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Technical Assistance |
FTA Drug and
Alcohol Regulation Updates |
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1997 Test Results Available The transit industry-wide test results for calendar year 1997 have been summarized and published in an annual report. The 1997 report includes data from 2,317 individual employers representing 1,613 transit systems and 704 contractors. Approximately 71 percent of all employers reported no positive drug test results, and 96 percent of employers reported no alcohol test results of 0.04 or greater. The industry-wide positive random drug test rate was 1.21 percent. Small operators had a higher rate than large operators (1.34 percent for small systems and 1.17 percent for large systems). Contractors had a higher positive rate at 1.50 percent than the transit systems with a 1.06 positive rate. The industry-wide positive rate for random alcohol tests was 0.14 percent. When test refusals are included, the violation rate rises to 0.19 percent. The positive rate for transit systems was 0.15 percent while the rate for contractors was 0.09 percent. The Drug and Alcohol Testing Results: 1997 Annual Report was published in December 1998 and can be obtained by calling (202) 366-2896. FTA Interpretations Available on the World Wide Web FTA’s Website has been updated and expanded and provides a new way to get accurate and up-to-the minute information about the FTA drug and alcohol testing regulations and other topics. Various links are provided throughout the Website that will allow you to access information from different FTA offices. The general FTA Website address is www.fta.dot.gov. You can obtain information about FTA’s mission statement, strategic plan, news releases, calendar of events, regional office information, and messages from the Administrator. You can also link to information by Office and the National Transit Library. Under Offices you can visit the Office of Chief Counsel to view FTA’s drug and alcohol testing letters of interpretation and Federal Register publications. Thus, you can download the exact text of relevant regulatory changes and FTA interpretations. The interpretations provide clarification and explanation of FTA’s regulatory intent in relation to actual practical and operational problems experienced by transit employers Under Offices you can also obtain information directly from the Office of Safety and Security by accessing Program Management and then Safety. Or you can visit the National Transit Library that can be used to perform searches on key words or topics. Direct homepage addresses for these and other relevant Websites are provided within the Resource Materials listing found on the last page of the Updates. TSI Course Availability The Transportation Safety Institute course on Substance Abuse Program Self Assessment will be provided on a cost recovery basis during FY 1999. Transit systems, transit associations, State Departments of Transportation or others who are interested in attending, hosting, or funding a program should contact TSI at (405) 954-3682. |
Where To Find?..... Part 40 Amendments, Con’t. July 16, 1996 July 17, 1996 July 19, 1996 November 25, 1998
The information presented on this page should be used to update Chapter 7 of the Implementation Guidelines. |