Issue 28, Pg 1 - FTA Drug And Alcohol Regulation Updates

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Transit
Administration
Office of Safety and Security

FTA Drug And Alcohol Regulation Updates

Summer 2004

Issue 28

Introduction....

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published its revised rule on prohibited drug use and the prevention of alcohol misuse (49 CFR Part 655) on August 1, 2001. The FTA published the revised Implementation Guidelines for Drug and Alcohol Regulations in Mass Transit to provide a comprehensive overview of the regulations.
Since the Guidelines were published, there have been numerous amendments, interpretations, and clarifications to the Drug and Alcohol testing procedures and program requirements.
This publication is being provided to update the Guidelines and inform your transit system of these changes. This Update is the twenty-eighth in a series.

Inside....

For Your Information	2
New Guidance	3
Clarifications	4
Rx & OTC Medications	5
Resource Materials	6

New FTA Drug & Alcohol Program Manager

     The FTA Office of Safety and Security announced the addition of Jerry Powers as the new FTA Drug and Alcohol Program Manager. In this capacity, Mr. Powers will be responsible for all aspects of the program including the audit program, substance abuse seminars and other technical assistance efforts.
     Mr. Powers came to FTA from the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, MA, an organization within the USDOT. In this capacity, Mr. Powers has worked closely with FTA’s Office of Safety and Security on various issues including the drug and alcohol program. Since 2000, he has participated in audits and training seminars, and authored the Program Assessment that quantified the cost and safety benefits of the Program (see Updates, Issue 23). He also acted as the on-site FTA Drug and Alcohol Program Manager from August through December of 2003.
     Mr. Powers has had a lifelong interest in public transportation and during his sixteen years at Volpe demonstrated versatility in terms of coordinating both policy and technically-based programs for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. He contributed to the overall revision of the FTA National Transit Database (NTD), and authored the FTA Transit Safety and Security Statistics & Analysis Annual Reports and Newsletters.
     Mr. Powers believes the FTA’s Drug and Alcohol program is an essential element in contributing to safe, equal and efficient public transportation. He has reaffirmed FTA’s commitment to the program and noted that the compliance audit program, along with the technical assistance efforts, will continue and be strengthened. All issues and concerns related to the program should be directed to Mr. Powers at (202) 366-1080 or gerald.powers@fta.dot.gov.

Director of Transit Safety & Security Named

     FTA also announced that Michael Taborn was named the Director of Transit Safety and Security. Taborn joined the FTA two years ago as a Transit Security and Emergency Management Programs Specialist. In his new capacity, Mr. Taborn will lead the Office in its efforts to achieve the highest level of safety and security in all modes with special emphasis on FTA’s aggressive security efforts in addressing the new threat to mass transportation systems. As the Director of Transit Safety and Security, Mr. Taborn will also oversee the FTA Drug and Alcohol Program.
     Prior to joining FTA he was employed with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as a Transit Police Officer, Training Division Commander and Police Captain.

Newsletter Goes Electronic!!!

     All future editions of this newsletter will be distributed electronically unless otherwise requested. The electronic publication and distribution of this newsletter has been phased in over the past six months. This edition constitutes the last edition that will be distributed both electronically and by mail.
     Future editions will be distributed via the Internet to those who have provided email addresses. Hard copies will be mailed only to those individuals who have requested to continue receipt of the newsletter via the U.S. Postal Service. Persons that have failed to contact us to confirm their continued interest or to request their preferred method of distribution will be removed from the database.
     To continue to receive future editions of the newsletter and to indicate your preferred method of distribution, please contact the editor at rlsasc@mindspring.com, call (937) 299-5007, or fax (937) 299-1055.