Student drivers are drivers that are not yet fully licensed but hold a Commercial Learners Permit (CLP).
Student drivers have two options for training; a training school or seek employment with a motor carrier that hires and trains CLP drivers for their company.
- Student drivers attending a training school are responsible for their own compliance of 49 CFR Part 382 and are required to have a written drug and alcohol testing policy and education materials per Part 382.601. Student drivers are required to have a pre-employment drug test on record as well as participate in a random testing consortium and designate a Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) in the FMCSA Clearinghouse. Training schools do not conduct queries on their students unless conducting them as the Third-party administrator. A training school may choose to register as a Third -Party Administrator (C/TPA) to assist their CLP students with their FMCSA Clearinghouse compliance. A training school is required to register in the FMCSA Clearinghouse as an employer as an employer to conduct Pre-employment Queries and Annual Queries on the instructors they employ.
- Motor Carriers that hire CLP drivers to train are required to register with the FMCSA Clearinghouse as an employer. Since these student drivers are being hired as employees, the motor carrier is responsible for conducting Pre-employment Queries and Annual Queries. The employer will also add the student drivers they employ to their random testing pool.
Prior to operating a Commercial Motor Vehicle on public roads with their CLP a student driver will need to have a Pre-employment Query conducted by a C/TPA or employer. A pre-employment DOT drug test is also required. Once drivers have completed training and hold a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), they can reach out to the FMCSA Clearinghouse to have the Student Driver designation removed.
If you are a Student Driver, Third-party administrator or motor carrier that is seeking further assistance with your FMCSA Clearinghouse compliance, please visit us at clearinghouseservices.com or call us 877-345-2425.
For student drivers attending a driving school, assistance for the requirements is available in one comprehensive package. The student driver can utilize the National Drug Screening (NDS) owner operator package.
Training schools looking to operate as a Consortium/Third Party Administrator can look at the National Drug Screening Reseller Program for further assistance.
For any FMCSA Clearinghouse assistance contact Clearinghouse Services.
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
