ATA urges drug/alcohol clearinghouse

Bill Graves, American Trucking Associations president and chief executive officer, urged Congress to authorize and fund a centralized clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol testing results of commercial motor vehicle drivers to ensure that motor carrier employers are aware of previous positive test results during the hiring process.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington DC, Graves said such a clearinghouse will improve the industry's ability to keep alcohol and drug abusers off the road and improve safety on the nation's roadways. ATA has lobbied for a national clearinghouse of positive test results since the 1990s. In 2004, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported to Congress on the merits of reporting positive test results to states. Currently, five states have instituted a drug and alcohol clearinghouse.

Other ATA safety initiatives include a call for universal primary safety belt laws in the 50 states, greater enforcement of traffic laws against unsafe driving actions around large trucks, and a limit on the maximum speed of large trucks to 68 miles per hour.