Not a pot head

Hate to jack the thread back to its original topic, but I have a somewhat related question. I failed a DOT drug test 6 months ago (marijuana), but the test was for a NON CDL position, and found out later that it wasn't even required for my job. Now I have since given it up for good, and passed my retest with flying colors. My question is this. Will that failed test show up when/if I apply for a trucking position? I'm just about set to go to driving school, but I don't want to waste the money or time if this is going to haunt me.

 

haunt you? yes.

Was the previous job with a carrier? if not, it might - might not appear in any report or review. The problem is, if your application asks "have you ever tested positive", you should still answer yes. You should have the opportunity to explain if the company is at all interested in you.

If you say "no" and they find out (and odds are good that they will), you can pretty much kiss any serious career in trucking good bye. Your current employer will almost certainly fire you on the spot and paint your DAC with the blackest of black.

I'm going to assume you have at least one target company (for whom you'd like to work). Give them a call and see what they say. IF they come back and say "case by case", I'd go for it. If they say "sorry feller", sit back and reassess.

 

No, my previous job was with a furniture store that just happened to do some out of state deliveries occasionally. I did get a DOT physical and drug test, but found out afterwards that the test wasn't actually required by state regulations.

I'm trying to get on with Swift presently. I haven't submitted my application yet, but from what you said it appears that honesty is the best policy in this situation. Thanks for the input

 

There is a requirement for motor carriers to make previous employment checks with all employers for the previous 3-years. In addition, a motor carrier must check all trucking employment for 7 additional years. I therefore have reason to believe your furniture company, and whom ever you worked for in the previous 3-year period will be contacted. Since you haven't worked for a motor carrier in the past 10 years this limits the potential of going further back. The carrier will also request any information Re. positive drug tests for the previous 3-year period from all previous employers as mandated in the rules. Further, there will be questions on your motor carrier application for employment asking you if you have tested positive in at least the previous 3-year period that are also mandated by the applicable rules. Do not tell an untruth when answering these questions as it will falsify your application once the carrier does the previous employment checks.

It could also be that you were tested for reasonable suspicion when you tested positive. As well, you have failed to state why the test was supposedly completed improperly/without cause.

 

LURCH: I have a job interview with a railroad next Thursday out of Jacksonville, FL. They run the railroads at about half the container ports in the S.E. plus more in TX & all the railroads in the Powder River Basin coal mine(s).

 

I was tested because my employer thought it was a requirement for our DOT compliance, which it turned out to not be needed. My employer and I are quite close and I know for a fact he won't say anything negative about me if contacted.

Thanks for all the info guys. This site has proved to be extremely valuable in the short time I've known about it.

 

If you know for a fact that nothing will be said to Swift when contacted then go for it. Don't admitt to it unless you dont want the job. It will be our little secret.

 

UPANDCOMING: Are you and your carrier aware that the carrier/furniture company could be fined for doing a DOT test that was not mandated by the DOT rules?

 

Does the DOT itself keep past records of this type of thing though, and do carriers check those records when screening potential employees?

 

WILLIE NELSON does and he IS one of my HEROS!!! I don't think it should be legalized. Then we would have more POT HEADS on the road. Maybe the Forum GODS will let me say POT HEADS, they wouldn't let me say #######! GO FIGURE!! I really don't care who gets pissed, or upset. This is still AMERICA THE PROUD AND THE FREE until we have a CHANGE that has a piece cloth wrapped around HIS HEAD!! Maybe the forum GODS will think this is better. POLITICALLY CORRECT?