OTA Drug & Alcohol Testing

Oregon Trucking Association (OTA) Consortium Membership

The OTA provides complete drug and alcohol testing program management. OTA Consortium Members receive assistance with regulatory compliance, managing random selections, mitigating delays in the testing process, quality assurance, audit preparation, document retention & preparation, and consolidated billing.

OTA Consortium can support customized drug and alcohol screening programs that include any and all testing: Pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return-to-work, and follow-up testing. We can also help set-up new testing policies and programs, customized for your needs. The breadth of the program is determined by you.

FMCSA Random Testing Rates mandated for each driver pool is currently: Drug:50% , Alcohol: 10%. Testing rates are systematically reviewed and are subject to change by the DOT.

Support your Oregon Trucking Association! Become an OTA Consortium Member Today!

FMCSA Regulations: Required Drug Testing

Holders of a commercial driver’s license who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in interstate or intrastate commerce and their employers are subject to DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations. Within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for Drug and Alcohol testing, a Commercial Motor Vehicle is defined as vehicle or a vehicle in combination with a trailer used to transport passengers or property, if the vehicle:

• • Has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more or a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more inclusive of a towed unit with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds; or
• • Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or
• • Is of any size and is used to transport hazardous materials that require a DOT placard. As a general rule, you need to be in a program if you are required to have a commercial driver’s license, or CDL, to operate your vehicle.

What is included in an OTA Consortium Membership?

Membership includes more than just performing random selections and providing access to a network of over 4,000 collection sites.

1. Random Selections Process

• • We ensure DOT compliance of managing pools of individuals governed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to meet the minimum testing percentage requirements, currently at least 50% of most DOT governed employees in a testing pool must be randomly tested for drugs (FAA is at 25%) while 10% need to be tested for alcohol by the end of the testing year
• • We take the job of managing DOT testing seriously as each individual company depends upon the group to follow through with their drivers to meet the testing requirements
• • Our staff works tirelessly to ensure each company’s Designated Employer Representative (DER) is informed of driver selections and assists them in tracking which drivers have been tested and who have not
• • We help find near-by collection sites across the nation.

2. Testing Process of Collection Site, Lab, and MRO

• • Calling collection site to make sure they have the right gender staff for an observed collection or that they have a Breath Alcohol Test equipment on site
• • We then authorize the drug test and make sure forms are filled out correctly
• • We send the info over to the employer DER and the collection site
• • As soon as we know the donor went in, we get paperwork and make sure specimen is sent to the lab, that the lab received the specimen, and that the lab has all the required documents needed
• • If there is a memorandum or correction needed, we make sure the collection site fixes any issues
• • We call the lab daily until the test gets done
• • If there is a positive test reported, we make sure the MRO process is handled as efficiently as possible

3. Quality Assurance

• • We work with SAMHSA Certified Labs to ensure the highest accuracy in every test
• • Members may choose to have a Medical Review Officer to review positive test results
• • We ensure all results are legally defensible in the court of law
• • We handle the required drug test document retention
• • We help prepare audit packages
• • We do MIS reporting and CDL positive reporting, and other state reporting requirements
• • We are your expert resource in all drug testing industry regulations and news
• • We do not violate any regulations and do not allow our members to violate regulations
• • We offer Drug & Alcohol Policy Development and DER and Supervisor Training for our members

Become an OTA Consortium Member Today! Fill out the form more information and Membership Rates. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

• • What is a Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA)?
  • A Consortium/TPA is a service agent that provides or coordinates one or more drug and alcohol testing services. This includes groups of employers who join together to administer the DOT drug and alcohol testing programs of its members. In other words, having a combined random testing pool.

• • I am a small company. Why do I need a Consortium/Third Party Administrator when I can adequately manage my company’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Program?
  • There are no rules or regulations stating that you cannot run your own DOT drug and alcohol testing program. However, there are many regulatory requirements that must be followed to be compliant — such as a policy, a certified MRO, certified testing, Reasonable-Suspicion training for supervisors, Post-Accident training, etc. Companies of all sizes find it too difficult and too distracting to manage its own program. An effective Consortium/Third Party Administrator will keep you in compliance, informed of regulation changes and provide required reports.

• • I’m an owner-operator with no other drivers. Do I need a drug and alcohol testing program?
  • Yes. Not only do the regulations require that you have a program, they specifically state that you must participate in a drug and alcohol testing consortium.

• • When Are Drivers Added to the Random Pool
  • Upon Enrolling in the Consortium you can Add your Active Drivers that you have Negative DOT Pre-Employment Drug Test Results on file.
  • After Enrolling you can Order Pre-Employment Drug Tests. Once the Medical Review Officer reports Negative Pre-Employment Results and Before Drivers Are Behind The Wheel, Drivers will Automatically be Added to the Random Pool.

• • Do I need a Supervisor Training Course?
  • DOT Requires Companies that Manage 1 of more Drivers to have all Supervisors take the Supervisor Training Course for Reasonable Suspicion Testing. Owner Operators are exempt. The OTA Consortium offers Reasonable Suspicion Training.

• • What is the Random Selection Process
  • The OTA Consortium performs Quarterly Computerized Random Selections. Members designate a Designated Employer Representative (DER) to be Notified of Random Selections by Email. The DER determines when to notify the driver of their selection. DOT Requires Drivers to be Tested Immediately upon being Notified. Every Driver has an equal chance of being selected each Quarter. This means Drivers may be Randomly Selected 0-4 times yearly.

• • What’s the difference between a DOT drug test and a non-DOT drug test?
  • The Department of Transportation (DOT) has established regulation, procedures and oversight for workplace drug and alcohol programs that apply to safety-sensitive employees such as truck drivers. A DOT drug test conforms to these regulations including testing results being reported to the DOT. Companies often choose to implement drug and alcohol testing to other employees who are not covered within the DOT regulations. A DOT regulated driver may be asked to submit to testing because of a company policy that is outside of DOT regulations. In these cases a non-DOT drug test is used for this testing and the results are not reported to the DOT. It is critical for reporting compliance that the correct testing type is used.

• • What do my employees need to take with them to the testing facility?
  • At a minimum, employees must bring a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, to the collection facility. However, if the employee fails to bring an acceptable photo ID to the collection site, the employee’s Designated Employer Representative (DER) can positively identify him or her over the telephone.