The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it is reducing the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled substances testing for drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) requiring a commercial driver's license (CDL) from the current rate of 50% of the average number of driver positions to 25% of the average number of driver positions during calendar year 2016. The change in testing percentages was effective January 1, 2016.
The FMCSA Administrator has the discretion to decrease the minimum annual random testing percentage rate based on the reported positive random test rate for the entire motor carrier industry. Based on the controlled substances random test data in FMCSA's Management Information System (MIS) for calendar years 2011, 2012, and 2013, the positive rate for controlled substances random testing fell below the 1.0% threshold for three consecutive calendar years.
FMCSA officials stress that this is not a permanent reduction. If, in the future, the reported positive rate for any calendar year is equal to or greater than 1.0%, the FMCSA Administrator will return the minimum annual percentage rate for random controlled substances testing to 50% of all driver positions.