Employers regulated by DOT are required to test employees who perform "safety-sensitive" functions under certain circumstances. The basic test category requirements are:

• Pre-employment (or transfer to a safety-sensitive function)
• Random [25-50% drugs (depending on agency)] & 10% for alcohol annually as of January 1, 2009.
• Post-Accident (criteria varies from agency to agency)
• Reasonable Suspicion
• Return-to-duty [following evaluation by substance abuse counselor SAP)]
• Follow-up (unannounced testing following return-to-duty - which must be conducted in addition to random tests)

In order to accomplish compliance employers need to seek out "service agents" to perform the testing functions. Service agents are defined as anyone who provides a drug and/or alcohol test-related service and meets the certification requirements listed in Title 49 CFR Part 40. They Include:

• Drug screen collectors
• Breath Alcohol/Saliva Test Technicians (BATs, STTs, respectively)
• Medical Review Officers (MROs) who receive the test results from the laboratory (must be a physician, either M.D. or D.O.)
• Certified Laboratory (certified by DOT, DHHS, & SAMSHA to perform tests)
• Substance Abuse Professionals [SAPs(counselors)]
• Consortia/Third Party Administrators (C/TPAs - administer programs and perform record-keeping services, but use them with caution! Research them carefully first.)

Transportation Resources can assist employers in assessing their needs and placing them in cost-effective programs with highly qualified service agents. Some of the types of services we provide are:

• Assisting with Service agent selections (or working with existing service agents)
• Setting up, maintaining or conducting random testing programs
• Developing drug and alcohol policies (see "Written D & A Policies" section)
• General program consulting

These services are also available for non-regulated (drug-free workplace employers.