The FMCSA Clearinghouse holds information about FMCSA regulated drivers who have had violations in the DOT FMCSA drug & alcohol testing program. An employer can designate a C/TPA to help the employer with FMCSA Clearinghouse requiremens.
Prior to designating a C/TPA in the FMCSA Clearinghouse, an employer should establish a relationship with the C/TPA. A C/TPA is a Consortium/Third Party Administrator providing drug & alcohol testing services. This includes FMCSA regulated owner operators, a relationship with a C/TPA consortium should be established prior to designating a C/TPA in the Clearinghouse.
A C/TPA may provide services to an employer for compliance with the FMCSA Clearinghouse; some do, and some don’t. There is not any requirement for a C/TPA to provide services to an employer for compliance with the FMCSA Clearinghouse. Many C/TPA provide services for Clearinghouse, and many do not.
As an employer, If you do work out an arrangement with C/TPA to provide services to you, here are the services the C/TPA can do for you:
- Run required pre-employment queries
- Run required annual queries
- Report alcohol test violations
- Report actual knowledge violations
- Report refusals to test that are employer determined refusals
- Report negative return to duty test
- Report completion of a follow testing program
- Updating of policies and education programs to notify drivers of what information will be reported to the Clearinghouse
All of the above functions can be accomplished directly by the employer, but some employers elect to outsource these functions to a C/TPA. FMCSA Clearinghouse Services, can serve employers as a C/TPA to assist with the above responsibilities. Clearinghouse Services, Inc offers services to employers and to service agents in the DOT drug and alcohol testing program, check out employer memberships.
What the C/TPA cannot help you with are the following:
- Reporting of a drug test positive – this is a required responsibility of the Medical Review Officer (MRO)
- Reporting of the MRO determined refusal to test, adulterated or substituted – this is a required responsibility of the Medical Review Officer (MRO)
- Reporting of the date of initial SAP assessment – this is a required responsibility of the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)
- Reporting of the date the driver is determined eligible for Return to Duty testing – this is a required responsibility of the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)
For expert assistance for anything to do with the FMCSA Clearinghouse, contact ClearinghouseServices.com. Services are available for employers, owner operators and C/TPA’s.
ClearinghouseServices.com is a private company not affiliated with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). It is our goal to assist employers, CDL drivers and Service Agents with their responsibilities mandated by the FMCSA Clearinghouse rule also known as the Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse – 49 CFR Part 382, Subpart G. Contact the FMCSA Clearinghouse Team directly – Click or Call 844-955-0207
