FTA Drug & Alcohol Regulation Updates

Winter 2008
Issue 35

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Transit Administration

Office of Safety and Security

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 thirty-fifth in a series.

Inside...
Regulatory Clarification	2	Rx and OTC Medications	6
For Your Information	3 - 4	Technical Assistance	7
Questions & Answers	5
Common Audit Findings	5

Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference. Even though this two-day conference is free, individuals planning on attending must register as there is a limit on the number of attendees due to space. The conference will be held on April 30 and May 1, 2008 at the Sheraton Safari Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Information on conference registration and hotel accommodations is posted on FTA’s website at http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/DrugAndAlcohol. Registration does not include meals.

Multiple sessions and facilitated panel discussions will run concurrently throughout the two days. A detailed agenda is available on FTA’s website. The following 90-minute sessions are the highlights of the conference.

Workshop Sessions

How to Review your Collection Site for Compliance
USDOT/ODAPC Interpretations and Regulations
Best Practices
Post-Accident Thresholds
FTA versus FMCSA: A Regulatory Comparison
The Role of the Medical Review Officer
The Role of the Substance Abuse Professional
Mock Collections and EBT Demonstration
How to Develop an In-House Training Program
Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications

Panel Discussions

Operational Issues Medium and Small Urban Systems Face
Operational Issues Large Systems Face
State DOTs: How to Manage your Program
The Audit Process
The Role of a Third Party Administrator

In addition, two additional training sessions will be provided that require pre-registration and are on a first-come, first-served basis as space permits. The new Drug and Alcohol Program Manager (DAPM) Training is a 2½-hour class scheduled for the morning of April 30. A 2-hour Reasonable Suspicion Training will be held at two different times during the conference. The Reasonable Suspicion Training will satisfy 49 CFR Part 655 minimum training requirements. Certificates will be granted to all individuals that complete the 2-hour course.

Sessions will be conducted by speakers from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), the Secretary’s Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC), FTA auditors, and FTA Drug and Alcohol MIS Program and Newsletter staff. In addition, sessions and panel discussions will be led by professionals from the DOT Drug and Alcohol testing industry including a Medical Review Officer, Substance Abuse Professional, Urine Collector, Breath Alcohol Technician, and representatives from State DOT’s and urban and rural transit systems.

All speakers will be available at a scheduled time before or after their sessions to answer questions. FTA auditors, MIS Team members, and subject matter experts will also be available to review policies, provide technical assistance, and answer regulatory questions.

The Sheraton Safari is holding a limited number of rooms at a special conference room rate of $99, available until March 29, 2008. Refer to the FTA Drug and Alcohol Conference when making your reservation (website: http://www.sheratonsafari.com).

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