§392.5 Alcohol prohibition.

Question 1: Do possession and use of alcoholic beverages in the passenger area of a motorcoach constitute ‘‘possession’’ of such beverages under §392.5(a)(3)?

Guidance: No.

Question 2: Can a motor carrier, which finds a driver with a detectable presence of alcohol, place him/her out of service in accordance with §392.5?

Guidance: No. The term ‘‘out of service’’ in the context of §392.5 refers to an act by a State or Federal official. However, the motor carrier must prevent the driver from being on-duty or from operating or being in physical control of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) for at least as long as is necessary to prevent a violation of §392.5.

Question 3: Does the prohibition against carrying alcoholic beverages in §392.5 apply to a driver who uses a company vehicle, for personal reasons, while off-duty?

Guidance: No. For example, an owner-operator using his/her own vehicle in an off-duty status, or a driver using a company truck or tractor for transportation to a motel, restaurant, or home, would normally be outside the scope of this section.

Question 4: Would an alcohol test, performed by an employer pursuant to 49 CFR part 382, with a result greater than 0.00 BAC, but less than 0.02 BAC, establish that a driver was in violation of 49 CFR 392.5(a)(2), having any measured alcohol concentration while on duty?

Guidance: No. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) believes that a 0.02 BAC is the lowest level at which a scientifically accurate breath/blood alcohol concentration can be measured in an employer-based test under part 382. The FHWA further believes that this use of a 0.02 BAC standard is consistent with FHWA’s long established zero tolerance standard for alcohol. This guidance in no way impedes or precludes any action taken by a law enforcement official because of a finding that a BAC level was less than 0.02 BAC.