Question About Drug Testing

Hi, I've been considering a career in trucking. I do not do any illegal drugs. I do, however, take xanax occationally for anxiety (obviously not while operating a vehicle). It is prescribed by my doctor. I just want to find out if it is tested for in a drug test. My fear is that if I say I take xanax, it will set off red flags to potential employers, so if its not something that is tested for, I would prefer not to disclose this information.

Does anyone have any insite on this?

Mike, I realize you consider your situation unique, and want to avoid incriminating yourself unnecessarily, but the truth is that even if the D.O.T. doesn't require a trucking company to test for a certain type of drug, there is nothing that can keep them for looking for it if they are interested. They pay for the drug test, and they can test for additional drugs if they want to.

As a commercial driver you are required to reveal to your employer what ever medications you are taking. You will be given a form prior to your drug test that you need to fill out showing all your medications. To be honest with you that form is for your protection - if you are taking something that would trigger a fail on your test, the fact that you have a prescription for it, and revealed it on that test is what covers you from failing the test.

You have to realize that a company that has thousands of big trucks out there on the road has a tremendous exposure of liability, and it would not be prudent for them to have drivers out there keeping secrets about their medications. Can you imagine the court room scene where you are being tried for someone's death in a major trucking accident accident, when the prosecutor reveals that he has found medical records of you having prescriptions for whatever drug it may be that you had concealed from your employer? It is not a pretty sight.

Xanax is one that some companies will allow, while others will not. I witnessed a driver with a prescription for Xanax get sent home from a TMC orientation because they did not want to take what they considered the associated risks related to the medication. I was being sent home also, for different reasons, but the driver and I were discussing his problem and I suggested that he get right on the phone with another company that he was interested in and be right up front with them about his situation and see what they had to say. He contacted a recruiter with Schneider and within about ten minutes he had a start date for orientation, and they fully understood his situation. They simply did not consider it a deal breaker for them.

In short, it is always best to be completely up front with these companies. It is just the best policy, and it really will protect you. Let me lay out a scenario for you so you will see what I mean about it protecting you.

Let's just say you go to work for "Big Miles Transport." Okay, you've been there three months and it is time to bring your truck into the terminal for an oil change - a P.M., in trucker speak (Preventive Maintenance). While your truck is in the shop they do a quick search of the cab, as is their legal right and responsibility and they find the bottle of doctor prescribed Xanax that you so discreetly didn't tell them about. They fire you, which is there legal right, and then they put something nasty on your DAC report about drugs. Now you are a rookie with a black eye and nobody wants to give you a second chance... You are back to looking at jobs on the Fryer at a burger joint... There's a better way, just be upfront and let the chips fall where they will. You can have a successful career if you lay the right foundation, but trying to conceal something like prescription medicines from your employer in the trucking business is never going to turn out good.

Thank for the info Old School.

I don't want this to be a factor for whether or not I'm hired by a trucking company. I'll just stop using them. I'd rather go into this thing with a clean slate.

Depending on how many mg per day you have been talking and for how long. They recommend weaning your body from them by .5mg per month. Stopping cold turkey can have some effects nobody wants.

Depending on how many mg per day you have been talking and for how long. They recommend weaning your body from them by .5mg per month. Stopping cold turkey can have some effects nobody wants.

I don't take them on a daily basis. Just as needed. In the last year, I've only refilled my prescription once. That's 60 pills at .25mg in a year. Not worried about withdraw symptoms.

Now the only thing you would need to worry about is how you got the prescription and why it was prescribed or in other words your medical records. If I'm not mistaken over the last few days while I've been applying to all these companies and entering my social security number they are asking for authorization to check my DMV , criminal as well as medical history. And just as everyone else has said some will be ok with it but some will want a M.D to sign off that your ok without it or as to why it was prescribed in the first place. Just things to think about

Hey, so everyone knows we have a ton of information about drug testing:

• Hair Follicle vs. Urinalysis: Breakdown By Company - updated list of companies and the type of drug testing they do.
• DOT Alcohol and Drug Policies & Testing - Federal drug testing policies including who is tested, when you're tested, and what they test for.
• CDL Drug & Alcohol Test Methods & Detection Times - includes hair follicle and urinalysis facts along with factors affecting detection times