Marijuana testing for truck drivers
The trucker shortage in the US is only getting worse, and this is being caused, in part, by the new federal drug-testing restrictions. These restrictions have resulted in more than 72,000 truck drivers being taken off US roads since January 2020 due to failed drug tests. This is a big number, considering that the American Trucking Association has stated that the trucker shortage is currently causing havoc on the US economy.
Testing creating a shortage of truckers
One of the reasons for the trucker shortage is that many potential truckers are failing drug tests. The new federal drug-testing restrictions that were imposed nationwide last year require all truck drivers to pass a marijuana test. This requirement is senseless, given that marijuana is now legal in many states. The fact that marijuana is legal in some states but not others create an unfair burden for truckers who live in states where marijuana is legal.
The new federal drug-testing restrictions are also causing many truck drivers to quit their jobs. Some truckers are choosing to stop driving altogether, while others are choosing to drive for companies that don’t test for marijuana. This is creating a shortage of qualified truck drivers and is harming the US economy.
It’s time for the federal government to repeal the new drug-testing restrictions and to allow marijuana to be tested in states where it is legal. This would help to solve the trucker shortage and would help to improve the US economy.
