Probably Asked A Bunch But I Need To Know

I used to make good money doing something that I really disliked and went ahead and made a change. I received my CDL class A from a non accredited school, No small company will hire me now. I must go in with one of the big guns, Knight transportation caught my eye but now I notice that hair testing is big in trucking and I have only been clean one month off of marijuana. I used to like to wind down at night with 2 or 3 puffs to take the edge off my demanding career. Being a business owner myself I never had to be off marijuana, I will stop rest of my life if I must to obtain this trucking position, But I digress my true motive to signing on to the forum is to ask you all ex-drug users out there how you passed your test. To my understanding a hair test reads back 5 years, I can't be without a job for 5 years and I really don't want to have to resort to my last career. Thank you all for taking the time to read this.

The Trucking Truth Wiki has this article. Hair Follicle is down the page:

CDL Drug & Alcohol Test Methods & Detection Times

I suppose if you didn't cut your hair for five years someone could find that gold dust. But regular testing only looks at about 90 - 120 days.

The Trucking Truth Wiki has this article. Hair Follicle is down the page:

CDL Drug & Alcohol Test Methods & Detection Times

I suppose if you didn't cut your hair for five years someone could find that gold dust. But regular testing only looks at about 90 - 120 days.

Thanks for that. What I don't understand is they cut the hair, test it and find something past 90 days do they say something? I really don't understand this. I actually shaved my head yesterday before I found out about this whole hair testing now I have to wait til my hair grows out 1 1/2 inches? that is crazy

There's got to be a small or medium sized company that will take you after successfully passing a regular pee test. Hair sampling? Seriously? How do companies expect to fill all those empty trucks if they care about what party you went to two years ago?

FYI, Not ALL Companies use hair follicle testing. I would assume those that do are in the minority. I went to Swift in Phoenix in April. Just pee in a cup. Either way I would give it 3-6 months minimum. You DO NOT want a failed drug test in this Business. You really, really, don't. Good Luck!

Hair testing, I believe, is not the FMCSA official method (yet). If you shave your head, you should have hair in other places they will sample.

The only problem is if you try to outsmart the lab by shaving/ removing ALL your hair. Then you'd probably be sent home to grow some more.

I've taken 4 hair follicle test in 4 years (pre-emp + randoms) while working in oil and gas industry. 3 out of 4 times they didn't even go for my hair. Instead they took armpit hair and once took it from my leg.

I've read many talk here (and other forums) about how long it takes to grow 1/2 inch of "head hair", etc...etc... but the testing companies are hip to a lot of the adulterants, washes or "going bald", so they are into areas that take longer to grow.

I've seen many guys take to shaving these areas and they get released due to "evading" the test.

And to add, I've read a thread most recently on other trucker forums where someone claimed to be clean for 5 months and they still were failed. I think it was for Swift.

There are megas that are still UA only for now, but this will change eventually. The list is updated on the site and you can also search reddit for a lot of these updates as well.

I've taken 4 hair follicle test in 4 years (pre-emp + randoms) while working in oil and gas industry. 3 out of 4 times they didn't even go for my hair.

Sorry, I meant HEAD hair

And to add, I've read a thread most recently on other trucker forums where someone claimed to be clean for 5 months and they still were failed. I think it was for Swift.

Nope, not for Swift. Either a mod erased it or I imagined it. My apologies. Will go back to my corner now. lol

I've taken 4 hair follicle test in 4 years (pre-emp + randoms) while working in oil and gas industry. 3 out of 4 times they didn't even go for my hair. Instead they took armpit hair and once took it from my leg.

I've read many talk here (and other forums) about how long it takes to grow 1/2 inch of "head hair", etc...etc... but the testing companies are hip to a lot of the adulterants, washes or "going bald", so they are into areas that take longer to grow.

I've seen many guys take to shaving these areas and they get released due to "evading" the test.

And to add, I've read a thread most recently on other trucker forums where someone claimed to be clean for 5 months and they still were failed. I think it was for Swift.

There are megas that are still UA only for now, but this will change eventually. The list is updated on the site and you can also search reddit for a lot of these updates as well.

thanks for the response this is very disheartening news. Any way you can find that link for me with the list of the companies that only do urine? I searched google to no avail. Thanks again.