Part 382 — Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing

The FMCSA drug and alcohol testing rulebook for CDL drivers and covered employers.

Applies to covered CDL drivers, employers, owner-operators, managers, dispatchers, and DERs.

Drivers must be removed from safety-sensitive work after prohibited alcohol/drug conduct.

Main test types include pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, RTD, and follow-up.

Do not dispatch a covered driver before required test result, Clearinghouse query, and enrollment proof.

Covered CDL drivers must remain in a compliant random testing pool all year.

Post-accident testing requires fast decision-making, timing control, and documentation.

Reasonable suspicion requires trained observation, documentation, removal, and prompt testing.

Clearinghouse queries, consent, violation reporting, and prohibited status control dispatch eligibility.

After a violation, drivers need SAP, RTD, follow-up testing, and Clearinghouse clearance before dispatch.

A practical checklist for DOT testing, Clearinghouse, random pool, supervisor training, RTD, and records.

A driver can look qualified but still be legally prohibited from driving under Part 382.