Note: The following statistics should not be attributed to the U.S. Department of Labor, but rather their respective
footnoted sources listed at the bottom of the page.
The transportation industry affects almost every aspect of our daily
lives. Whether by road, rail, water or air, America's vast transportation
networks are in use day and night moving people and goods to and from
points across the country. Regrettably, alcohol and drugs are a factor
in a significant percentage of transportation-related accidents each
year. This alarming reality has serious consequences for employers
and employees within the industry as well as members of the general
public who rely on transportation systems. As a result, the US Department
of Transportation (DOT) has mandated that all industry employers maintain
alcohol- and drug-free workplaces. By complying with governmental
regulations and proactively addressing the issue of substance abuse,
transportation employers help ensure success for their commercial
enterprises and increase the level of safety for all travelers nationwide.
A Federal government survey revealed that rates of substance abuse
among four different types of personnel within the transportation
industry are as follows:1
|
Occupation |
Past-Year Illicit Drug Use (%) |
Heavy Alcohol Use (%) |
Truck Drivers (light) |
18.9 |
15.1 |
Vehicle Repairers |
17.0 |
14.9 |
Truck Drivers (heavy) |
16.4 |
13.3 |
Bus Drivers |
13.6 |
6.7 |
|
To address the rising rate of substance abuse in the US and the general
safety of all people who travel within the country, Congress passed
the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991. The Act requires
transportation industry employers to establish and maintain alcohol-
and drug-free workplace programs that incorporate both alcohol and
drug testing.
Regarding their employers' efforts to prevent workplace substance
abuse, transportation industry workers report:
- 76.1 percent provide workers with information about alcohol and
drugs.
- 73.6 percent have written policies about employee alcohol or
drug use.
- 52.9 percent provide access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
for employees who have drug or alcohol problems.2
Transportation workers report that the following types of drug testing
are prevalent throughout the industry:
- At Hiring (62.7%)
- Random (52.5%)
- Upon Suspicion (48.9%)
- Post-Accident (58.8%)3
From large international corporations to relatively small local
contractors, transportation firms are implementing and maintaining
drug-free workplace programs to ensure productive workforces and safe
workplaces — company features that ultimately result in increased profitability and success.
Endnotes:
1 US Department of Health and Human Services Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (1999). Worker
Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs: Results from the 1994
and 1997 NHSDA. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human
Services.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
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