employee or company does not have a copy of the original pre-employment drug test with a negative result, then a new DOT pre-employment drug test must be conducted, and the result maintained on file.

The department of transportation (DOT) requires that all DOT regulated "safety sensitive" employees have on file a negative DOT pre-employment drug test result and be a member of a DOT approved random selection consortium. In addition, if a DOT regulated company has more than one "safety sensitive" employee, the employer must also have a written DOT drug and alcohol policy and an on-site supervisor must have completed supervisor training for reasonable suspicion of illegal drug use or impairment.

To be compliant with DOT regulations, a company's DOT drug and alcohol testing program must have the following components. Failing to comply can result in significant fines and penalties.

(800) 221-4291

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What is a DOT Drug Test in Gastonia, NC ?

On January 1, 2018 the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a new rule which altered the DOT 5 panel urine test. Employers and individuals should be aware that the current DOT drug test is still a urine drug test, collected by qualified collectors, analyzed at a SAMHSA certified laboratory and reviewed by a licensed Medical Review Officer. Below you will find a list of the drugs that are screened for in the DOT 5 panel urine drug test:

• Marijuana (THC)
• Cocaine
• Amphetamines
• Opioids**
• Phencyclidine (PCP)

** Special note: Opioids' was previously called Opiates' and all DOT drug tests will continue to include confirmation testing for Codeine, Morphine, and 6-AM (heroin) when necessary.

In the January rule change, the Department of Transportation (DOT) also added initial screening and confirmation testing for the semi-synthetic opioids Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, and Oxymorphone to this Opioids group

When is a DOT drug test required in Gastonia, NC ?

All safety sensitive employees regardless of DOT agency are required for the following drug testing and/or alcohol testing based on each situation:

• Pre-employment
• Random
• Reasonable suspicion
• Return to Duty
• Post-Accident
• Follow Up

What is DOT pre employment testing in Gastonia, NC ?

As a new hire or a current employee transferring from a non-safety sensitive function into a safety sensitive function (even with the same employer), you are required to submit to a DOT pre employment drug test.

Some employers may, but are not required to, conduct pre employment alcohol testing. Only after your employer receives a negative pre employment DOT drug test result (and negative alcohol test result - if administered) may you begin performing in a safety-sensitive capacity.

What is random DOT Drug Testing in Gastonia, NC ?

All safety sensitive employees are subject to unannounced random drug & alcohol testing. Alcohol testing is administered just prior to, during or just after performing safety-sensitive functions. Depending on the industry specific regulations, you may only be subject to random drug testing.

Listed below are the current (2019) DOT random testing rates for each DOT agency.

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What is reasonable suspicion DOT drug testing in Gastonia, NC ?

Safety sensitive individuals and employees are required to submit to any test (whether it is a drug test, alcohol test or both) that a supervisor requests based on reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that one or more trained supervisors reasonably believes or suspects that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Supervisors cannot require testing based on a hunch or guess alone; their suspicion must be based on observations concerning your appearance, behavior, speech and smell that are usually associated with drug or alcohol use

What is return to duty DOT Drug Testing in Gastonia, NC ?

If you have violated the prohibited drug & alcohol testing rules, you are required to take a return to duty drug and/or alcohol test before being allowed to return to a safety-sensitive function for any DOT regulated employer. You may also be subject to unannounced follow-up testing for at least 6 times in the first 12 months following your return to active safety-sensitive service.

Return-to-duty tests must be conducted under direct observation.

What is DOT post accident drug testing Gastonia, NC ?

If you are involved in an event (accident, crash, etc.) meeting certain criteria of the DOT agency, a post-accident drug test will be required. In most cases you will then have to take a drug and alcohol test if you are involved in a qualifying crash. Each DOT agency may have specific rules with regards to what is a post-accident test, for example, the FRA requires a blood specimen for drug testing and an alcohol test.

If you are involved in a qualifying accident, you are required to remain available for this testing and are not permitted to refuse testing.

Remember: Safety-sensitive employees are obligated by law to submit to and cooperate in drug & alcohol testing mandated by DOT regulations.

What is DOT follow up drug testing Gastonia, NC ?

DOT follow up testing occurs when an individual has violated the drug and alcohol testing rules. The amount of follow-up testing you receive is determined by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and may continue for up to 5 years. This means the SAP will determine how many times you will be tested (at least 6 times in the first year), for how long, and for what substance (i.e. drugs, alcohol, or both). Your employer is responsible for ensuring that follow-up testing is conducted and completed. Follow up testing is in addition to all other DOT required testing and all follow-up tests will be observed. For more information on the SAP process or to locate a Substance Abuse Professional in Gastonia, NC simply call us at (800)221-4291

When you need a test, choose the best!

DOT Drug Testing Services Gastonia, NC

(800)221-4291

For more information regarding the effects of drug abuse - Click Here

For more information on a drug free work place - Click Here