DOT Drug Testing: Urinalysis Or Hair Follicle?

Thanks PR, however my circumstances have changed dramatically. My plan was to do what you're describing, but I need to find a job asap. That is what my post is saying to find out about more companies that do u/a only. I can pass u/a, as I tested negative this morning so I don't need to cheat to get a job. If I go to company sponsored it needs to be u/a only. My other plan was to go to private schooling reach the 90 day mark and be able to pass the hair test as well, but I do not have a job at the moment so paying for the school out of pocket is a no. I have checked with my w.i.a. and I am not guaranteed to receive that money. Maybe I should just be patient wait another month or two which would 3-4 mos. clean get my hair cut for the 1.5 inches needed to for the hair test. but 1-2 mos. with no income is gonna be difficult. I still need gas groceries deodorant etc.

Thanks for your input and time, Kevin

Hey Brett, Not sure if you added this one yet. I admittedly only scanned this thread .

Averitt Express does urine and hair follicle.

What testing does Con-Way and FFE do?

I think this topic needs some clarification, as there is some misleading information. Two years ago, I received training and certification as a urine and hair sample gatherer for work in the oil field, although I never actually performed the job. Hair growth has three phases during its cycle, anogen, catogen and telogen. Once every hair on your body goes through these phases, it is pushed by a new growth in the follicle and falls out. I won't go into the scientific details of these phases. Different hair on different parts of your body fall out after different intervals, with eyelid hair falling out after the shortest time, with head hair the longest.

Most tests are done using the lower 1.5 inches of hair from head hair. This is normally going to give a test result that goes back about ninety days. Head hair can conceivably be tested for drugs going back up to six or seven years if it is very long and has not been cut or fallen out at the end of the telogen phase. I seriously doubt trucking companies are looking for that. However, the company I trained for tested back for up to six months. Body hair has a shorter lifespan before it is replaced by new growth and pushed out. The hair on the arms, legs, eyelashes, and eyebrows have a very short active growth phase of about 30 to 45 days, explaining why they are so much shorter than scalp hair. So any testing of body type hair cannot possibly be reliable very far back, as it is replaced much quicker than head hair. Hope this helps.

Tim, thanks for that info! That's fantastic.

So what a lot of people would like to know is what can they do to make sure they're clean if they haven't done any drugs in recent months? From what you're saying it sounds like the hair from your head is capable of being tested out the furthest if you don't cut it and it doesn't fall out after a certain point.

So would it be safe to say that if someone who hasn't done drugs in say 3 months wanted to make sure they could pass a hair follicle test they could shave the hair on their head and let it grow back to be at least 2 inches (to be safe) and that should get them by?

And to be clear, we're not just talking illegal drugs here. There are a lot of people that message me privately saying they were taking prescription drugs for pain or nerves but without a prescription, which would also result in a failed test.

So can we tell them to stay away from all drugs for 90 days, shave your head, and let it grow back to at least 2 inches and they'll have a great chance of passing a hair follicle test?

This would really help a lot of people!

Tim, thanks for that info! That's fantastic.

So what a lot of people would like to know is what can they do to make sure they're clean if they haven't done any drugs in recent months? From what you're saying it sounds like the hair from your head is capable of being tested out the furthest if you don't cut it and it doesn't fall out after a certain point.

So would it be safe to say that if someone who hasn't done drugs in say 3 months wanted to make sure they could pass a hair follicle test they could shave the hair on their head and let it grow back to be at least 2 inches (to be safe) and that should get them by?

And to be clear, we're not just talking illegal drugs here. There are a lot of people that message me privately saying they were taking prescription drugs for pain or nerves but without a prescription, which would also result in a failed test.

So can we tell them to stay away from all drugs for 90 days, shave your head, and let it grow back to at least 2 inches and they'll have a great chance of passing a hair follicle test?

This would really help a lot of people!

Well, I can only speak for sure about what I found out in training about the testing and by what I have been able to research, but yes, if your head hair is only 1.5 inches long, they cannot go back all that far, about 90 days, IF head hair is all that they are testing. However, body hair is still available to testing although it too cannot go back all that far back being that it is replaced at a considerably faster rate by new growth. Remember, the hair is oldest at its opposing end from the follicle. So if you have really long hair, it is going to be a potential record as long as it has been actively growing. Drug testing of hair is not cheap, even for the 90 day testing. The cost does climb the farther back they go. With so many new hires, my guess is that they are testing back 90 days, but it would just depend on how much the company is willing to spend. I am sure glad I have not been doing drugs. Obviously, this is stressing a lot of folks out.

Awesome! Thanks!

Yes, this is definitely a big deal for a lot of people.

Does anyone know if FFE does UA or follicle testing?

Well...I'd be a warehouse of historic hair, cuz I can sit on it !!!

Schneider does both.