Effective January 1, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in December that it would increase the annual minimum percentage rate for random controlled substances testing for truck drivers from 25 percent to 50 percent of the average number of driver positions. The minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing remains at 10 percent. The increase has occurred due to requirements under a provision in the 2001 final rule, “Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing,” which states that the FMCSA administrator must increase the minimum annual random testing percentage rate when the data received under the reporting requirements for any calendar year indicate that the reported positive rate is equal to or greater than 1 percent.
