| FTA Drug and Alcohol
Regulation Updates Issue 33, page 2 |
FOR YOUR INFORMATION |
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Where To Find?.....
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2nd Annual FTA Drug & Alcohol
National Conference Announced The 2007 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference will be held on April 10-12 in New Orleans, LA. The conference will be free to all attendees and will span two and a half days. The conference will include speakers from FTA, the Office of the Secretary's Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC), FTA auditors, FTA Drug and Alcohol MIS program and Newsletter staff. Additional industry professionals including a Medical Review Officer (MRO), Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), Urine Collector, Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT), and a representative from an HHS certified lab, will also present topics.  The conference sessions will cover a variety of current topics and will provide ample opportunity to interact with policy makers, auditors, and experts in the field. Sessions will focus on achieving and maintaining compliance and will address all new regulatory interpretations. Topics include post-accident threshold training, procedures for conducting proper collections, duties of third party administrators, how to develop an in-house training program, responsibilities of Designated Employer Representatives (DERs), and what to expect from an FTA audit. Additional sessions will be held on best practices for both large and rural transit operators, and how to save money on your drug and alcohol program. Multiple classes will run concurrently and at multiple times to allow attendees the opportunity to attend many classes. In response to feedback obtained from last year's conference, the 2007 conference will offer two three-hour morning sessions held on consecutive days specifically for new Drug and Alcohol Program Managers (DAPMs) covering the basics of conducting a successful drug and alcohol program that is in compliance with FTA Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. In addition, a three-hour session on Reasonable Suspicion Supervisor Training will be offered. This class will fulfill the reasonable suspicion training requirement of 49 CFR Part 655.14. Special pre-registration is required for the reasonable suspicion and DAPM sessions. Members of the FTA audit, MIS, and newsletter staffs along with various subject matter experts will also be available throughout the conference to provide technical assistance, answer regulatory and other questions, and review transit employers' policies and annual MIS reports. In addition, all speakers will have scheduled times before and after their sessions to answer your specific questions. To register online go to http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Training/danatconf. You may contact Conference Coordinator Mirna Gustave at (617) 494-3344 with any questions. The Conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Astor. A block of rooms is reserved at a special conference room rate of $148. When making reservations, reference the "FTA Drug and Alcohol National Conference" to obtain this rate. The hotel's telephone number is (888) 211-3447. Parking is available on-site for a fee. Post-Accident Threshold Cards Available The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) created a quick reference guide that provides information on FTA post-accident thresholds, who should be tested and limitations for testing. The guide is provided as a 3.5" by 2.25" laminated card that can be easily attached to a lanyard for easy use by transit employer representatives that have the responsibility to make post-accident determinations compliant with 49 CFR Parts 655.4 and 655.44. The cards can be ordered on-line from the Publications tab of the FTA, Office of Safety and Security website at http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Publications/order/singledoc.asp?docid=440 at no cost. Please use the comments box to indicate the number of Post-Accident Threshold Cards that you would like to receive. |