FMCSA Offers Resources for the Upcoming Implementation of the Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today released additional online resources for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders, employers, state driver licensing agencies, medical review officers, and substance abuse professionals regarding the upcoming implementation of its CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse in January 2020. 

 

The new clearinghouse resource webpage provides commercial motor vehicle (CMV) stakeholders with a variety of informative resources about the clearinghouse, including a comprehensive fact sheet, implementation timeline, frequently asked questions, and more.  Additionally, CMV stakeholders can sign-up to receive clearinghouse-related email updates as the implementation progresses.

 

“As this Congressional mandate is enacted, FMCSA’s goal is to provide as many resources and updates as possible to those who will be using the upcoming Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.  As we transition to the use of the clearinghouse, we will ensure drivers, employers, and state licensing agencies are kept up-to-date throughout the implementation process.  FMCSA is here to be helpful and to assist all CMV stakeholders who have questions regarding the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse,” said FMCSA Administrator Raymond P. Martinez. 

 

The clearinghouse will be a secure online database that will allow FMCSA, CMV employers, State Driver Licensing Agencies, and law enforcement officials to identify – in real-time – CDL drivers who have violated federal drug and alcohol testing program requirements, and thereby improve safety on our nation’s roads.

 

For more information on FMCSA’s new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse resource website, visit https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/

Legal Status for Transport of Hemp Remains Confusing

Courtesy Transport Topics
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to hear a legal challenge to the arrest of an Oregon truck driver and seizure of a 6,700-pound load of hemp being transported through Idaho.

The legal case, believed to be the first of its kind since new legislation made industrial hemp legal, pits the federal law allowing production and transport of hemp against an Idaho statute that defines hemp as an illegal substance.  Read More...

New ATRI Research Quantifies Impacts of Congestion on Fuel Consumption and Emissions

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - The American Transportation Research Institute today released a case study that quantifies how improvements to our nation’s highway infrastructure can help conserve fuel and reduce emissions. Nationally, congestion is estimated to have increased the trucking industry’s fuel consumption by 6.87 billion gallons in 2016; adding an additional $15.74 billion to its fuel bill.

 

In this newly released analysis, ATRI estimated the fuel consumption and emissions impacts of congestion at one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the country, the interchange of I-285 and I-85 in Atlanta, Georgia; known locally as Spaghetti Junction. The research combined ATRI’s unique truck GPS database to determine vehicle speeds by time of day, daily trip counts collected by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and emissions factors derived from the U.S. EPA’s state-of-the-science emissions model.

 

The study found that increasing average vehicle speeds to 55 mph, which currently are as low as 14 mph during the weekday evening commute, is projected to save 4.5 million gallons of fuel annually – savings which benefit both local commuters and trucking companies. Beyond fuel savings, reductions in emissions were estimated to be 17 percent for fine particulate matter, 5.5 percent for smog-forming NOx emissions and 8 percent for carbon dioxide emissions.

 

“Fleets today consider not only their bottom line but also their environmental performance,” said Mack Guest, president of LAD Truck Lines. “This case study highlights how investing in our nation’s infrastructure can serve the dual purpose of lowering transportation costs and air pollution.”

 

The report is the second case study ATRI has published as part of its “Fixing the 12%” research initiative. ATRI previously found that 89 percent of the trucking industry’s congestion costs are generated from just 12 percent of Interstate miles. Improving that 12 percent could positively impact the flow of people and good as well as the environment.

 

A copy of this report is available here.