D.O.T. Random Drug and Alcohol Testing Procedures and Employer Responsibilities

The Department of Transportation requires that random testing be completed in a manner that is unpredictable. Selections must be made "by a scientifically valid method, such as a random number table or a computer-based random number generator that is matched with drivers' Social Security numbers, payroll identification numbers or other comparable identifying numbers."

Employers are required to ensure that random tests are unannounced and spread reasonably throughout the year.Each time a random selection is made for alcohol and controlled substances testing, each driver in the pool has an equal chance of being tested, and each driver selected for testing should be tested during the selection period.

Employers are also expected to notify and conduct tests on drivers as soon as possible after the selection is made which is usually when the driver is first available at the employers' business place or terminal. Once a driver is notified that they have been selected for a random drug or alcohol test, they are required to report immediately to the location where the test will be administered.

If a selected driver is on vacation, laid off, or on an extended medical absence, the employer can hold the test until the driver returns, provided the driver will be tested before the end of the testing period. Of course, the driver should have no knowledge that they have been selected until just before they are to be tested. An alternate selection may be used if the selected driver cannot be tested in the testing period. In that case, the employer is required to keep documentation as to why the test on the first driver was not administered.

To calculate the total number of covered drivers requiring random testing for the year, you add the total number of covered drivers eligible for testing during each random testing period for the year and divide that total by the number of random testing periods.