Drug Testing Concerns (Community College)

Seeing as I've already been accepted through WOIA and I can certainly pass a UA (if that's the test the college uses) would it be possible to go ahead and get school out of the way In January, get my CDL and then take a BS job (Uber or something) for 6 months or so to be absolutely certain I've cleared the one year threshold before applying for a trucking gig or would that be suspect from an employer's point of view?

I have read horror stories about waiting. It can leave you with a stale CDL, that is a CDL with no experience, many carriers want to see experience with the CDL. The CDL just opens the door to training, which in turn opens the door to becoming a driver.

That makes a lot of sense. Even if I knew for sure the school just did urine test and had a company picked out that also did urine, company policy could (or that law that's been kicking around since 2015) could change at any time. I guess the only way to be sure is to push it to next year. I just hope that doesn't forfeit my WOIA grant.

Seeing as I've already been accepted through WOIA and I can certainly pass a UA (if that's the test the college uses) would it be possible to go ahead and get school out of the way In January, get my CDL and then take a BS job (Uber or something) for 6 months or so to be absolutely certain I've cleared the one year threshold before applying for a trucking gig or would that be suspect from an employer's point of view?

I have read horror stories about waiting. It can leave you with a stale CDL, that is a CDL with no experience, many carriers want to see experience with the CDL. The CDL just opens the door to training, which in turn opens the door to becoming a driver.

That makes a lot of sense. Even if I knew for sure the school just did urine test and had a company picked out that also did urine, company policy could (or that law that's been kicking around since 2015) could change at any time. I guess the only way to be sure is to push it to next year. I just hope that doesn't forfeit my WOIA grant.

It would be best to make sure that you are 1 full year clean. As for the WIOA grant, if you got approved once, you can get approved a few short months later.

I have news for you.... I know someone who swears she had 3 months clean and just failed a test for pot. The doctor office told her if she smoked daily and for years, she could test positive for 6 months or more. True? I don't know but she "researched so much and thought she was good". So don't be overly confident . Also, I know someone who went to 2 companies the same week... Failed one and passed the other. So tests can be stronger and more strict from place too place.

Personally I would put off school a whole semester. Good luck

Yeah given my slow metabolism, body fat, and heavy use (10 years in the music business and having good pot is almost a job requirement) I have no doubt I'll be at the upper end of that range so I already planned on 3 months for a urine test but now that I understand the severity of a positive result I've decided to push that back to at least 6. I've already passed a couple of home tests but fully intend to get a lab to do urine and hair for me in the Spring before I start training. In the meantime I'm going to do a quick shave neck to toe and get a buzzcut. I'll give myself 6 more months to grow my hair back out then keep it around 2 inches. I'm going to step up my cardio routine and I'm going to a low-fat diet high-creatine diet as cannabis metabolites are stored in fat and if my creatanine levels are too low I'll end up with a dilute sample which I assume is just as bad as a positive. I'll look into a blood test as well. If blood and a 15ng urine test find no trace of THC I think I can assume any new hair growth from that date should be clean. I plan on driving for 25 years. I can wait another 6 months.

I have news for you.... I know someone who swears she had 3 months clean and just failed a test for pot. The doctor office told her if she smoked daily and for years, she could test positive for 6 months or more. True? I don't know but she "researched so much and thought she was good". So don't be overly confident . Also, I know someone who went to 2 companies the same week... Failed one and passed the other. So tests can be stronger and more strict from place too place.

Personally I would put off school a whole semester. Good luck

UPDATE: It's now been 6 months since I quit and I can confirm that for a heavyset daily smoker with a slow metabolism it is indeed possible to test positive at 6 months. Last week I took 2 samples, one was the first collection of the day and the second was mid-day after I'd drank 64 oz of water. (My blood pressure meds dry me out and as a result I always drink a lot of water. I carry a 32 oz bottle wherever I go and by lunch time I'd drank 2 of them.) I got the results back from the lab today. My first sample tested positive at 27ng/dl (below the 50ng threshold for screening) and the second was undetectable. Thanks to the drivers that advised me to wait. I go for the DOT test on Monday and if all goes smoothly I'll start school in 3 weeks.

I have news for you.... I know someone who swears she had 3 months clean and just failed a test for pot. The doctor office told her if she smoked daily and for years, she could test positive for 6 months or more. True? I don't know but she "researched so much and thought she was good". So don't be overly confident . Also, I know someone who went to 2 companies the same week... Failed one and passed the other. So tests can be stronger and more strict from place too place.

Personally I would put off school a whole semester. Good luck

UPDATE: It's now been 6 months since I quit and I can confirm that for a heavyset daily smoker with a slow metabolism it is indeed possible to test positive at 6 months. Last week I took 2 samples, one was the first collection of the day and the second was mid-day after I'd drank 64 oz of water. (My blood pressure meds dry me out and as a result I always drink a lot of water. I carry a 32 oz bottle wherever I go and by lunch time I'd drank 2 of them.) I got the results back from the lab today. My first sample tested positive at 27ng/dl (below the 50ng threshold for screening) and the second was undetectable. Thanks to the drivers that advised me to wait. I go for the DOT test on Monday and if all goes smoothly I'll start school in 3 weeks.

Congrats, man!!

Thanks for the update, Jeb! This will be invaluable information (to confirm what we already recommend) regarding testing.

Best wishes on your new venture, and keep us in the loop!!

Always a good idea to refresh:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

Apply For Paid CDL Training Quick application, our go'to !!!

Truck Driver's Career Guide Great information, overall !!!

Hope you keep us in the loop, as to how things go. Did you decide who/how/where to train; is your grant still available? I know, that was a concern of yours also.

Best wishes, good sir.

~ Anne ~