Companies or small carriers that hire SAP drivers

Royal Bengal Logistics
Advertises hiring SAP drivers.
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This seems like what I'd be looking for. I'll apply if I don't hear anything today from Xpress.

Maybe you can help me with a question though. I applied for Xpress, a company out of Indianapolis that takes SAP but they sent me an email I'm having trouble with.

The email said "Good morning, Daniel! Thank you for reaching out to us. We do accept SAP drivers but all the steps have to be completed. Once everything is done you can fill out an application if you still want to driver for us. Please let me know if you have any questions."

I've done both SAP in person evaluations and completed the assigned education. I've been released by my SAP and she said I'm ready to start the return to duty process. She gave me an information release form to fill out for whatever company I apply with.

My question is, what are these steps? Do I have to do the return to duty testing out of pocket on my own before applying with these companies?

Edit : I did email them asking about said steps. No reply yet, so I was a bit stumped. Thanks for the help Chinatown.

 

Let's ask our resident expert on the technical issues.
@Moose1958 - will you answer the question in Post #62

 

I'm going to flag @brian991219 into this as well.

To be honest I have no idea what Xpress wants you to do. IN all honesty and I am guessing here, they want the carrier you were working for when you tested positive to comply with 40.311. Since most carriers terminate drivers that test positive 40.311 is difficult to comply with. Part 40 Subpart O as well as part 391 are two parts that most carriers are scared of. Sadly part 40 is not written in a way to specifically for drivers that for whatever reason change a carrier for the return to duty process. It frickin stinks the DOT has done this. They need to tighten up these rules to prohibit a carrier from firing a driver for at least a year so they can finish this process I'm not talking about paying the driver or doing anything like that. Just maintain them as unqualified to drive pending the SAP/return to duty process being finished. Then once finished either put them back to work or sign them off as ready to return to work with another carrier.

 

Let us know what they say. The RTD process varies from carrier to carrier with some willing to shoulder the burden of the followup testing while others want you to come with the testing complete.

You can't do the testing on your own, need to be enrolled in a DOT testing program for that, so if Xpress won't hire you until after the followup tests are completed you will need to find a carrier that will.

 

I agree the process is screwed up but nit sure if I can support being forced to keep a driver just to complete the RTD process. The carrier isn't the one who failed, the driver is. That said, there does need to be a mechanism where the driver can complete the followup testing on their own without being employed by a motor carrier. Perhaps a different level of enrolling in a consortium with a third party administrator that orders the tests and posts the results to the Clearinghouse?

 

Is the follow up test known as Step 4?

 

I think I phrased that wrong. What I meant was once the driver is removed from all safety positions they should still have a relationship with the MRO/SAP and the company DER. The company DER would be responsible for making sure 40.311 is fully complied with. Once this is done depending on the situation the company could rehire them or officially terminate their relationship. The way part 40 subpart O is written is just stupid.

 

Technically the return to duty peocess ends once treatment has concluded and a clean return to duty test is collected, although the employer and driver are still required to comply with the rest of the SAPs recommendations such as the follow up testing.

This testing occurs after the driver has completed the prescribed education, treatment and counciling sessions and has taken a return to duty test with a negative result. The follow up testing is part of the prescribed treatment and also part regulation, calling for X number of direct observed tests (minimum of 6) over a 12-48 month period.

It is important to note that the return to duty test can also be a pre-employment test if if it would have otherwise required two tests to be administered on the same day.

This is a fancy way of saying that a new employer could hire a driver as soon as their prescribed remedial treatment is completed and use their pre-employ test to satisfy the clean return to duty test, then assume the responsibility for the follow up testing.

The clean return to duty test is the hang up for many employers. They don't want to be the one taking the chance on a SAP program driver until someone else has verified they are truly clean. This is a shame, most of the failed tests today are from a misunderstanding of the regulations surrounding THC instead of hard drug abuse. Even abusers can get clean and deserve a second chance, yet the majority of motor carriers willing to "help" them are really just looking to exploite them instead, so the pattern of neglect continues.

 

Fair enough, and yes they should have a continuing relationship with the previous employers SAP, MRO and testing program. This would allow more drivers the chance to get the help they need.