December 2004 

Office of Safety and Security 

REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved 

 OMB No. 0704-0188

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to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, 

Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. 

1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 

February 2005 

3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED

 Final Report 

January 2002–December 2002

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 

Drug and Alcohol Testing Results 2002 Annual Report 

6. AUTHOR(S) 

Randy Clarke,* Robert Gaumer,* Michael Redington, and Eve Rutyna 

5. FUNDING NUMBERS 

TM600/BB002 

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Research and Special Programs Administration 

John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 

55 Broadway 

Cambridge, MA 02142-1093

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 

 REPORT NUMBER

DOT-VNTSC-FTA-05-05 

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Transit Administration 

Office of Safety and Security 

Washington, DC 20590

10. SPONSORING/MONITORING 

 AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 

FTA-MA-26-5017-05-01 

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 

* EG&G Technical Services, Inc. 

 55 Broadway 

 Cambridge, MA 02142-1093 

12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 

This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, 

Springfield, VA 22161 

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 

13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) 

This is the seventh annual report of the results of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. 

The report summarizes the new reporting requirements introduced for calendar year 2001, the requirements of the overall drug and 

alcohol testing program (the revised CFR Part 40 and CFR Part 655), the results from the data reported for 2002, and the random

drug and alcohol violation rates (the percentage of persons selected for a random test who produced a positive specimen or refused 

to take the test) for calendar years 1996 through 2002. 

The results of drug tests—for marijuana, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), opiates, and amphetamines—are compared with the results 

of alcohol tests for the various types of required tests. Statistics are presented for random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and

pre-employment tests combined and for each individual test type. Those test results are further compared by employer type (transit 

agencies and contractors), employer size (large, small, and rural), employee category, FTA region, and the drug type. 

Statistics on employees returned to duty and results of return to duty tests and follow-up tests are presented separately from results 

of the other four test types because return-to-duty tests and follow-up tests represent a different segment of the test population and 

not all employers offer rehabilitation. 

15. NUMBER OF PAGES 

84

14. SUBJECT TERMS 

alcohol testing, drug testing, FTA-covered employees, random testing, safety-sensitive, violation 

rate, post-accident testing, return to duty 16. PRICE CODE 

17.SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

OF REPORT 

Unclassified 

18.SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

OF THIS PAGE 

Unclassified 

19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 

OF THIS ABSTRACT 

Unclassified 

20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 

Unlimited 

NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) 

Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 

298-102

Preface 

 

This annual report represents the cooperative efforts of many people. Extensive 

appreciation is extended to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal 

Transit Administration, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and 

the following individuals who were instrumental in guiding this project and 

contributing to its success: 

Michael Taborn 

Director, Office of Transit Safety and Security 

Federal Transit Administration 

Jerry Powers 

Drug and Alcohol Program Manager 

Federal Transit Administration 

Michael R. Redington 

Program Manager/Transportation Industry Analyst 

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 

 2002 Annual Report iii
METRIC/ENGLISH CONVERSION FACTORS 

ENGLISH TO METRIC METRIC TO ENGLISH

LENGTH (APPROXIMATE) LENGTH (APPROXIMATE) 

1 inch (in) = 2.5 centimeters (cm) 1 millimeter (mm) = 0.04 inch (in) 

1 foot (ft) = 30 centimeters (cm) 1 centimeter (cm) = 0.4 inch (in) 

1 yard (yd) = 0.9 meter (m) 1 meter (m) = 3.3 feet (ft) 

1 mile (mi) = 1.6 kilometers (km) 1 meter (m) = 1.1 yards (yd) 

1 kilometer (km) = 0.6 mile (mi)

AREA (APPROXIMATE) AREA (APPROXIMATE) 

1 square inch (sq in, in2) = 6.5 square centimeters 

(cm2

) 

1 square centimeter (cm2) = 0.16 square inch (sq in, in2) 

1 square foot (sq ft, ft2) = 0.09 square meter (m2) 1 square meter (m2) = 1.2 square yards (sq yd, 

yd2

) 

1 square yard (sq yd, yd2) = 0.8 square meter (m2) 1 square kilometer (km2) = 0.4 square mile (sq mi, mi2) 

1 square mile (sq mi, mi2) = 2.6 square kilometers 

(km2

) 

10,000 square meters (m2

) = 1 hectare (ha) = 2.5 acres 

1 acre = 0.4 hectare (he) = 4,000 square meters (m2) 

MASS - WEIGHT (APPROXIMATE) MASS - WEIGHT (APPROXIMATE) 

1 ounce (oz) = 28 grams (gm) 1 gram (gm) = 0.036 ounce (oz) 

1 pound (lb) = 0.45 kilogram (kg) 1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb) 

1 short ton = 2,000 

pounds (lb) 

= 0.9 tonne (t) 1 tonne (t) =

=

1,000 kilograms (kg) 

1.1 short tons

VOLUME (APPROXIMATE) VOLUME (APPROXIMATE) 

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5 milliliters (ml) 1 milliliter (ml) = 0.03 fluid ounce (fl oz) 

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 milliliters (ml) 1 liter (l) = 2.1 pints (pt) 

1 fluid ounce (fl oz) = 30 milliliters (ml) 1 liter (l) = 1.06 quarts (qt) 

1 cup (c) = 0.24 liter (l) 1 liter (l) = 0.26 gallon (gal) 

1 pint (pt) = 0.47 liter (l) 

 1 quart (qt) = 0.96 liter (l) 

1 gallon (gal) = 3.8 liters (l) 

1 cubic foot (cu ft, ft3) = 0.03 cubic meter (m3) 1 cubic meter (m3) = 36 cubic feet (cu ft, ft3) 

1 cubic yard (cu yd, yd3) = 0.76 cubic meter (m3) 1 cubic meter (m3) = 1.3 cubic yards (cu yd, yd3)

TEMPERATURE (EXACT) TEMPERATURE (EXACT) 

[(x-32)(5/9)] °F = y °C [(9/5) y + 32] °C = x °F

QUICK INCH - CENTIMETER LENGTH CONVERSION

0 1 2 34

Inches

Centimeters 01 3 26 1 4 5 7 1 1098 1 12

5

3

QUICK FAHRENHEIT - CELSIUS TEMPERATURE CONVERSION

 -40° -22° -4° 14° 32° 50° 68° 86° 104° 122° 140° 158° 176° 194° 212°

 

°F

 °C -40° -30° -20° -10° 0° 10° 20° 30° 40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100°

For more exact and or other conversion factors, see NIST Miscellaneous Publication 286, Units of Weights and 

Measures. Price $2.50 SD Catalog No. C13 10286 Updated 6/17/98 

2002 Annual Report iv
Executive Summary 

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations require that each recipient 

(both direct and indirect) of FTA funds (1) implement an anti-drug program to 

deter and detect the use of prohibited drugs, (2) establish a program to prevent 

the misuse of alcohol, and (3) report the results of its programs to FTA upon 

request. Compliance with FTA’s drug and alcohol testing program is a 

condition of Federal assistance. Failure of a recipient to establish and 

implement a drug and alcohol testing program − either in its own operations or 

in those of an entity operating on its behalf − may result in the suspension of 

FTA funding to the recipient. 

In 2001, FTA eliminated its requirement that all direct funding recipients report 

their drug and alcohol testing program data to FTA annually, and began using a 

stratified random sampling technique to select the funding recipients required 

to submit their data. This system was designed to produce an accurate 

representation of the overall transit industry, in lieu of universal reporting. The 

intent was to reduce the paperwork burden on a portion of the industry and to 

reduce FTA’s tabulation and analysis effort. Sample sizes are determined for 

each of the three size groups1 recognized by FTA (large, small, and rural) to 

ensure a distribution that accurately reflects the relative populations of the 

three groups. In 2002, 535 large employers, 36 small employers, and 237 rural 

employers were required to report their data. 

2002 Testing Results 

Results are summarized for the following areas: 

• Violation rates (positive tests and test refusals combined) for random testing 

• Accidents resulting in positive post-accident tests 

• Positive test rates for four types of testing—random, post-accident, 

reasonable suspicion, and pre-employment 

• Return to duty 

• Random violation rate annual trends since 1996 

Random Violation Rates 

FTA considers random testing to be the most effective deterrent to drug use and 

alcohol misuse. The results of random tests also provide the best indication of 

the overall level of drug use and alcohol misuse, and are used by FTA in 

 

1 The population that surrounds the transit agency determines its size category. Large agencies 

are in areas of 200,000 or more, small is 50,000 to 200,000, and rural is less than 50,000. 

Transit agencies and contracted service providers are treated as individual entities in each group. 

v 2002 Annual Report
determining minimum annual random testing rates for the following year. For 

this reason, employers were requested to report the number of refusals to take 

a random test, as well as the number of positive test results. Accordingly, 

violation rates are presented for random tests. Violation rate is used here to 

refer to the number of positives and refusals combined per person selected to 

take a random test: 

Drug violation rate2 = (verified positives + refusals) ÷ (specimens collected + refusals) 

Alcohol violation rate = (confirmed positives3 + refusals) ÷ (screens collected + refusals)

Official Random Violation Rates for 2002 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

The official violation rates used to determine the random testing rates for 

2003 are not the actual percentages of the results reported. The results 

from the small and rural employers were given more weight than those from large 

employers because large employers have many more employees than small and 

rural employers. In 2002, 95.5 percent of the reported persons selected for a 

random drug test and 95.2 percent of those reported selected for a random alcohol 

test were reported by large employers. However, only 66 percent of the employers 

subject to the testing regulations were large employers. The same statistical 

procedure used to determine representative sample sizes was applied to the 

random test results. 

The remainder of the data presented here reflect the actual reported (not 

weighted) test results. 

The random violation rates for tests actually reported in 2002 were lower than the 

official rates for both drugs and alcohol. As shown in the graph at the top of the 

next page, the actual rates were 0.97 percent for drugs and 0.17 percent for 

alcohol. Results were reported for 82,584 persons who were selected for a drug 

 

2 For clarity in presenting the test results, the term “violation rate” is used differently here than in 

Part 655, where “violation rate” refers only to random alcohol tests. 

3 A positive alcohol test is a specimen with a confirmed breath alcohol level of at least 0.04. 

% 

The graph at left shows the weighted “official” violation rates for 

random drug and random alcohol tests used by the FTA 

Administrator in determining the random testing rates for 2003. 

Because the drug violation rate exceeded 1.0 and the alcohol 

violation rate was less than 0.50, both the random drug and 

alcohol testing rates remained at their current levels in 2003— 

50 percent for drugs and 10 percent for alcohol. 

The data that provide the statistical basis for the official violation 

rates are cited in the first paragraph on the next page. 

1.05 

0.22

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

2002 Annual Report vi
test and for 26,478 persons who were selected for an alcohol Actual Random 

test. Of those selected for a drug test, 732 had a verified 

positive result, and 718 refused to take the test. Of those 

selected for an alcohol test, 36 had a confirmed blood 

alcohol level of at least .04, and 13 refused to take the test. 

Violation Rates for

As shown in the following three graphs, the random violation 

rates were much higher for contractors than for transit 

agency employees, and the drug rates were much higher for 

small employers than for the other two size categories while 

the alcohol rates were similar for all three size categories. 

More than 80 percent of those selected for a random test (both drugs and alcohol) 

were transit agency employees. More than 95 percent of those selected (both drug 

and alcohol) worked for a large employer. 

Reported Tests 

DRUGS ALCOHOL

0.97

0.17

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

% 

Random Violation Rates 

by Large Employers 

and Employer Type

Random Violation Rates Random Violation Rates 

by Employer Type by Employer Size

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

As shown on the map 

at right, the random 

drug violation rate was 

lowest in the New 

England states (Region 

1) at 0.62 percent, and 

was highest in the 

Middle Atlantic states 

(Region 3) at 1.32 

percent. Only four 

regions had rates lower 

than the national 

average of 0.97 percent. 

0.78

1.76

0.11 0.45

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

DRUGS ALCOHOL DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.96

1.83

0.84

0.17 0.29 0.23

0.5

1.0

1.5

% Large

0.78

1.76

0.12 0.45

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C Small Rural Large Small Rural 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Random Drug Violation Rates by FTA Region 

vii 2002 Annual Report
As shown on the map 

at right, the random 

alcohol violation rate 

was lowest in New York 

and New Jersey (Region 

2) at 0.09 percent, and 

was highest in the 

central states (Region 7) 

at 0.37 percent. 

Refusal data were not 

collected by employee 

category or by drug type. 

Accidents Resulting in Positive Post-Accident Tests

In 2002, employers reported 127 accidents that resulted in a positive postaccident drug test and 4 accidents that resulted in a positive post-accident 

alcohol test. These numbers when normalized to the entire number of 

employers required to test by FTA were 245 and 6, respectively. One of the 

accidents reported with a positive drug test resulted in one fatality. 

Random Alcohol Violation Rates by FTA Region

Transit agencies reported 72 of the 126 non-fatal accidents with positive drug 

tests, and all 4 accidents with positive alcohol tests. All but 6 of the accidents 

with positive drug tests were reported by large employers. All the accidents with 

positive alcohol tests were reported by large employers. The positive drug test 

following the fatality was reported by a large transit agency in FTA Region 9. 

Positive Test Rates4 for Four Types of Testing 

Because return to duty and follow-up tests 

represent a different segment of the test 

population (i.e., specimens produced by 

persons who have already been removed from 

duty for drug or alcohol violations and have 

completed a rehabilitation program) and not 

all employers offer rehabilitation, the data 

from those tests are not included in 

presentations of overall rates. 

Positive Rates by Test Type 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.10

1.57

0.05

5.75

7.68

2.90

1.59

0.89 0.10 0.17

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

As shown in the graph at right, the 

reasonable suspicion positive rates were 

much higher than the random, post-accident, 

% R P-A RS P-E Comb R P-A RS P-E Comb

R = random P-A = Post-Accident

 RS = Reasonable Suspicion P-E = Pre-Employment 

Comb = Four Types Combined 

4 For clarity in presenting the test results, “positive rate” is used differently here than in Part 655, 

where it refers only to random drug tests and is the drug equivalent of the violation rate for alcohol. 

2002 Annual Report viii
or pre-employment rates for both drugs and alcohol. The random rate was 

lowest of the drug rates, significantly lower than the positive rates for any of the 

other three test types. The post-accident rate was the lowest of the alcohol rates. 

As shown in the following three graphs, the positive drug rates for the four test 

types combined are more than two and one-half times as high for contractors as 

for transit agency employees, the alcohol rates are slightly higher for contractors, 

and small employers had the highest rates for drugs but reported no positives for 

alcohol. Of the 133,775 drug specimens collected for four test types combined, 

95 percent were from large employers. Of the 45,601 alcohol screens collected, 

95.5 percent were from large employers. 

PositiveRates for Four Test 

Types Combined by Large 

Employers and Employer Type

PositiveRates for Four Test Types PositiveRates for Four Test Types 

 Combined by Employer Type Combined by Employer Size

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.07

2.77

0.16 0.20 0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

%

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.07

2.78

0.16 0.21 0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

%

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.59

2.20

1.15

0.17

0 0.06

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

 T T 

Because refusal data are not reported by employee category, random positive 

rates are presented below by employee category, as well as the rates for all four 

test types combined. The armed security personnel category had the lowest 

random drug rate and the lowest combined rate for drugs. The revenue vehicle 

operation category had the highest random rate and the highest combined rate 

for drugs. The revenue vehicle and equipment maintenance category had the 

highest random rate and the highest combined rate for alcohol. 

Positive Rates for Random Testing and for Four Test Types Combined by Employee Category 

DRUGS 

ALCOHOL 

0.11

0.17

0.07

0.20 0.18

0.13

0 0

0.17

0.14

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.96

1.82

0.82

1.02

0.62

0.98

0.84 0.88

0.40

0.17

0.5

1.0

1.5

RVO RV&

 EM

RVC 

/D

CDL/ 

N-RV ASP RVO RV&  EM

RVC

 /D

 CDL/ 

 N-RV ASP % 

 Random Combined RVO RV& 

 EM

RVC 

 /D

 CDL/ 

 N-RV ASP RVO RV&  EM

RVC

 /D

CDL/

N-RV ASP % 

 Random Combined 

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM =Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

 C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

 C T C % Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

 T = transit C = contractor 

 2002 Annual Report ix
As shown in the following charts, marijuana was detected as often as all of the 

other drugs combined in random testing, and more often than the others 

combined in reasonable suspicion tests and for all four test types combined. 

Marijuana was tested most often in post-accident tests, and cocaine was a close 

second. Cocaine was detected more often than the others combined in preemployment tests while marijuana was detected in fewer than 20 percent of 

those tests. 

Percentage by Drug Type of Total Drug Detections for Each Test Type 

P = A = 4.0%

11.1%

 O = 3.0%

C = 41.6% M = 50.3%

A = 3.0% P = 0%

O = 5.2%

M = 46.3%

C = 45.5%

C = 35.8% M = 56.3%

 P = O = 2.9%

 2.1%

A = 2.9%

 A = 

11.5%

 P = 

 7.7%

O = 3.8%

M = 19.2%

C =57.8%

 P = 2.8% A = 2.0%

 O = 2.6%

M = 61.8%

C = 30.8%

Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion Pre-Employment Combined 

M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

 

Return to Duty Data 

In 2002, employers reported that 358 safety-sensitive employees were returned 

to duty following a positive drug test or refusal, and 52 were returned following 

a positive alcohol test or refusal. These numbers when normalized to the entire 

number of employers required to test by FTA were 677 and 98, respectively. 

Transit agencies returned 326 of the employees following a drug positive test or 

refusal, and returned 45 following an alcohol positive or refusal. Large 

employers returned 345 of the 358 returned following a drug positive or refusal, 

and returned 49 of the 52 returned following an alcohol positive or refusal. 

Before being returned to duty, employees must complete a rehabilitation 

program and submit a negative test for the substance for which they were 

removed from safety-sensitive duty. Many employers require both a drug and 

 alcohol return to duty test. The returned 

employees must then complete a series of 

follow-up tests (for the substance for which 

they were removed, or both drugs and alcohol) 

for a specified period following return to duty. 

Return to Duty 

Positive Rates

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

0.51

1.77

0.5

1.0

1.5

%

Follow-Up 

Positive Rates

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

0.34

1.54

0.5

1.0

1.5

In 2002, 623 return to duty drug 

tests and 5,502 follow-up drug tests were 

reported. As shown at right, the return to 

duty positive rate was the higher of the two, 

and both were far less than 2 percent. Only 2 %

2002 Annual Report x
of the 396 return to duty alcohol tests reported were positive, and only 15 of 

4,389 follow-up alcohol tests reported were positive. 

The following six graphs subdivide the return to duty and the follow-up rates by 

employer type, employer size, and large employers and employer type combined. 

The follow-up drug test rates for contractors were slightly higher than those for 

transit employees for all employers and for large employers. The return to duty 

drug test rate for large employers was also higher for contractors, but the rate for 

all employers was higher for transit employees. There was only one return to duty 

drug positive reported by small employers and only one reported by rural 

employers. There was only one follow-up drug positive reported by small 

employers and only two reported by rural employers. Because these numbers are 

so low, the high rates for those employers are not statistically reliable. Thus, the 

drug test rates for small and for rural employers in both the return to duty and 

the follow-up graphs are presented on a separate scale from the other rates on 

those graphs. There were no return to duty or follow-up alcohol positives reported 

by either small or rural employers. 

 

 

 

Follow-Up Positive Rates 

by Large Employers 

and Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.52

1.87

0.58

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Return to Duty Positive Rates 

by Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.83

1.52

0.57

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Return to Duty Positive Rates by

Employer Size

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

4.55

2 0 3.13

3.0

4.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.58

0.51

0.5

1.0

1.5

0 0

% Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

Return to Duty Positive 

Rates by Large Employers 

 and Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.50 1.57

0.35 0.26

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Follow-Up Positive Rates 

by Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

Follow-Up Positive Rates by 

Employer Size

1.53

1.71

0.35 0.26

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

10.00

3.33 3.0

5.0

7.0

9.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

1.50

0.34

0.5

1.0

1.5

0 0

% Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

xi 2002 Annual Report
Trends: 1996 Through 2002 

Because the data reporting requirement changed in 2001, the only rates that can 

be reliably compared for each year of reporting (from 1996 to 2002) are random 

violation rates. As mentioned earlier, the results actually reported in 2001 and 

2002 do not accurately reflect total FTA testing due to the large proportion of 

results reported by large employers. The results from random testing were 

weighted to obtain “official” random violation rates that reasonably estimate the 

rate for all persons tested, enabling reliable comparison with the years before 

2001 when all employers were required to report. Weighted rates are not 

available for any test types other than random or any subsets of random testing. 

As shown in the following graph, the drug violation rate rose in 2002, for the 

first time since employers in all size categories were required to report. The 

official weighted rate for 2002 rose above 1.0 percent, following its drop to 0.98 

percent in 2001. Because it did not remain above 1.0 for the second 

consecutive year, the FTA Administrator did not have the option to reduce the 

random drug test quota for 2003. Although the official drug violation rate rose 

by more than 7 percent in 2002, equaling the rate in 2000 of 1.05, it was still 

nearly 35 percent lower than the rate in 1996. 

As also shown in the next graph, the official random alcohol violation rate rose 

by more than 20 percent in 2002 (to 0.22 percent), equaling the highest rate 

(set in 1998). Despite its relatively high level, the 2002 alcohol violation rate 

remained well below the threshold of 0.50 percent for raising the testing rate 

from 10 to 25 percent. 

 

Official Random Drug and Alcohol Test Violation Rate: 1996 to 2002 

0.00%

0.25%

0.50%

0.75%

1.00%

1.25%

1.50%

1.75%

Drugs 1.60% 1.27% 1.20% 1.14% 1.05% 0.98% 1.05%

Alcohol 0.21% 0.19% 0.22% 0.18% 0.15% 0.18% 0.22%

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

2002 Annual Report xii
Table of Contents 

 Page

1. Introduction 

1.1 Regulatory Background ................................................................... 1-1 

1.2 Reporting and Certification Requirements....................................... 1-2 

1.3 Reporting Assistance....................................................................... 1-3 

1.4 Data Analysis and Validation........................................................... 1-3 

1.5 Organization of Report .................................................................... 1-3 

2. Overview of Part 40 and Part 655 Testing Requirements 

2.1 Overview of Required Testing Program........................................... 2-1 

2.2 Safety-Sensitive Functions .............................................................. 2-2 

2.3 Types of Tests................................................................................. 2-3 

2.4 Types of Drugs ................................................................................ 2-6 

3. Drug and Alcohol Test Data 

3.1 Random Test Violation Data............................................................ 3-3 

3.1.1 Random Test Violation Data by Employer Type and Size ..... 3-3 

3.1.2 Random Violation Data by FTA Region ................................. 3-5 

3.2 Accident and Fatality Data Associated with Positive 

Post-Accident Tests......................................................................... 3-8 

3.3 Data for Four Test Types................................................................. 3-9 

3.3.1 Data for Four Test Types by Employer Type and Size ........ 3-10 

3.3.2 Data for Four Test Types by Employee Category................ 3-13 

3.3.2.1 Data for Four Test Types by Employee Category and 

Employer Type .............................................................. 3-14 

3.3.2.2 Data for Four Test Types by Employee Category and 

 Employer Size............................................................... 3-18 

3.3.3 Data for Four Test Types by FTA Region ............................ 3-21 

3.4 Test Data by Type of Drug............................................................. 3-24 

3.4.1 Data by Test Type, Employer Type, and Drug Type............ 3-25 

3.4.2 Data by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type............. 3-26 

3.4.3 Data by Test Type, Employee Category, and Drug Type..... 3-28 

3.5 Non-Positive Alcohol Violations..................................................... 3-31 

3.5.1 Confirmed Alcohol Specimens Between 0.02 and 0.039 ..... 3-31 

3.5.2 Non-Test Alcohol Violations................................................. 3-33 

4. Return to Duty Data 

4.1 Employees Returned to Duty in 2002 .............................................. 4-1 

4.2 Return to Duty Test Data................................................................. 4-2 

4.2.1 Return to Duty Test Data by Employer Type and Size........... 4-2 

4.2.2 Return to Duty Test Data by Employee Category .................. 4-3 

4.2.3 Return to Duty Test Data by FTA Region .............................. 4-5 

4.2.4 Return to Duty Test Data by Type of Drug............................. 4-5 

xiii 2002 Annual Report
4.3 Follow-Up Test Data........................................................................ 4-6 

4.3.1 Follow-Up Test Data by Employer Type and Size.................. 4-7 

4.3.2 Follow-Up Test Data by Employee Category ......................... 4-8 

4.3.3 Follow-Up Test Data by FTA Region ................................... 4-10 

4.3.4 Follow-Up Test Data by Type of Drug.................................. 4-10 

5. Trend Analysis 

5.1 Official Random Violation Rates from 1996 through 2002............... 5-1 

5.2 Actual Rates for Results Reported in 2001 and 2002 ...................... 5-2 

Appendix A. Glossary.......................................................................................A-1 

Appendix B. FTA Regions ................................................................................B-1 

Appendix C. Accident and Fatality Data Associated with Positive 

Post-Accident Tests by FTA Region ............................................C-1 

2002 Annual Report xiv
1. Introduction 

This report is the seventh annual summary of data submitted for entry in the 

Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Drug and Alcohol Management 

Information System (DAMIS). The report summarizes data reported for 

calendar year 2002, and includes trend analyses based on the annual data 

submitted for calendar years 1996 through 2002. DAMIS contains the data 

from all the drug and alcohol tests conducted under FTA regulations between 

1996 and 2000, but contains 2001 and 2002 data from only selected agencies, 

as explained in Section 1.2. DAMIS also contains the data from all the tests 

conducted by large agencies in 1995. 

FTA regulations require recipients and subrecipients of funding under Title 49 

of United States Code (U.S.C.) Sections 5307, 5309, and 5311, and 23 U.S.C. 

Section 103(e)(4) and their contractors to implement and maintain a program 

to deter and detect use of prohibited drugs and misuse of alcohol by safetysensitive employees, unless the recipient is also an operating railroad regulated 

by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). 

Section 5307 of 49 U.S.C. refers to block grants to finance capital projects and the planning, improvement, 

and operating costs of equipment, facilities, and associated capital maintenance items for use in mass 

transportation. 

Section 5309 refers to discretionary grants and loans for capital projects, new and existing fixed guideway 

systems, an efficient mass transportation system coordinated with other transportation systems, introduction 

of new technologies, enhancement of urban economic development or incorporation of private investment, 

and mass transportation projects to meet the needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities. 

Section 5311 refers to financial assistance for non-urbanized areas. 

Section 103(e)(4) of 23 U.S.C. refers to grants to bus transit systems that operate on Federal-aid highway 

systems. 

1.1 Regulatory Background 

FTA issued its first drug and alcohol testing regulations on February 15, 1994 

as two separate rules: 49 CFR Part 653, Prevention of Prohibited Drug Use in 

Transit Operations, and 49 CFR Part 654, Prevention of Alcohol Misuse in 

Transit Operations. The FTA rules were issued in response to The Omnibus 

Transportation Employee Testing Act, enacted by Congress in 1991. They 

expanded the minimum uniform DOT testing program requirements published 

earlier in 1994 in 49 CFR Part 40, Procedures for Transportation Workplace 

Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. 

The Omnibus Testing Act was intended to promote the health and safety of 

transportation employees and the traveling public. It required all DOT 

administrations to issue regulations requiring funding recipients to perform 

 2002 Annual Report 1-1
four types of testing of all safety-sensitive employees for five controlled 

substances and alcohol, and to establish a prescribed program of rehabilitation 

and follow-up testing for employees who are given the opportunity to return to 

safety-sensitive duty after testing positive or refusing to be tested. The Act also 

required recipients to follow the testing procedures established by the 

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). 

DOT revised and reissued Part 40 in 2000. In 2001, FTA issued CFR Part 655, 

Prevention of Alcohol Misuse and Prohibited Drug Use in Transit Operations, to 

expand the revised department-wide minimum requirements to transit 

operations. Part 655 supersedes and combines Parts 653 and 654. The current 

Part 40 and 655 testing requirements are summarized in Chapter 2 of this report. 

1.2 Reporting and Certification Requirements 

Part 655.72 eliminated the requirement that all direct funding recipients report 

their drug and alcohol testing program data to FTA annually. It requires that 

recipients report their data only if requested by FTA. In 2001, FTA developed a 

stratified random sampling technique to produce an accurate representation of 

the overall transit industry, in lieu of universal reporting. The intent was to 

reduce the paperwork burden on a portion of the industry and to reduce FTA’s 

tabulation and analysis effort. 

In 2001 and 2002, sample sizes were determined for each of the three size groups 

recognized by FTA (large, small, and rural) to ensure a distribution that accurately 

reflects the relative populations of the three groups. The population that surrounds the 

transit organization determines the size of operation for each agency. Large, small, and 

rural organizations are categorized by a population of 200,000 or more, 50,000 to 

200,000, and less than 50,000, respectively. In 2002, 535 large employers, 36 small 

employers, and 237 rural employers were asked to report. 

Transit agencies and contracted service providers are treated as individual entities within 

each group. For example, an agency and two service providers it contracts with will 

represent three entities in the group’s sample population. The samples were also 

selected using a random number generator or through a systematic process that ordered 

the entities by a specific criterion, such as alphabetic within state, to ensure that the 

sample was spread across all regions of the United States.

Recipients requested to report must do so on standard forms by March 15. All 

direct recipients must annually prepare and maintain a summary of the results 

of the programs that they oversaw during the previous calendar year. All direct 

recipients must also annually certify regulatory compliance of those programs, 

and submit the certifications to their FTA regional office. FTA operating funds 

are granted directly to most large transit agencies. All other operating grants 

are provided to the states or to metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), 

which distribute the funds to individual transit agencies. 

2002 Annual Report 1-2
Some recipients and subrecipients (transit agencies funded by states or MPOs) 

rely on additional public or private entities to provide services in whole or in 

part. The states and MPOs must ensure the accuracy and timeliness of each 

report submitted by their subrecipients. All direct recipients must ensure the 

accuracy and timeliness of each report submitted by a service provider, 

operating or maintenance contractor, consortium or joint enterprise, or a thirdparty administrator acting on the behalf of a transit agency. 

Failure of a recipient to establish a drug and alcohol testing program and to 

annually certify regulatory compliance and report information as requested, 

either in its own operations or in those of a subrecipient or an entity operating 

on its behalf, may result in the suspension of FTA funding to the recipient. 

Falsifying compliance information or certifications is a criminal offense. 

1.3 Reporting Assistance 

The required reporting forms are available in paper, on data diskette, and on 

the Internet. Copies of reporting guidance and reporting forms and diskettes 

are available from the DAMIS Project Office at (617) 494-6336. The FTA Safety 

and Security Clearinghouse can be reached at (617) 494-2108 for additional 

copies of this report, as well as previously published annual reports. Other 

technical assistance materials, including the Implementation Guidelines for 

Drug and Alcohol Regulations in Mass Transit and Best Practices Manual: FTA 

Drug and Alcohol Testing Program, can be obtained from the FTA Office of 

Safety and Security at (202) 366-2896 and on the Office of Safety and 

Security’s Web site: http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/damis. 

1.4 Data Analysis and Validation 

Data submitted for entry in DAMIS are subjected to extensive analysis and 

validation, both manual and automated. The process entails detailed review of 

the consistency and reasonableness of the data in each report, identification of 

errors or questionable entries, and resolution of any problems in consultation 

with the reporting agencies. This process enables detection and correction of 

errors of significant magnitude. However, some statistically minor errors may 

remain. 

1.5 Organization of Report 

The remainder of this report contains five chapters and three appendices: 

• Chapter 2 presents an overview of the current Part 40 and 655 testing 

requirements, including descriptions of safety-sensitive functions, the types 

of tests to be performed, and the substances to be tested for. 

 2002 Annual Report 1-3
• Chapter 3 compares the results of the required drug and alcohol tests listed 

in Chapter 2 and pre-employment alcohol tests. The results are further 

compared by employer type (transit agencies and contractors), employer 

size (large, small, and rural), the employee categories listed in Chapter 2, 

FTA region, and drug type. 

• Chapter 4 provides statistics on the number of employees returned to 

safety-sensitive duty in 2002 following a positive test or refusal, and 

summarizes the results of the tests (described in Chapter 2) that are 

required for such persons, using the same categories of comparison as in 

Chapter 3. 

• Chapter 5 presents random violation rates from 1996 through 2002, and 

compares selected rates for 2002 with those for 2001. 

• Appendix A lists the terms, and their definitions, associated with the FTA 

drug and alcohol testing program. 

• Appendix B lists the ten FTA regions and their headquarters. 

• Appendix C presents by FTA region the number of accidents reported in 

which a transit agency employee or contractor tested positive in an FTA 

post-accident test. 

2002 Annual Report 1-4
2. Overview of Part 40 and Part 655 Testing Requirements 

This chapter summarizes the requirements of the FTA Drug and Alcohol 

Testing Program (in Section 2.1) and describes in detail FTA safety-sensitive 

functions, the tests required by FTA, and the drugs that safety-sensitive 

employees must be tested for (in Sections 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4, respectively).

2.1 Overview of Required Testing Program 

Employees who perform any of five safety-sensitive functions must be tested for 

five controlled substances in four circumstances. Such employees must also 

be tested for alcohol use in each of those circumstances except preemployment, though employers may, and many do, require pre-employment 

tests per Part 40 testing procedures. An additional circumstance (return to 

duty/follow-up) is required for safety-sensitive employees who are given an 

opportunity to resume safety-sensitive duties after testing positive for drugs or 

alcohol or refusing to submit to a required test. 

Safety-Sensitive Employee Categories Test Types Drug Types 

Revenue Vehicle Operation Random Marijuana 

Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Post-accident Cocaine 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching Reasonable suspicion Phencyclidine (PCP) 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle Pre-employment Opiates

Armed Security Personnel *Return to duty/follow-up Amphetamines 

See Section 2.2 for a detailed description of FTA 

safety-sensitive duties. 

See Section 2.3 for a 

detailed description of 

tests required by FTA. 

See Section 2.4 for a 

detailed description of 

the drugs to test for. 

*

Required only for employees who test positive for drugs or alcohol or refuse to submit to a required test 

Any employee who has a verified positive drug test, has a confirmed alcohol 

test result of 0.04 or greater, or refuses to submit to a test must be 

immediately removed from safety-sensitive duty. The employee must then be 

informed of the resources available for evaluating and resolving problems 

associated with prohibited drug use and alcohol misuse, including the names, 

addresses, and telephone numbers of substance abuse professionals (SAPs) 

and counseling and treatment programs. The employer then decides the 

disciplinary action to take. To return the employee to a safety-sensitive 

function, the employer must ensure that the employee successfully completes a 

course of treatment prescribed by a SAP and produces a negative return to 

duty test for drugs or alcohol or both, depending on the violation. Once 

returned to duty, the employee must continue a treatment program 

administered by the SAP, which includes a series of follow-up tests. 

Additionally, an employee with a confirmed alcohol concentration of at least 

0.02 but less than 0.04 must be removed from duty for at least 8 hours or until 

 2-1 2002 Annual Report 
a re-test conducted by the employer shows an alcohol concentration of less 

than 0.02. If the employee is removed from duty for 8 hours, a re-test need not 

be administered unless the employee exhibits signs of alcohol use upon 

returning to duty. 

Part 40 also prohibits use, manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and 

possession of all controlled substances by safety-sensitive employees. 

Furthermore, Parts 40 and 655 prohibit safety-sensitive employees from 

consuming alcohol in three circumstances: 

• While performing a safety-sensitive function 

• Four hours before performing a safety-sensitive function unless the 

employee produces a breath specimen with a concentration below 0.02 

(Employees must be given the opportunity to acknowledge use of alcohol 

in the past 4 hours and to be tested when they arrive for duty.) 

• Eight hours following an accident that meets FTA post-accident testing 

criteria (described in Section 2.3) or until an alcohol test is performed 

unless the employee’s involvement can be completely discounted as a 

contributing factor to the accident and there were no fatalities 

2.2 Safety-Sensitive Functions 

The revenue vehicle operation safety-sensitive job category includes 

employees who operate a revenue service vehicle, regardless of whether it is in 

service and regardless of whether a fare is collected. 

The revenue vehicle and equipment maintenance category includes 

employees who maintain revenue service vehicles or equipment. It also 

includes many maintenance contract employees who perform routine, ongoing 

repair or maintenance for FTA recipients and subrecipients that have 

employees, including supervisors, who perform or could be called upon to 

perform any of the FTA safety-sensitive functions. Maintenance contractors of 

5311 funding recipients are not subject to the testing regulations. 

Revenue vehicle control/dispatching includes employees who control the 

movement of revenue service vehicles. This function was much debated during 

the recent rule revision process because the title “dispatcher” covers a broad 

range of duties, not all of which are safety sensitive, throughout the industry. 

The key consideration is the type of work performed rather than a particular 

job title. FTA decided not to attempt a universal definition of “dispatchers” in 

Part 655. Instead, each employer determines whether its particular dispatcher 

performs or may perform a safety-sensitive function. 

2002 Annual Report 2-2 
CDL/non-revenue vehicle includes employees not included in another safetysensitive category who operate a non-revenue service vehicle (e.g., ancillary 

vehicle) that requires a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). 

Armed security personnel are employees who provide security and carry a 

firearm. 

2.3 Types of Tests 

 

Random testing is considered by FTA to be the most effective deterrent to drug 

use and alcohol misuse, as well as the most reliable indicator of drug use and 

alcohol misuse within an agency and in the industry as a whole, provided it is 

unannounced and unpredictable. Thus, random testing is required to be 

conducted throughout all workdays and hours of service, and must be 

conducted at least once per calendar quarter. Selections for testing must be 

based on a scientifically valid random-number selection method, to ensure that 

all safety-sensitive employees have an equal chance of being selected for testing 

each time a selection is made. 

In 2002, the number of random drug tests conducted had to equal at least 50 

percent of the number of persons in the selection pool when selections were 

made, and the number of alcohol tests had to equal at least 10 percent of the 

pool. These percentages can be amended (per Part 655.45) by the FTA 

Administrator based on the combined percentage of positive tests plus test 

refusals, i.e.: 

(verified positives + refusals) ÷ (specimens collected + refusals) 

(confirmed positives + refusals) ÷ (screens collected + refusals) 

The Administrator has the option to reduce a random drug or alcohol testing 

rate of 50 percent to 25 percent if the combined percentage of positives plus 

refusals is less than 1.0 for two consecutive calendar years. The Administrator 

has the option to raise a drug or alcohol testing rate from 25 percent to 50 

percent if the combined percentage of positives plus refusals for the previous 

calendar year was at least 1.0. Additionally, the Administrator can reduce an 

alcohol testing rate of 25 percent or 50 percent to 10 percent if the combined 

percentage of positives plus refusals was less than 0.5 for two consecutive 

calendar years. Conversely, the Administrator can also raise a rate of 10 

percent to 25 or to 50 percent if the combined percentage in the previous 

calendar year was at least 0.5 or 1.0, respectively. 

It is important to note that the combined percentages used in 2001 and 2002 

for determining the testing rate for the following year are not the actual 

percentages from all the tests reported. As mentioned in Chapter 1, only a 

portion of the employers were required to submit data in 2001 and 2002, and 

sample sizes were determined for each of the three size groups recognized by 

 2-3 2002 Annual Report 
FTA (large, small, and rural) to ensure a distribution that accurately reflects 

the relative populations of the three groups. However, because large employers 

have many more employees than small and rural employers, the distribution of 

the actual number of employees selected for random testing did not accurately 

reflect the relative populations of the three groups. More than 95 percent of 

the random test orders reported in both 2001 and 2002 were by large 

employers while only slightly more than 60 percent of the employers subject to 

the testing regulations are large employers. Consequently, the same statistical 

procedure used to determine representative sample sizes was applied to the 

random test results. The results from the small and rural employers were 

given more weight than those from large employers. 

As shown in Chapter 3, the weighted “official” combined percentage of alcohol 

positives plus refusals was 0.22 in 2002 while the actual percentage was 0.19, 

and the weighted “official” combined percentage for drugs was 1.05 while the 

actual percentage was only 0.97. This distinction was particularly significant 

in 2002 because a drug rate below 1.00 percent would have permitted the 

Administrator to lower the drug testing rate to 25 percent. Based on the official 

rates, however, the random testing quotas for 2003 cannot change. 

NOTE 

Part 655 uses the term “positive rate” to refer to the concept of the combined percentage of random drug 

positives plus refusals, and defines the term as including only random drug test data. 

Part 655 uses the term “violation rate” to refer to the concept of the combined percentage of random 

alcohol positives plus refusals, and defines the term as including only random alcohol test data. 

For clarity in presenting test results, those terms are used as follows in this report: 

“Violation rate” refers to the combined percentage of positive tests plus refusals for both drugs and alcohol. 

“Positive rate” refers to the percentage of verified positive tests of the total number of drug specimens 

collected and to the percentage of confirmed positive tests of the total number of alcohol screens collected. 

Positive rate is used to refer to this percentage for all test types, including random. 

In other words, in this report, “violation rate” includes refusals, and “positive rate” does not include refusals. 

The testing rate for employers who belong to a consortium applies to the total 

number of safety-sensitive employees in the consortium’s pool. As a result, 

some individual employers may not appear to meet the random testing 

requirement. 

Post-accident testing refers to tests required following an accident involving a 

fatality or an accident that meets any of three other criteria and the employee’s 

involvement cannot be completely discounted as a contributing factor: (1) when 

a person suffers a bodily injury and immediately receives medical attention 

away from the scene, (2) when any vehicle involved incurs damage requiring it 

to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other vehicle, or (3) 

2002 Annual Report 2-4 
the mass transit vehicle involved is a rail car, trolley car, trolley bus, or vessel 

and is removed from revenue service due to the accident. 

Employees to be tested include the vehicle operator and any other safetysensitive employee not in the vehicle whose performance could have 

contributed to the accident. Both drug and alcohol tests must be administered 

as soon as possible, but no later than 8 hours after the accident for alcohol 

and 32 hours for drugs. The results of a blood, urine, or breath test conducted 

by Federal, state, or local officials having independent authority for the test 

cannot be used to meet FTA requirements unless the employer is unable to 

perform a post-accident test within the required time period, the test conforms 

to the applicable Federal, state, or local testing requirements, and that the test 

results are obtained by the employer.

Reasonable suspicion testing refers to a drug and/or alcohol test that is 

ordered by a trained supervisor based on specific, contemporaneous, 

articulable observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech, or body 

odor of a safety-sensitive employee. 

Pre-employment testing refers to testing of candidates for a safety-sensitive 

position (including existing non-safety-sensitive employees as well as 

applicants for employment) and for employees who have not performed a 

safety-sensitive function for more than 90 consecutive calendar days, 

regardless of the reason, and were removed from the employer’s random 

selection pool during that time. A negative pre-employment test for drugs is 

required by FTA as a condition for performing safety-sensitive duties under 

these circumstances. Pre-employment alcohol tests are not required but are 

permitted under Part 655 providing they are performed in accordance with the 

testing procedures in Part 40. The alcohol tests are included in the data 

presented in Chapter 3 because they are conducted per DOT standards and are 

required by many employers. 

The Omnibus Testing Act required a negative pre-employment alcohol test, but 

FTA suspended the requirement on May 10, 1995, as the result of a U.S. Court 

of Appeals decision. FTA decided to allow but not require pre-employment 

alcohol testing in Part 655. All of the other eight DOT administrations with 

testing programs added this section to their rules. 

Part 655 also eliminated the term “hire” in the pre-employment provision. 

Previously, employers were required to administer a drug test and receive a 

negative result before hiring an employee. FTA deleted the term to provide 

employers discretion to administer a pre-employment drug test anytime before 

an employee first performs a safety-sensitive function and before an employee 

returns to safety-sensitive duty after being removed from the random pool for 

an extended period. Part 655 also established a limit, 90 consecutive calendar 

 2-5 2002 Annual Report 
days, on the amount of time an employee can be removed from the pool 

without a negative drug test before returning to work. 

Return to duty testing refers to a drug and/or alcohol test that is required for 

a safety-sensitive employee who completes a course of treatment prescribed by 

a SAP after testing positive for drugs or alcohol or refusing to submit to a 

required test. A negative result for the type (drug or alcohol) of positive or 

refused test is required before the employee can be returned to duty. SAPs 

often require the employee to submit to both a drug and an alcohol test even if 

only one of the tests was at issue. 

Follow-up testing refers to a drug and/or alcohol test that is required for an 

employee who is returned to safety-sensitive duty. The employee is subject to 

at least six unannounced tests for at least 12 months after returning to duty. 

The exact number and frequency of tests is prescribed by the SAP, who may 

order tests for up to 60 months after return to duty. SAPs often require the 

employee to submit to both a drug and an alcohol test even if only one of the 

tests was at issue. Follow-up testing is separate from, and in addition to, 

random testing. 

Part 655 incorporates follow-up testing under return to duty testing (i.e., 

return to duty/follow-up testing) as one of five required FTA tests. It was 

previously listed separately as one of six required FTA tests.

2.4 Types of Drugs 

Marijuana is derived from the hemp plant and comes in a variety of colors such 

as green, brown, and a gray mixture of leaves. THC or (delta-9-

tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary active chemical in marijuana. It is 

absorbed quickly into fatty tissues and stored for a long time. The potency and 

strength of the chemical causes people to use the drug for the mildly 

tranquilizing, mood and perception-altering effects it produces. The test for 

marijuana also includes its metabolites. 

Cocaine is an addictive substance that comes from coca leaves, or is made 

synthetically. It appears as a white powder that is snorted, ingested, injected, 

freebased (smoked), or applied directly to the nasal membrane or gums. 

Cocaine acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. It gives the user a 

feeling of exhilaration. The chemicals in cocaine trick the brain into feeling it 

has experienced pleasure, when in fact it has not. 

Phencyclidine (PCP), originally developed as an anesthetic, has adverse side 

effects that limit its medical use to a tranquilizer for large animals. In people, 

PCP acts as both a depressant and a hallucinogen, and sometimes as a 

stimulant. PCP can cause distorted bodily perceptions and a feeling of 

2002 Annual Report 2-6 
disassociation where the mind feels separated from the body. These effects can 

be very upsetting to some people, who may panic as a result. 

Opiates, also known as narcotic analgesics, include heroin, morphine, and 

codeine. They are derived from a sap taken from a seedpod of the plant, 

“papaver somniferum” (or poppy plant). General effects include sedation, 

slowed reflexes, raspy speech, sluggish movements, slowed breathing, cold 

skin, and vomiting. The synthetic form of opiates, known as “designer drug,” is 

even more deadly and addictive. 

Amphetamines include racemic, amphetamine, extroamphetamine, and 

methamphetamine. They are potent stimulants that may be swallowed, 

snorted, or injected. They induce exhilarating feelings of power, strength, 

energy, self-assertion, focus, and enhanced motivation. The need to sleep or eat 

is diminished. Amphetamines can induce a sense of aroused euphoria, which 

may last several hours. The body does not readily break down amphetamines. 

Thus, feelings are intensified and ephemeral. Subsequently, there is an 

intense feeling of mental depression and fatigue. 

 2-7 2002 Annual Report 

3. Drug and Alcohol Test Data 

This chapter presents data from the four circumstances cited in Chapter 2 that 

must be performed by all employers subject to Part 6551: random, post-accident, 

reasonable suspicion, and pre-employment. Data from the fifth test type cited in 

Chapter 2 (return to duty/follow-up) are presented separately (in Chapter 4) 

from data for the other four test types because that test type represents a 

different segment of the test population—specimens produced by persons who 

have already been removed from duty for drug or alcohol violations and have 

completed a rehabilitation program—and not all employers offer rehabilitation. 

As mentioned in Section 2.3, the results of random tests provide the best 

indication of the overall level of drug use and alcohol misuse, and they are used 

by FTA in determining minimum random testing rates for the following year. 

Thus, employers were requested to report the number of refusals to take a 

random test, as well as the number of positive test results, so the combined 

percentage of positive tests plus test refusals per person selected to take a 

random test can be determined. In this report, the combined percentage is 

referred to as the violation rate: 

Drug violation rate2 = (verified positives + refusals) ÷ (specimens collected + refusals) 

Alcohol violation rate = (confirmed positives3 + refusals) ÷ (screens collected + refusals) 

NOTE 

Given that only selected employers were required to report results in 2002, the official 

violation rates used to determine the random testing rates for 2003 are not the 

actual percentages of the results reported. 

Employers requested to report in 2002 were chosen using a stratified random 

sampling technique based on the relative populations of the three size categories.4 

The results from the small and rural employers were given more weight than those 

from large employers because large employers have many more employees than 

small and rural employers. In 2002, 78,891 (95.5 percent) of the 82,584 reported 

persons selected for a random drug test and 23,672 (95.2 percent) of the 24,859 of 

those reported selected for a random alcohol test were reported by large employers. 

 

1 Part 655 does not require pre-employment alcohol testing. It is included in this chapter 

because many employers require it, and Part 655 requires that the data be reported if the tests 

are performed. 

2 For clarity in presenting the test results, the terms “violation rate” and “positive rate” are used 

differently in this report than in Part 655. See the text box in Section 2.3 for a full explanation. 

3 A positive alcohol test is a specimen with a confirmed breath alcohol level of at least 0.04. 

4 The population that surrounds the transit agency determines the size of operation for each 

agency. Large, small, and rural organizations are categorized by a population of 200,000 or 

more, 50,000 to 200,000, and less than 50,000, respectively. 

3-1 2002 Annual Report
However, only 66 percent of the employers subject to the testing regulations 

were large employers; 535 large employers, 36 small employers, and 237 rural 

employers were asked to report. The same statistical procedure used to 

determine representative sample sizes, mentioned in Chapter 1.2, was applied to 

the random test results. 

 

Official Random Violation Rates for 2002 

Employers were not asked to report refusal data for post-accident, reasonable 

suspicion, and pre-employment tests. The results of those tests are presented 

as verified positives for drugs and confirmed positives for alcohol. The 

verified/confirmed positive rates for random tests are included in the 

comparisons of positive rates by test type. 

The results in the remainder of this chapter are expressed as rates (based on the 

actual data reported), where possible, or are normalized by each size category to 

represent the total number of employers. The actual number of instances 

reported is also presented to provide basis for the rate or normalization. 

The data in the remainder of this chapter reflect the actual reported (not 

weighted) test results. Those data are presented in five sections: 

3.1 Violation rates and supporting data for random drug and alcohol tests, 

subdivided by: 

• Employer type (transit and contractor) 

• Employer size (large, small, and rural) 

• FTA region

3.2 Data on non-fatal accidents, fatal accidents, and total fatalities that 

resulted in positive post-accident drug or alcohol tests, subdivided by: 

• Employer type 

• Employer size 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL The graph at left shows the weighted “official” violation rates for 

random drug and random alcohol tests used by the FTA 

Administrator in determining the random testing rates for 2003. 

1.05 

0.22

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Because the drug violation rate exceeded 1.0 and the alcohol 

violation rate was less than 0.50, both the random drug and 

alcohol testing rates remained at their current levels in 2003— 

50 percent for drugs and 10 percent for alcohol. 

The data that provide the statistical basis for the official violation 

rates and the actual violation rates for the tests reported are 

presented in Section 3.1. % 

2002 Annual Report 3-2
3.3 Verified/confirmed positive rates and supporting data for the four types of 

drug and alcohol tests, subdivided by: 

• Employer type 

• Employer size 

• Employee category (safety-sensitive functions described in Section 2.2) 

• FTA region (data only for totals for the four test types combined) 

3.4 Verified positive rates and supporting data by type of drug for the four 

types of drug tests, including drug type rates and data by: 

• Employer type 

• Employer size 

• Employee category 

3.5 Non-positive alcohol violations: 

• Alcohol specimens between 0.02 and 0.039 by test type, subdivided by 

employer type, employer size, employee category, and FTA region 

• Non-test violations, subdivided by employer type and employer size 

3.1 Random Test Violation5 Data 

The graph at right shows the 

actual violation rates for the 

tests reported. The 

accompanying table provides 

the statistical basis for the 

actual reported violation 

rates, and it includes the 

refusal rates. The actual 

data reported are subdivided 

by employer type and size 

and by FTA region later in 

this section. Refusal data 

were not reported by 

Actual Random 

Violation Rates for 

Reported Tests 

employee category. 

3.1.1 Random Test Violation Data by Employer Type and Size 

The following three graphs present the reported random violation rates by 

employer type, by employer size, and by employer size and type, respectively. 

Each graph is accompanied by a table that provides the statistical basis for the 

violation rates. The tables also include the refusal rates. 

 

5 “Violation” refers to the combined number of refusals and positives. See footnote 1, on page 3-1. 

DRUGS ALCOHOL

0.97

0.17

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

 % 

Persons Selected for 

Random Testing and Violations5

Drugs Alcohol

*

Persons Selected 82,584 28,237

Refusals + Positives 803 49 

Positives 732 28 

Refusals 71 21 

Refusal Rate 0. 086% 0.074%

*

specimens collected + refusals for drugs 

 screens collected + refusals for alcohol 

3-3 2002 Annual Report
Random Violation Rates 

by Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.78

1.82

0.12 0.45

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Persons Selected for Random Testing and Violations

by Employer Type 

 Drugs Alcohol 

 Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

*

Persons Selected 67,073 15,511 23,369 4,868 

Refusals + Positives 520 283 27 22 

Positives 483 249 20 8 

 Refusals 37 34 7 14 

 Refusal Rate 0. 055% 0. 219% 0.030% 0.288%

*

specimens collected + refusals for drugs 

 screens collected + refusals for alcohol 

 Random Violation Rates 

 by Employer Size

 DRUGS 

Random Violation Rates 

by Employer Size and Employer Type 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.78 0.91

0.15

1.76

6.19

1.85

0.11 0.63

0.34 0.45 0.53 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

 T C T C T C T C T C T C % Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Persons Selected for Random Testing and 

 Violations by Employer Size and Employer Type

 Drugs 

 Large Small Rural 

 Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

PS 64,023 14,868 990 210 2,060 433 

R+P 498 262 9 13 13 8 

P 464 236 7 10 12 3 

R 34 26 2 3 1 5 

R Rate 0.053% 0.175% 0.202% 1.429% 0.049% 1.155%

 PS = persons selected (specimens collected + refusals)

 P = positives R = refusals R rate = refusal rate 

 Alcohol

 Large Small Rural 

 Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

PS 22,402 4,632 291 48 676 188 

R+P 25 21 1 0 1 1 

P 19 8 0 0 1 0 

R 6 13 1 0 0 1 

R Rate 0.027% 0.281% 0.345% 0% 0% 0.535%

 PS = persons selected (screens collected + refusals) 

 P = positives R = refusals R rate = refusal rate 

 ALCOHOL 

 

 

% Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Persons Selected for Random Testing and Violations 

 by Employer Size 

 Drugs Alcohol 

 Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

*

Persons Selected 78,891 1,200 2,493 27,034 339 864 

Refusals+ Positives 760 22 21 46 1 2 

Positives 700 17 15 27 0 1 

 Refusals 60 5 6 19 1 1 

 Refusal Rate 0.076% 0.419% 0.241% 0.070% 0.295% 0.116%

 *specimens collected + refusals for drugs or screens collected + refusals for alcohol

0.96

1.83

0.84

0.17 0.29 0.23

0.5

1.0

1.5

2002 Annual Report 3-4
3.1.2 Random Violation Data by FTA Region

The following two maps show the random violation rates for drugs and for 

alcohol, respectively, for each of FTA’s ten regions. The shading variations 

provide quick comparison. The exact rates are also included. The statistical 

basis for the violation rates is provided in the accompanying tables. 

 

Random Drug Violation Rates by FTA Region 

Random Alcohol Violation Rates by FT ion 

hese data are subdivided by employer type and by employer size on the 

tion 

e 

rates appear in tables, along with the statistical basis for those rates. 

Persons Selected for 

Random Drug Testing 

 and Violations by Region

Region *

Persons 

Selected 

 Verified

Positives Refusals

 1 3,048 19 0 

 2 22,925 145 10 

 3 12,066 147 12 

 4 7,243 58 9 

 5 12,416 125 10 

 6 5,966 51 8 

 7 1,071 9 3 

 8 2,652 26 3 

 9 9,798 109 9 

10 5,399 43 7 

*

specimens collected + refusals 

A Reg Persons Selected for 

Random Alcohol Testing

and Violations by Region

Region*

Persons Confirmed

Selected Positives Refusals

1 621 1 0 

2 7,502 6 1 

3 5,266 3 10 

4 3,955 2 5 

5 2,734 6 0 

6 3,061 2 1 

7 269 0 1 

8 593 1 0 

9 2,172 1 3 

10 2,064 6 0 

*screens collected + sals refu

T

following pages. The drug violation rates by employer type, the drug viola

rates for large employers, and the alcohol violation rates for large employers ar

displayed on maps. The statistical basis for the violation rates is provided in the

accompanying tables. Because of the small sizes of their populations, the other 

3-5 2002 Annual Report
Random Drug Violation Rates by FTA Region and Employer Type 

 

sons Selected for Random Drug Testing and Violatio

by FTA Region and Employer Type 

Per ns 

Transit Contractor 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Persons 

Selected 

Verified 

Positives Refusals Persons Selected 

Verified 

Positives Region Refusals 

1 2,670 10 0 378 9 0 

2 18,429 97 7 4,496 48 3 

3 10,071 88 2 1,995 59 10 

4 5,865 42 5 1,378 16 4 

5 10,625 87 6 1,791 38 4 

6 4,468 28 5 1,498 23 3 

7 999 8 2 72 1 1 

8 1,959 13 2 693 13 1 

9 7,694 79 5 2,104 30 4 

 10 4,293 31 3 1,106 12 4 

R and Employer Type 

Transit Contractor 

andom Alcohol Violation Data by FTA Region

Region P

S

ersons 

elected

Confirmed

Positives Refusals ViolationRate 

Persons 

Selected

Confirmed

Positives Refusals Vio

Rate 

lation 

1 543 1 0 0.18% 78 0 0 0 

2 6,004 3 1 0.07% 1,498 3 0 0.20% 

3 4,465 2 1 0.07% 801 1 9 1.25% 

4 3 65 ,3 1 3 0.12% 590 1 2 0.51% 

5 2,158 6 0 0.28% 576 0 0 0 

6 2,641 2 0 0.08% 420 0 1 0.24% 

7 265 0 1 0.38% 4 0 0 0 

8 406 0 0 0 187 1 0 0.53% 

9 1,745 1 1 0.11% 427 0 2 0.47% 

 10 1,777 4 0 0.23% 287 2 0 0.70% 

2002 Annual Report 3-6
Random Drug Violati Ra FTA ion a

Random Alcoho l tes FTA gion and Employer Size—Large

Random Violation Data by FTA Region and Employer Size—Small and Rural 

Drugs Alcohol 

Persons Selected for 

g Testing 

d Violations by Region 

arge Employer 

on tes by Reg nd Employer Size—Large 

Random Dru

an

and L

gion Persons 

Selected 

Verified 

Positives Re Refusals

 1 2,939 19 0 

2 22,925 145 10 

3 12,066 147 12 

4 5,738 42 4 

5 11,280 116 7 

6 5,881 50 8 

7 1,019 9 2 

8 2,556 26 3 

9 9,682 108 9 

10 4,805 38 5 

l Vio ation Ra by Re P Selected for 

Random Alcohol Testing 

and Violations by Region 

and Large Employer 

Region

ersons

Persons 

Selected 

Confirmed Refusals Positives

1 606 1 0 

2 7,502 6 1 

3 5,266 3 10 

4 3,347 2 3 

5 2,425 6 0 

6 3,020 2 1 

7 259 0 1 

8 565 1 0 

9 2,147 1 3 

 10 1,897 5 0 

Small Rural Small Rural 

Region PS VP R Rate PS VP R Rate PS CP R Rate PS CP R Rate 

 1 109 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 4 330 9 2 3.33% 1,175 7 3 0.85% 127 0 1 0.79% 481 0 1 0 

 5 412 6 2 1.94% 724 3 1 0.55% 93 0 0 0 216 0 0 0 

 6 85 1 0 1.18% 0 0 0 0 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 7 52 0 1 1.92% 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 8 96 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 9 116 1 0 0.86% 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

10 0 0 0 0 594 5 2 1.18% 0 0 0 0 167 1 0 0.60%

 PS = persons selected VP = verified positives R = refusals Rate = violation rate CP = confirmed positives 

3-7 2002 Annual Report
3.2 Accident and Fatality Data Associated with Positive Po

Data are presented for the number of accidents in which a transit agency employee 

or contractor tested positive in an FTA post-accident test. Data are presented for 

both drug tests and alcohol tests, though it should be noted that one person may 

test positive for both drugs and alcohol and that most employers test the employee 

for both drugs and alcohol. Thus, the numbers for drugs and alcohol cannot be 

added to obtain the total number of persons who tested positive. Data were not 

reported on the total number of persons testing positive in a post-accident test or 

for persons testing positive for both drugs and alcohol. 

Because these accident and fatality numbers cannot be expressed as a rate, the 

number of instances reported have been normalized for the total number of 

employers by each size category. The first table below prese s s tic

for the number of non-fatal accidents, fatal accidents, and total fatalities when a 

positive drug test resulted and when a positive alcohol test resulted. The next 

respectively. The data reported cannot be normalized by FTA

number of instances reported by region are presented in App

numbers are also subdivided by employer type and by emplo

accident and fatality numbers were not reported by employee c

Accidents and Fatalities Resulting in Post-Accident Posi

 Drugs Alcohol 

st-Accident Tests 

nt these tatis s 

two tables subdivide those data by employer type and employer size, 

 region. The actual

endix C; those 

yer size. These 

ategory.

tives

Normalized Reported Normalized Reported 

Non-Fatal Accidents 244 126 6 4 

Fatal Accidents 1 1 0 0 

Total Fatalities 1 1 0 0 

 Accidents and Fatalities Resulting in Post-Accident Positives by Employ pe 

co l

er Ty

 Drugs Al ho

 Normalized Reported Normalized Reported 

 Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Non-Fatal Accidents 139 105 72 54 6 0 4 0

Fatal Accidents 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 

Tota s l Fatalitie 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 

 Accid ts and Fataliti R ulti in Post-Accident sitiv by Employer Si

 Drugs Alcohol 

en es es ng Po es ze 

 

 Normali d Reported orm ed R ort ze N aliz ep ed

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Smal ural l R

No ata c n-F l Ac idents 195 31 2 18 1 0 3 3 6 0 0 4 0 0

Fatal Acc nt ide s 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

To Fat s tal alitie 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

2002 Annual Report 3-8
3.3 a for Four Test Ty

g 

positives and percentages of total drug specimens reported in 2002 for each of 

the four test types: random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and preemployment. Those charts are followed by two charts that compare the 

percentages of total confirmed alcohol positives and percentages of total alcohol 

screens reported in 2002. 

 Percentage of Verified Drug Positives 

 by Four Test Types 

 Percentage of Drug Specimens Collected 

 Dat pes 

The two charts that follow compare the percentages of total verified dru

 by Four Test Types 

P-A = 6.0%

P-E = 58.3%

R = 34.5% RS = 1.2%

P-A = 6.1%

P-E = 31.9%

R = 61.7%

RS = 0.3%

R = Random P-A = Post-Accident RS = Reasonable Suspicion P-E = Pre-Employment 

Percentage of Confirmed Alcohol Positives 

by Four Test Types 

 Percentage of Alcohol Screens Collected 

 by Four Test Types 

P-A = 5.2%

P-E = 11.7%

R = 34.5%

RS = 46..8%

P-A = 17.0%

P-E = 20.1%

R = 61.9%

RS = 1.0%

R = Random P-A = Post-Accident RS = Reasonable Suspicion P-E = Pre-Employment 

3-9 2002 Annual Report
The positive rates for each of the four types and for the four types combined, for 

both drug tests and alcohol tests, are presented in the following graph. The 

accompanying table provides the statistical basis for the positive rates. These 

data are subdivided by employer type and size, by employee category, and by 

FTA region later in this section. 

 Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives 

 by Test Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

Specimens

Co

Verified Screens Confirmed

Positive Rates by Test Type 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

llected Positives Positives

Random 82,513 732 28,216 28 

Post-Accident 8,160 128 7,759 4 

Reasonable Suspicion 452 26 469 36 

Pre-Employment 42,650 1,236 9,157 9 

Total 133,775 2,122 45,601 77 

 

.3.1 Data for Four Test Types by Employer Type and Size 

The data above are subdivided by employer type, by employer size, and by 

employer size and t pe, respectiv for each data set 

are shown in a separate pair of graphs. Each graph pair is followed by a table 

that provides the statistical basis for e rat Be use a of the alcohol rates 

except reasonable suspicion are 0.2 percent or less, the space below “0.2” in 

ach alcohol graph is expanded under the divider line to allow greater clarity. 

DR HOL 

0.89 0.10

1.57

0.05

2.90

1.59

0.10 0.17

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0 5.75

7.68

6.0

7.0

% R P-A RS P-E Combined R P-A RS P-E Combined

R = Random P-A = Post-Accident

 RS = Reasonable Suspicion P-E = Pre-Employment 

3

y ely, in this section. The rates

th es. ca ll 

e

Positive Rates by Test Type and Employer Type 

UGS ALCO

7.50

8.26

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

4.18

3.0

0.72

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0 11.83

2.20

1.61 1.16

6

0.16 3.49

2.77

1.07

0.11

0.20

0.16

0.09 0 7

0.15

0. 6 0 0.0 0.

0.10

05

0.20

 T C T C T C T C T C T C T T C T C C T C 

% Ra Reaso ndom PostAccident 

nable 

Susp

-

icion E m

Pre

mploy om % Random Pos

ccid

Reasonabl

S icion 

P

mplo nt

tA ent e 

usp E

reyme

bined ent C Combined

T = transit C = contractor T = transit C = contractor 

2002 Annual Report 3-10
 

 Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Test Type and Employer Type

Drugs Alcohol 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives Screens Confirmed

Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives

Random 67,036 483 15,477 249 23,362 20 4,854 8 

Post-Accident 6,397 74 1,763 54 6222 4 1,537 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 359 15 93 11 360 27 109 9 

Pre-Employment 19,471 428 23,179 808 6,149 7 3,008 2 

Total 93,263 1,000 40,512 1,122 36,093 58 9,508 19 

Positive Rates by Test Type and Employer Size 

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

7.81

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

0 0 0.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.06 0.05 0.89 0 0 0.60

1.55

5.82

2.94

1.59 1.42

2.6

3.41

1.53

1.84

1.15

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

3

2.20

0.10

0.17

0.10 0.12 0.10

0.15

 L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R 

% Random Accident Suspicion 

re- 

 Employment

 Post- Reasonable P Combined % Random Accident Suspicion 

- 

 Employment Combined Post- Reasonable Pre

 L = large S = small R = rural L = large S = small R = rural 

 Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Test Type and Employer Size

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Specimens Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Positives Screens Confirmed Screens Confirmed

Positives Screens ConfirmedCollected Collected Positives Positives

Random 78,831 700 1,195 17 2,487 15 27,015 27 338 0 863 1 

Post-Accident 7,850 122 114 3 196 3 7,501 4 100 0 158 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 447 26 1 0 4 0 461 36 3 0 5 0 

Pre-Employment 40,065 1,177 734 25 1,851 34 8,580 9 29 0 548 0 

Total 127,193 2,025 2,044 45 4,538 52 43,557 76 470 0 1,574 1 

Note: The graphs subdivided by employer type do not contain columns for 

empl test 

type/employer size graphs. 

oyer size that show a positive rate of “0” in the preceding

3-11 2002 Annual Report
 Positive Rates by Test Type, Employer Size, and Employer Type 

 DRUGS 

1.14

3.13

4

11.96

.23

2.23

3.08

1.59

4.83

1.37 1.07 1.62 0.70

3.08

3.51

21

5 8

6

0.73 0.71 0.58 0.72

3.50

4.

2.6 2.7

4.3

1.97

0.86 0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

 T C T C T C T C T C T C C T C T T C T C T C T C T C 

% Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

 Random Post-Accident RS Pre-Employment Combined

T = transit C = contractor RS = Reasonable Suspicion 

Positive Rates by Test Type, Employer Size, and Employer Type 

 ALCOHOL 

7.61 8.49

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

0 0.17 .15 0.12 0.16

0.08 0.07 0 0.07

0.1

0.2

0.53

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.21 0.19

0.09

 T C T C T C T C T C T C T C 

% Large Rural Large Large Large Large Rural 

 Random Post-Accident RS P-E Combined 

 T = transit C = contractor RS = Reasonable Suspicion P-E = Pre-Employment 

 Specimens Collected and Positives by Test Type, Employer Size, and Employer Type

Drugs 

Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

Specimens Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Collected Positives

Verified 

Positives 

Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Specimens

Collected Collected Collected Collected

Random 63,989 464 14,842 236 988 7 207 10 2,059 12 428 3 

Post-Accident 6,159 70 1,691 52 96 3 15 0 139 1 57 2 

Reason S pi able us cion 355 15 92 11 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 

Pre-Employment 17,7 22,286 520 79 396 781 16 214 9 1,172 16 679 18 

Total 88,28 2 945 38,911 1,080 1,605 26 436 19 3,373 29 1,165 23 

2002 Annual Report 3-12
 Screens Collected and Positives by Test Type, Employer Size, and Employer Type

Alcohol 

Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

onfirmed Screens C

Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives Screens ConfirmedPositives Screens ConfirmedPo

d

sitives Screens Confirme Confirmeds Screens Positive Positives

Random 22,396 19 19 4,6 8 290 0 48 0 676 1 187 0 

Post-Accident 6,016 85 0 15 0 21 4 1,4 0 85 1 0 37 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 355 27 06 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 9 2 2

Pre-Employment 5,873 07 7 2,7 2 22 0 7 0 254 0 294 0 

Total 34,640 1 57 8,9 7 19 399 0 71 0 399 1 0 520

3.3.2 Data for Four Tes

The next two graphs show the positive rates for each test type, as well as the 

rates for all four types combined, by employee category for drug tests and for 

alcohol tests, respectively. Two of the reasonable suspicion drug rates are 

presented on a separate scale because their sample sizes are too small to be 

considered representative of their populations. Because all of the alcohol rates 

except reasonable suspicion are 0.2 percent or less, the space below “0.2” in the 

alcohol graph is expanded under the divider line to allow greater clarity. The 

table following the graphs provides the statistical basis for the positive rates. 

These data are further subdivided by employer type and by employer size on the 

pages that follow. 

Positive Rates by Test Type and Employee Category 

 DR

t Types by Employee Category 

UGS 

11.32

9.09 9.0

10.0

11.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x xxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.58

4.85

3.

1.

6

02 0.82

0.62

0. 88

1.28

0 0 0.

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

18

2.20

82

1. 2

1.

2.33

0.96

1.0

0 0. .98

0 0 0

84

0.17 0.75

40

0.5

1.5

2.0

RVO RV&

 EM

RVC 

/D

CDL/ 

N-RV ASP RVO

RV

& 

EM

 RVC

/D

CDL/

N-RV ASP RVO RV&EM

RVC

/D

CDL/

N-RV ASP RV

O

 RV&

EM

 RVC

/D

CDL/ 

N-RV ASP RVO RV& 

 EM

RVC

/D

CDL/

N-RV ASP % 

 Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion Pre-Employment Combined

 RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

3-13 2002 Annual Report
Positive Rates by Test Type and Employee Category 

ALCOHOL 

7.99 7.41

25.00

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RVO RV& 

M

RVC

 E /D

CDL/ ASP RVO RV& RVC

 N-RV EM /D

CDL/

N-RV ASP RV RV&

O EM

RVC

/D

CDL/

N-RV ASP RVO RV& EM

RVC

/D

CDL/ 

N-RV ASP RVO RV& 

M

RVC

 E /D

CDL/

N-RV ASP

0.06

0.11

0.17

0

0.08

0.20

0.07

0.18

0

0.11

0

0.13

0 0 0 0 0 0

0.17

0

0.14

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0

% 

 Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion Pre-Employment Combined

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle C Security Personnel 

 Spec e Category

 GS

ontrol/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed 

imens/Screens Collected and Positives by Test Type and Employe

DRU

Revenue Vehicle 

Control/Dispatching 

CDL/Non-Revenue 

Vehicle Armed Security 

Personnel 

Revenue Vehicle 

Operation 

Revenue Vehicle and 

EquipmentMaintenance

Specimens

Collected Positives 

Verified Specimens

Collected Positives 

Verified Specimens

Collected Positives

Specimens

Collected Positives 

Verified Verified Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives

Random 54,676 525 19,670 161 4,983 31 1,435 12 1,749 3 

Post-Accident 7,617 120 363 8 94 0 33 0 53 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 371 18 53 6 22 2 1 0 5 0 

Pre-Employment 35,152 1,117 4,818 78 1,242 29 235 3 1,203 9 

Total 97,816 1,780 24,904 253 6,341 62 1,704 15 3,010 12 

ALCOHOL 

R hic

on 

e a

ipme na

evenue Ve le Rev nue Vehicle nd 

Equ ntMainte nce

Reve Ve e

trol/ ing 

C o n

Vehic

Armed Security 

Personnel 

nue hicl

Con Dispatch

DL/N n-Reve ue 

Operati le 

Screens Confirmed

Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives Screens ConfirmedPositives Screens ConfirmedPositives 

Screens Confirmed

Positives

Random 18,485 13 6,812 12 1,506 2 696 0 717 1 

Post-Accident 7,243 4 342 0 91 0 32 0 51 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 388 31 54 4 22 0 1 0 4 1 

Pre-Employment 7,152 8 1,278 1 270 0 63 0 0 394

Total 33,268 56 17 9 2 1,1 8,486 1,88 2 79 0 66 2 

3.3.2.1 Data for s Four Te t Types by Em ee go an plo T ploy Cate ry d Em yer ype 

The following se

s b

ries of p bd ide e p ce g te ty m oye ate ry 

 T g s e dru n r h are 

ented for th b a fo h t ey show the

gra hs su iv th re din st pe/e pl e c go

positive rate y employer type. wo raph , on for gs and o e fo alco ol, 

pres e four test types com ined nd r eac tes type. Th

2002 Annual Report 3-14
positiv raphs is 

llowed by a table that provides the statistic for the rates.

Note: The graphs subdivi pl pe tai ns

employ

test ty g 

o e s C bin y E loy ate ry a p er T

D G

e rates by employer type for each employee category. This series of g

fo al basis

ded by em oyer ty do not con n colum for 

ee categories that show a positive rate of “0” in the preceding

pe/emp e loy e category raphs. 

Positive Rates for F ur T st e Typ om ed b mp e Ce go nd Em loy ype 

RU S 

 ALCOHOL 

0

0.17 0.18

0.20

0.11

0.21

0.40 0.39

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

 T C T C T C T C % RVO RV& EM RVC/D ASP

1.20

0.85

0.59

0.91

1.98

0.78 0.74

1.72

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

3.06

0.21

2.5

3.0

 T C T C T C T C T C % RVO RV& EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV ASP

T = transit C = contractor 

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

Random Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer Type 

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.75 0.74

0.51

0.87

0.07

1.82

1.06

0.69

0.50

1.26

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

0 0.07 0.16 0 0.06 0.29

0.56

0.97

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

 T C T C T C T C T C T C T C T C T C % V&EM R -RV A % RVO R VC/D CDL/N SP RVO RV&EM RVC/D ASP

T = transit C = contractor 

RVO = R 

RV

evenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

C/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

3-15 2002 Annual Report
 Empl

D

 Post-Accident Positive Rates by oyee Category and Employer Type 

RUGS 

1.18 1.0 1.39

2.98

5.33

3.0

4.0

5.0

2.0

 T C T C % RVO RV&EM

ALCOHOL 

0.07

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

 T C % RVO 

 

T = transit C = contractor 

 R&EM = Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

ype 

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

Reasonable Suspicion Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer T

 

DRUGS 

ALCOHOL 

7.48

0

3.0

9.

21

3

33.0

33.33

24.0

27.0

0.0

3.04

1

6.0

9.0

18.0

21.0

20.00

15.0

5.88

2.00 11.90

9.09

3.0

12.0

 T

.0

18.0

15.0

12.0

0 9.57 9.30

 C T C T C 6.0

% RVO RV&EM RVC/D

0

 T C T C T C % RVO RV&EM ASP

T = transit C = contractor RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

2002 Annual Report 3-16
Pre-Employment Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer Type 

DRUGS 

ALCOHOL 

0.13

0.08

0.10

0.06

0.09

0

0.03

0.12

 T C T C % RVO RV&EM 

2.49

2.0 2.24

1.25 1.14

1.44

1.04

0.88

0.57

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.5

3.0

3.71

3.21

3.5

T C T C T C T C T C % RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV ASP 

 T = transit C = contractor RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance

 RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel

Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employee Category and Employer Type

Drugs Alcohol 

Transit Contractor ra t on T nsi C tractor

Specimens 

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Specimens

Collected 

Verifi

Positives s 

d

Positives 

ed Confirme firmed Screens 

Con Screen Positives 

RVO 43,781 327 10,895 198 15,183 11 3,302 2 

RV&EM 16,819 125 2,85 36 5,790 9 1,022 3 1 

RVC/D 3,945 20 1,038 11 1,149 0 357 2 

CDL/N-RV 1,146 10 289 2 626 0 70 0 

Rando

1 

m 

ASP 1,345 1 404 2 614 103 0 

RVO 5,941 70 1,676 50 5,776 4 1,467 0 

RV&EM 288 4 75 4 282 0 60 0 

RVC/D 84 0 10 0 82 0 9 0 

CDL/N-RV 31 0 2 0 31 0 1 0 

Post-A nt 

ASP 53 0 0 0 51 0 0 0 

ccide

RVO 296 9 75 9 294 22 94 9 

RV&EM 42 5 11 1 43 4 11 0 

RVC/D 17 1 5 1 19 0 3 0 

CDL/N-RV 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 

Reasonable 

Suspicion 

ASP 3 0 2 0 3 1 1 0 

RVO 15,250 379 19,902 738 4,760 6 2,392 2 

RV&EM 3,033 38 1,785 40 960 1 318 0 

RVC/D 526 6 716 23 138 0 132 0 

CDL/N-RV 139 2 96 1 52 0 11 0 

PreEmployment 

ASP 523 3 680 6 239 0 155 0 

RVO 65,268 785 32,548 995 26,013 43 7,255 13

RV&EM 20,182 172 4,722 81 7,075 14 1,411 3

RVC/D 4,572 27 1,769 35 1,388 0 501 2 

CDL/N-RV 1,317 12 387 3 710 0 82 0 

Total 

ASP 1,924 4 1,086 8 907 1 259 1 

3-17 2002 Annual Report
3.3.2.2 Data for Four Test Types by Employee Category and Employer Size

The followi

rates by employer size. Tw

ng series of graphs subdivide the test type/employee category positive 

presented for the four test types combined and for each test type. The graphs show 

the positive rates by employer size for each employee category. However, the 

alcohol graphs do not contain columns for small employers because no confirmed 

alcohol positives were reported by small employers. This series of graphs is 

followed by a table that provides the statistical basis for the rates.

 

Note: The graphs subdivided by employer size do not c in columns for 

employee categories that show a positive rate he test type/ 

employee category graphs. 

Positive Rates for Four Test Types ombined by Employee Category and Employer Size 

U

o graphs, one for drugs and one for alcohol, are 

onta

of “0” in t

C

DR GS 

1.83

1.02

0.90

0 0 0 0 0

0.40

1.32

2.36

0.71

0.24 0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

0

2.2

1.02

1.79

2.

 L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R % RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV ASP

L = large S = small R = rural

ALCOHOL

0.12

0.08

0.20

0.17

0 0 0

0.05

0.10

0.15 0.17

0.20

 L R L R L R L R 

% RVO RV&EM RVC/D ASP

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

 RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

 CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 

 RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 

 ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

Random Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer Size 

DRUGS 

0.96

0 00 0 0 0.17 0 0

1.28

1.65

0.71

0.2 0.33

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

 ALCOHOL 

0.15 0.15

0.07

0.18

0.14

0 0 0

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.82

0.66

0.85

 L R L R L R L R % RVO RV&EM RVC/D ASP

% L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R 

 L = lar nance 

r rity Personnel 

ge S = small R = rural RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Mainte

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Cont ol/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Secu

2002 Annual Report 3-18
ployee Cate

DRUGS 

Post-Accident Rates by Em gory and Employer Size 

0.96

1.83

0.84

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

ALCOHOL 

0.06

0.02

0.04

0.06

0

La al rge Rur % RVO 

.18 0.30 0.23

 Large Small Rural Large Small Rural % RVO RV& EM

ne of 

ecause its sample size s o sentativ s 

Reaso p t lo g E i

D

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

O the rates in the next alc raph is presented on a se scale ohol g

mall t

parate 

b populat

 

 is too be repre e of it ion. 

n s able Su icion Ra es by Emp yee Cate ory and m S ployer ze 

RUGS 

4.92

11

9

0 0 0 0

2.0

6.0

10.0

.32

.09

0 0

4.0

8.0

 L S R L S R L S R % RVO RV& EM RVC/D

ALCOHOL 

25.0

15.0

20.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

8.1

0 0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

2

7.55

0

 L R R L L R % RVO RV& EM ASP

 e l R O = Reve cle Ope 

 RV&EM=Reven le and Equ ntenance Dispatc d Security el 

 L = larg S = smal = rural RV nue Vehi ration 

ue Vehic ipment Mai RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/ hing ASP = Arme Personn

3-19 2002 Annual Report
Pre-Employment Rates by Employee Category and Employer Size 

DRUGS 

ALCOHOL 

0.12

0.08

0.03

0.06

0.09

0.12

0 0

 L R L R %

RVO RV& EM

3.23

6.25

3.29 3.23 3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

1.62

2.46

1.38

2.04

2.0

0 0 0 0 0 0.75 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.5

 L S R L S R L S R L S R L S R % RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV ASP

 L = large S = small R = rural RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM =Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP ersonnel 

Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employee Category and Employer Size

Drugs Alcohol 

= Armed Security P

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Positives

Specimens Verified 

Positives Screens Confirmed Screens Confirmed

Positives Screens ConfirmedCollected Collected Positives Positives

RVO 51,784 496 907 15 1,985 14 17,550 12 264 0 671 1 

RV&EM 19,331 159 156 2 183 0 6,701 12 43 0 68 0 

RVC/D 4,561 30 119 0 303 1 1,359 0 2 29 118 0 

CDL/N-RV 1,416 12 3 0 16 0 690 0 0 0 6 0 

Random 

ASP 1,739 3 10 0 0 0 715 1 2 0 0 0 

RVO 7,318 114 108 3 191 3 6,997 4 96 0 150 0 

RV&EM 358 8 5 0 0 0 337 0 4 0 1 0 

RVC/D 89 0 1 0 4 0 86 0 0 0 5 0 

CDL/N-RV 32 0 0 0 1 0 30 0 0 0 2 0 

PostAc e

0 51 0 0 0 0 0 

cid nt 

ASP 53 0 0 0 0

RVO 366 18 1 0 4 0 382 31 2 0 4 0 

RV&EM 53 6 0 0 0 0 53 4 0 0 1 0 

RVC/D 22 2 0 0 0 0 21 0 1 0 0 0 

CDL/N-RV 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 

Reasonable 

Suspicion 

ASP 5 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 

RVO 32,848 1,062 639 21 1,665 34 6,671 8 22 0 459 0 

RV&EM 4,698 76 62 2 58 0 1,248 1 6 0 24 0 

RVC/D 1,098 27 32 2 112 0 212 0 1 0 57 0 

CDL/N-RV 218 3 1 0 16 0 55 0 0 0 8 0 

PreEmployment

ASP 1,203 9 0 0 0 0 394 0 0 0 0 0 

RVO 92,316 1,690 1,655 39 3,845 51 31,600 55 384 0 1,284 1 

RV&EM 24,440 249 223 4 241 0 8,339 17 53 0 94 0 

RVC/D 5,770 59 152 2 419 1 1,678 2 31 0 0 18 0 

CDL/N-RV 1,667 15 4 0 33 0 776 0 0 0 16 0 

Total 

ASP 3,000 12 10 0 0 0 31,600 55 384 0 1,284 1 

2002 Annual Report 3-20
3.3.3 Data for Four Test Types by FTA Region 

The following two maps show the positive rates for all four test types combined for 

drugs and for alcohol for each of FTA’s ten regions. The shading variations provide 

quick comparison. The exact rates are also included. The statistical basis for those 

rates is provided in the accompanying tables. 

 Positive Drug Test Rates for Four Test Types Combined by FTA Region 

 Positive Alcohol T r Test Types Combined by FTA Region 

These data are subdivided by employer type and by employer size on the following 

pages. The drug positive rates by employer type, the drug positive rates for large 

employers, and the alcohol positive rates for large employers are displayed on 

maps. T

eca se of low r of ves reported r e o ohol 

Specimens 

Collected and 

Positives by Region

Region Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

 1 4,438 48 

 2 34,385 437 

 3 18,780 451 

 4 13,304 164 

 5 19,392 334 

 6 9,361 130 

 7 1,774 19 

 8 5,667 96 

 9 18,332 372 

 10 8,342 71 

est Rates for Fou

he statistical basis for the rates is provided in the accompanying tables. 

B u the numbe positi fo

Collected and 

Positives by Region

Screens 

Screens Confirmed Region Positives

 1 877 2 

 2 11,235 13 

 3 9,216 18 

 4 6,538 5 

 5 4,690 15 

 6 4,412 4 

 7 483 1 

 8 875 4 

 9 4,759 8 

 10 2,516 7 

the oth r categ ries (alc

by employer type and small and rural employers), the rates for those categories 

appear in tables, along with the statistical basis for those rates. 

3-21 2002 Annual Report
Positive Drug Test Rates for Four Test Types Combined by FTA Region and Employer Type 

 

nsit Contra

Drug Specimens Collected and Verified 

Posit Region and Employer Type ives by 

Tra ctor 

Region Specimens

Collected Po

Verified 

sitives

Specimens

Collected

Veri

Posi

fied 

tives

 1 3,602 28 836 0 2

 2 24,855 18 9,530 8 9 24

 3 12,995 23 5,785 2 9 21

 4 9,013 91 4,291 73

 5 15,341 188 4,051 6 14

 6 6,221 5 3,140 6 4 7

 7 1,611 17 3 2 16

 8 2,384 16 3,283 0 8

 9 11,326 133 7,006 9 23

10 15 45 2 7 6 5,9 ,42 2 

ohol for Four Test Types Com ined y Reg an mpl r Ty

Tra it Co act 

Alc Data b b ion d E oye pe

ns ntr or

Region Screen

Confirmed

s Pos

ositive 

Rate Screens Co meitives 

P nfir d

Positive

Posi 

Ra

tive

s te 

1 746 2 0.27 0 131 0 .00 

2 8,527 8 0.09 2, 8 0.18 70 5

3 7,031 14 0.2 2,185 4 0.1 0 8 

4 5,112 4 0.08 1,426 0.07 1

5 3,835 14 0.37 0.12 855 1

6 3,739 4 0.11 673 0 0.00 

7 479 1 0.21 0 4 0 .00 

8 533 1 0.19 0 342 3 .88 

9 4,034 6 0.15 725 2 0.28 

 10 2,057 4 0.19 459 3 0.65 

2002 Annual Report 3-22
Positive Drug Test Rates for Four Test Types Combined by FTA Region and Employer Size—Large 

Positive Alcohol Test Rates for Four Test Types Combined by FTA Region and Emplo Size—Larg yer e 

Specimens Collected 

& Positives by Region

and Large Employers

Specimens Region CollectedVerified 

Positives

 1 4,313 48 

 2 34,385 437 

 3 18,780 451

 4 10,155 101 

 5 17,588 313 

 6 9,240 128 

 7 1,705 19 

 8 5,534 96 

 9 18,076 369 

 10 7,417 63 

S en cte 

Positiv Reg 

an pl

cre s Colle d &

es by ion

d Large Em oyers

Region S Con 

Positive creens 

firmed

s

 1 850 2 

 2 11,23 13 5

 3 9,216 18 

 4 5,432 5 

 5 4,242 15 

 6 4,353 4 

 7 468 1 

 8 834 4 

 9 4,727 8 

10 2,200 6 

Data for Four Test Types Combined by FTA Region and Employer Size—Sma n

Drugs Alcohol 

ll a d Rural 

Small Rural Small Rural 

Region Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Positive 

Rate 

Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Positive 

Rate Screens ConfirmedPositives 

Positive 

Rate Scr Co P ve ositi

eens 

nfirmed

Positives Rate

 1 125 0 0 0 0 0 27 0 0 0 0 0 

 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 4 717 28 3.91% 2,432 0.85% 10 155 0 0 951 0 0 

 5 623 12 1.93% 1,181 0.55% 4 141 0 0 307 0 0 

 6 121 2 1.65% 0 0 0 59 0 0 0 0 0 

 7 69 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 

 8 133 0 0 0 0 0 41 0 0 0 0 0 

 9 256 3 1.17% 0 0 0 32 0 0 0 0 0 

10 0 0 0 925 1.18% 7 0 0 0 316 1 0.32%

3-23 2002 Annual Report
The data for calculating the verified positive rates by region for random tests 

he table is followed 

7

alone appear in the tables of regional random test violation data, in Section 

3.1.2. Regional data for the other three test types are insufficient to calculate 

meaningful rates or to accurately normalize the data reported. 

3.4 Test Data by Type of Drug 

The verified positive rates6 for each type of drug tested for are presented for each 

test type and for the four test types combined in the following graph. A table 

follows that provides the statistical basis for the positive rates. T

by charts that show the percentage by drug type of the total drug type detections

for each test type and the four types combined. These rates and data are presented 

by employer type, employer size, and employee category later in this section. 

Positive Rates6 by Test Type and Drug Type 

0.76

1.11

1.84

0.92

0.75

3.32

0.08

0.46

0.58

0.38

0.01

0.44

0.03

0.92

0 0.08 0.03 0.09 0.04 0.22 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

2.0

1.5

2.5

3.0

0.05

0.66

 M C P O A M C P O A M P M P O A M C P O C O A C A % Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion Pre-Employment Combined

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

Specimens Co nd s by Test

e s

llected a Positive Type and Drug Type 

Specimens Verifi d e Positiv

Collected M rijua a na ocaine C PCP Opiates Amphetamines

Random 82,513 378 313 8 23 30 

Post-Accident 8,160 62 61 0 7 4 

Reasonable Suspicion 452 5 15 2 1 3 

Pre-Employment 42,650 785 392 35 33 26 

Total 133,775 230 781 45 1, 64 63 

 6 For clarity in pres tin est r lts, “ ve ra used differen this report than in 

Part 655. Here, it does sals e t ox in ction r a full explanation. 

 Because multipl ometi es det ecim t ber of drug 

etections may be greater than the total number of verified positives. 

en g the t

not include

esu

refu

positi

. See th

te” is

ext b

tly in

 Se 2.3 fo

7 e drugs are s m ected in one sp en, the otal num

d

2002 Annual Report 3-24
 Percentage by Drug Type of Total Drug Detections for Each Test Type 

 P = A = 4.0%

11.1%

 O = 3.0%

C = 41.6% M = 50.3%

A = 3.0% P = 0%

O = 5.2%

M = 46.3%

C = 45.5%

C = 35.8% M = 56.3%

 P = O = 2.9%

 2.1%

A = 2.9%

 A = 

11.5%

 P = 

 7.7%

O = 3.8%

M = 19.2%

C =57.8%

 P = 2.8% A = 2.0%

 O = 2.6%

M = 61.8%

C = 30.8%

Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion Pre-Employment e

M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = e

3.4.1 Data by Test Type, Employer Type, and Drug Type

The following three graphs show the positive rates by drug type for each test type 

and for the four test types combined by employer type. Two different scales are 

used in the reasonable suspicion graph to accommodate the disparity in rates. 

Two tables follow the graphs. The first provides the statistical basis for the 

detections for each test type and the four test types combined by

Positive Rates by Test Type, Employer Type, and Drug Type

Combin d 

Amph tamines 

rates. The second shows the percentage by drug type of the total drug type 

 employer type. 

0.38

0.79

0.61

1.62

0.30

0.71

0.41

0.99

0.05 0.09 0.08 0.10 0.05 0.010.02 0.02 0.01 0.030.030.03 0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

Random Combined 

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

2.79

3.23

5.38

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx

0.59

1.36 1.42

2.19

0.52

1.59

0.68

1.12

0.10 0.06 0.08 0.09 0 0 0.09 0.17 0.06 0.05 0.050.02

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

0.56

0.28

1.08

0.280.28

2.15

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Transit Contractor Transit Contractor % Transit Contractor 

 Post-Accident Pre-Employment Reasonable Suspicion 

M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines

 

3-25 2002 Annual Report
 Specimens Collected and Positives by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type 

Transit Contractor 

SC M C P O A SC M C P O A 

Random 67,036 255 203 7 16 16 15,477 123 110 1 7 14 

Post-Accident 6,397 38 33 0 4 3 1,763 24 28 0 3 1 

Reasonable Suspicion 359 2 10 1 1 1 93 3 5 1 0 2 

Pre-Employment 19,471 277 133 17 9 4 23,179 508 259 18 24 22 

Total 93,263 572 379 25 30 24 40,512 658 402 20 34 39 

SC = specimens collected M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines

Percentage by Drug Type of Total Drug Detections for Each Test Type by Employer Type 

Transit Contractor 

Cocaine PCP Opiates Ampheta- PCP Opiates Amphetamines Marijuana Marijuana Cocaine mines 

Random 51.3 40.9 1.4 3.2 3.2 48.2 43.1 0.4 2.8 5.5 

Post-Accident 48.7 42.3 0 5.1 3.9 42.8 50.0 0 5.4 1.8 

Reasonable Suspicion 13.3 66.6 6.7 6.7 6.7 27.3 45.4 9.1 0 18.2 

Pre-Employment 63.0 30.2 3.9 2.0 0.9 61.1 31.2 2.2 2.9 2.6 

Combined 55.6 36.8 2.4 2.9 2.3 57.1 34.9 1.7 2.9 3.4 

 3.4.2 Data by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type

The following four graphs show the rates by drug type for each test type and for 

the four test types combined by employer size--the first graph for large employers 

and the other three for small and rural. Two tables follow the graphs. The first 

provides the statistical basis for the rates. The second shows the percentage by 

drug type of the total drug type detections for each test type by employer size. 

Positive Rates by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type—Large Employers 

0.75 0.7

1.12

3.36

0.09

0

0.59

8

0.01 0 4

1.87

0.92

5

0.93

.46 0.3 0.45

0.0 0.08 0.03 0.08 0. 0 0.22 0.05

7

0.06

2.0

2.5

3.0

1.5

03 .05 0.05

0.6

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

M C P A C P O M P A M C P O A C O M A C O M P O A % 

 Random Post-Accident Reasonable Suspicion re-Emp t C ined P loymen omb

 M = ijua Cocain P encyclidin CP) Opiate Mar na C = e = Ph e (P O = s A = Amphetamines 

2002 Annual Report 3-26
Positive Rates by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type—Small and Rural Employers 

0.67

1.17

0.8 0.93

1.0

0.6 0.73

0.59

0.40

0.4

0.31

0 0 0.12 0 0.12 0 0 0 0 0.13 0

0.25

0.15

0.2

 M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Small Rural Small Rural 

Random Combined 0 

M C P O A M CPOA % Small Rural 

 Reasonable Suspicion 1.75

1.91

1.6

1.8

 

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0.51

1.19

0.88

0.51 0.54

0 0 0 0 0 0

0.51

0 0 0 0 0.11

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4 1.50

 M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Small Rural Small Rural 

Post-Accident Pre-Employment 

 S = small R = rural M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

 

 Specimens Collected and Positives by Test Type, Employer Size, and Drug Type 

Large Small Rural 

SC M C P O A SC M C P O A SC M C P O A

Random 78,831 360 0 3 3 8 20 27 1 9 ,1 5 8 8 0 0 3 2,487 10 3 0 3 0

Post-Accident 7,850 59 59 0 6 4 114 2 2 0 0 0 196 1 1 0 1 0

Reasonable Suspicion 447 5 15 2 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0

Pre-Employment 40,065 749 371 35 31 26 734 14 14 0 0 0 1,851 22 10 0 2 0

Total 127,19 4 58 3 1,173 7 8 45 60 2,044 24 0 0 24 3 4,538 33 14 0 6 0

SC = specimens collected M = Marijuana C = Coca P = ine Phency (PCP) clidine O iates = Op A = Amphetamines

f Tota g Detec s for Each est Type b mployer S 

e Small Rural 

Percentage by Drug Type o l Dru tion T y E ize

Larg

M C P O M C P A C P O A A O M 

Random 50.1 2 8 44.4 42.2 1.1 .8 3. 38.9 0 0 16.7 62.5 8.75 0 8.75 0 1 1

Post-Accident 46.1 46.1 0 4.7 3.1 66.7 33.3 0 0 0 33.3 33.3 0 33.3 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 19.2 57.7 7.7 3.9 11.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Pre-Employment 61.8 30.6 2.9 2.6 2.1 56.0 44.0 0 0 0 64.7 29.4 0 5.9 0 

Combined 56.3 35.9 2.2 2.8 2.9 52.2 41.3 0 0 6.5 62.3 26.4 0 11.3 0 

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines

3-27 2002 Annual Report
3.4.3 Data by Test Type, Employee Category, and Drug Type 

 The following five graphs show the rates by drug type for each test type and for 

the four test types combined by employee category. A graph is presented for the 

four test types combined and for each of the test types. Two tables follow the 

graphs. The first provides the statistical basis for the rates. The second shows 

the percentage by drug type of the total drug type detections for each test type 

and the four test types combined by employee category. 

Positive R tes a for Four Test Types Combined by Employee Category and g Dru Type 

0.57

0.54 0.53

0.36

0.43

0.23

0.17

0.29

0.06

0.04 0.02 0.02 0.03

0.05 0

0.04 0.03

0.05 0 0.07 0 0 0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

1.06 1.0

0.67 0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

 M C P O A M O C P A M C P O C P O A M A M C P O A 

% Revenue Vehicle Operation Revenue Ve

t Maintena

hicle and e ic

 Equipmen nce

 Rev nue Veh le 

 Control/Dispatching CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle Armed Security Personnel

 uana C = C M = Marij ocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

Random Positive Rates by Employee Category and Drug Type 

0.43

0.33

0.36

0.11

0.56

0.26

0.49

0.11

0.28

0.41

0.28

0.01 0.01 0.04

0 0 0 0.03 0.04 0.02 0.05 0 0 0 0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Revenue Vehicle Operation Revenue Vehicle and 

 Equipment Maintenance

 Revenue Vehicle 

 Control/Dispatching CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle Armed Security Personnel

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

2002 Annual Report 3-28
Post-Accident Positive Rates by Employee Category and Drug Type 

1.38

1.2

0.83

0.75 0.76

0.09

0.2

0.4

0

0.6

0.8

1.0

0.05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 M C P O A M C P O M P A C O A M C P O A M O C P A 

% Revenue Vehicle Operat Re hicle a

quip intena

 nue V ion 

 E

venue Ve

ment Ma

nd 

nce 

 Reve ehicle 

 CDL/Non- Vehicl rmed Security Per Revenue e A sonnel l/Disp Contro atching

 M = Marijuana ocai = P clidine (PCP) tes Amp nes C = C ne P hency O = Opia A = hetami

Reaso Su n P e R y E oye go Drug Type nable spicio ositiv ates b mpl e Cate ry and

3.77

5.66

0 0 0

0.81

0 0

2.96

0

1.89

0.27 0 0 0 0 0

0.81

0 0 0 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.55 4.55

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

0

 M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Revenue Vehicle Operation Revenue Vehicle and 

 Equipment Maintenance 

 Revenue Vehicle 

 Control/Dispatching CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle Armed Security Personnel

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

3-29 2002 Annual Report
Pre-Employment Positive Rates by Employee Category and Drug Type 

1.02

0.39

0.64

0.43 42

1.69

2.02

0.43 0.43

0.09 0.04 0.09 0.04 0.08 0.05 0.17

0.2

0.4

0.

1.

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

1.03

6

0.8

0

0.25

0 0

0.

0 0 0 0 0

 M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

% Revenue Vehicle Operation Revenue Vehicle and 

 Equipment Maintenance 

 Revenue Vehicle 

 Control/Dispatching CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle Armed Security Personnel

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

 Specimens Collected and Positives by Test Type, Employee Category, and Drug Type 

Specimens Verified Positives 

Collected Marijuana Cocaine PCP Opiates Amphetamines

RVO 54,676 270 225 6 15 20 

RV&EM 19,670 85 64 2 7 10 

RVC/D 4,983 13 18 0 1 0 

CDL/N-RV 1,435 8 4 0 0 0 

Random 

ASP 1,749 2 2 0 0 0

RVO 7,617 57 58 0 7 4 

RV&EM 363 5 3 0 0 0 

RVC/D 94 0 0 0 0 0 

CDL/N-RV 33 0 0 0 0 0 

Post-Accide

ASP 

nt 

53 0 0 0 0 0 

RVO 371 3 11 0 1 3 

RV&EM 53 2 3 1 0 0 

RVC/D 22 0 1 1 0 0 

CD

Reasonable 

L/N-RV 1 0 0 0 0 0 Suspicion 

ASP 5 0 0 0 0 0 

RVO 35,152 709 361 31 30 18 

RV&EM 4,818 49 19 2 2 8 

RVC/D 1,242 21 8 0 1 0 

CDL/N-RV 235 1 1 1 0 0 

Pre-Empl

ASP 3 

oyment 

1,203 5 1 0 0 

RVO 97,816 55 1,039 6 37 53 45 

RV&EM 2 04 4,9 141 89 5 9 18

RVC/D 6,341 34 27 1 2 0 

CDL/N-RV 1,704 9 5 1 0 0 

Total 

ASP 3,010 7 5 1 0 0 

 RVO = Revenue O n R Vehicle peratio V&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

2002 Annual Report 3-30
Percentage by Drug Type of Total Drug Detections for Each Test Type by Employee Category 

Revenue Vehicle 

Operation 

Revenue Vehicle and 

Equipment Maintenance

Revenue Vehicle 

Control/Dispatching 

CDL/Non-Revenue 

Vehicle 

Armed Security 

Personnel 

M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A M C P O A 

Random 50.442.0 1.1 2.8 3.7 50.638.1 1.2 4.2 5.9 40.656.3 0 3.1 0 66.733.3 0 0 0 50.050.0 0 0 0 

Post-Accident 45.246.0 0 5.6 3.2 62.537.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Reasonable Suspicion 16.761.1 0 5.5 16.733.350.016.7 0 0 0 50.050.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Pre-Employment 61.731.4 2.7 2.6 1.6 61.2523.75 2.5 2.5 10.070.026.7 0 3.3 0 33.333.333.3 0 0 55.633.311.1 0 0 

Combined 55.7 37.4 1.1 2.5 3.3 63.3 30.7 3.0 2.0 1.0 52.6 42.1 0 0 5.3 48.4 45.2 3.2 3.2 0 61.5 38.5 0 0 0 

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

3.5 Non-Positive Alcohol Violations 

Data are presented for alcohol violations other than positive test results: 

• Confirmed specimens with breath alcohol levels between 0.02 and 0.039 

• Non-test violations: 

– Alcohol use while performing a safety-sensitive function 

– Alcohol use within 4 hours of performing a safety-sensitive function 

– Alcohol use before taking a required post-accident test 

– Other 

3.5.1 Confirmed Alcohol Specimens Between 0.02 and 0.039 

The following tables present data on confirmed alcohol specimens produced at 

levels between 0.02 and 0.039 for each test type and for all four test types 

combined. The data presented are the percentage of such specimens of the total 

number of screens produced and the statistical basis for those percentages. (For

all test types except reasonable suspicion and for all the types combined, the 

p

number with levels lower than 0.04 are the same after rounding because the rates 

are extremely low. Both rates are included in the “percent of total screens” 

column for reaso

The table at right presents the total 

number of violations. The tables on 

the following pages subdivide those 

numbers by employer type, by 

employer size, by employer size and 

type combined, by employee category, 

and by FTA region, respectively. The 

rates by FTA region are presented for 

all four test types combined and for 

random tests, but not for the other 

th

Alcohol Confirmations Between 0.02 and 0.039 

by Test Type 

Percent 

of Total 

Screens 

Between 

0.02 and 

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

ercentages of the en u tire n mber of screens and the percentage of the total 

nable suspicion tests where the rates differ.) 

ree test types individually. 

Random 0.07 19 28,216 

Post-Accident 0.03 2 7,759 

2.35/ 

2.54* Reasonable Suspicion 11 469 

Pre-Employment 0.01 1 9,157 

Total 0.07 33 45,601 *

The bottom numb h r er is t e pe centage of the total number of screens excluding 

confirmed positives. Both percentages are the same for the other test types.

3-31 2002 Annual Report
Alcohol pe

Transit Contractor 

 Confirmations Between 0.02 and 0.039 by Test Type and Employer Ty

Percent 

of Total 

Screens 

Between 

0.02 and 

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

Percent 

of Total 

Screens 

Between

0.02 and

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

Random 0.06 14 23,362 0.10 5 4,854 

Post-Accident 0.02 1 6,222 0.07 1 1,537 

2.78/ 

3.00* 10 360 0.92/ 1.00* Reasonable Suspicion 1 109 

Pre-Employment 0.02 1 6,149 0 0 3,008 

Total 0.07 26 36,093 0.07 7 9,508 

*The bottom number is the percentage of the total number of screens excluding confirmed positives. Both percentages are the same for the other test types. 

 Alcohol Confirmations Between 0.02 and 0.039 by Test Type and Employer Size

Large Small Rural 

rc ta

e

e l of Total 0.0 ns Screens 

2 an

0.039 

Percent Betwe n 

d Total 

Screens of Total

Screens 

Percent B

0.02 and 

0.039 

Total 

Screens

Pe ent etween 

of To

Scre

tal 0.02 and To

ens 0.039 Scre

Between 

Random 0.07 19 27,015 0 0 338 0 0 863 

Post-Accident 0.03 2 7,501 0 0 100 0 0 158 

Reasonable Suspicion 5 2.17/ 

2.35* 10 461 0 0 3 20.00 1

Pre-Employment 0.01 1 8,580 0 0 29 0 0 548 

Total 0.07 32 43,557 0 0 470 0.06 1 1,574 

*The bottom number is the percentage of the total number of screens excluding confirmed positives. Both percentages are the same for the other reasonable 

suspicion breakdowns and for the other test types. 

Alcohol Confirmations Between 0.02 and 0.039 by Test Type, Employer Size, and Employer Type

Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

%TS .02- 

.039 TS %TS .02- .02- .02- .02- 

.039 TS %TS .02- .039 TS %TS TS %TS TS %TS TS .039 .039 .039

Random 0.06 14 22,396 0.11 5 4,619 0 0 290 0 0 48 0 0 676 0 0 187

Post-Accident 0.02 1 6,016 0.07 1 1,485 0 0 85 0 0 15 0 0 121 0 0 37 

Reasonable 

Suspicion 

2.54/ 

2.74* 9 355 0.94/ 

1.03* 1 106 0 0 2 0 0 1 33.33 1 3 0 0 

Pre-Employment 0.02 1 5,873 0 0 2,707 0 0 22 0 0 7 0 0 254 0 0 294

Total 0.07 25 34,640 0.08 7 8,917 0 0 399 0 0 71 0.09 1 1,054 0 520

 TS = total screens *The bottom number is the percentage of the total number of screens excluding confirmed positives. Both 

percentages are the same for the other reasonable suspicion breakdowns and for the other test types. 

 Alcohol Confirmations Between 0.02 and 0.039 by Test Type and Employee Category

Revenue Vehicle 

Operation 

Revenue Vehicle and 

Equipment Maintenance

Revenue Vehicle 

Control/Dispatching 

CDL/Non-Revenue 

Vehicle 

Armed Security 

Personnel 

Percent 0.02 

to 

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

Percent 

of Total 

Screens

0.02 

to 

0.039 

Total 

Screens

Percent 0.02 

to 

0.039 

Total 

Screens

Percent 0.02 

to 

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

Percent 0.02 

to 

0.039 

Total 

Screens of Total of Total 

Screens

of Total of Total

Screens Screens Screens

Random 0.04 8 18,485 0.10 7 6,812 0.20 3 1,506 0.14 1 696 0 0 717

Post-Accident 0.03 2 7,243 0 0 342 0 0 91 0 0 32 0 0 51

Reason

Suspi 4 able 

cion 

2.58/ 

2.80* 10 388 0 0 54 0 0 22 100 1 1 0 0 

Pre-Employment 0.01 1 7,152 0 0 1,278 0 0 270 0 0 63 0 0 394

Total 0.06 21 33,268 0.08 7 8,486 0.16 3 1,889 0.25 2 792 0 0 1,166

*The bottom number is the percentage of the total number of screens excluding confirmed positives. Both percentages are the same for the other reasonable 

suspicion breakdowns and for the other test types. 

2002 Annual Report 3-32
.5.2 

Because non-test violations cannot be expressed as a rate, the number of instances 

ported have been nor o plo . 

provided for each of three specific non-test violations and for non-test violations 

that were not ied. rst table presents the total number of violations. 

T er tab divid e num rs by ployer e and e ployer s , 

respectively. e of tions b ize als ubdivi s the lar employ data 

by employer type. Non-test violations were not reported by employee category. 

Non-Test Alcohol Violations malized

3 Non-Test Alcohol Violations 

re malized f r all em yers by eac ize ca h s tegory Data are 

 classif

b

 The fi

he oth les su e thos be em typ m ize

The tabl viola y s o s de ge er

Nor Reported 

Alcohol use while performing a safety-sensitive function 10 6 

Alcohol use within 4 hour erforming afety-sens function s of p a s itive 6 4 

Alco re taking quired post-accident tes hol use befo a re t 0 0 

Unc ed non-test viol s lassifi ation 5 3 

Total 16 10 

Norm ed Reported aliz Non-Test Alcohol Violatio by Empl e Transit Contractor ns oyer Typ Tr t Contract ansi or

Alcohol use w erforming a safe ensitive function hile p ty-s 8 2 5 1 

Alcohol use w hours of a safe sitive fu ithin 4 performing ty-sen nction 5 1 3 1 

Unclassified olations non-test vi 2 3 1 2 

Total 13 6 8 4 

Normaliz Reported ed

Non-Test Alcohol Violations by Employ er Size Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

Total T C Total T C 

Alcohol use while pe safet functio rforming a y-sensitive n 10 8 2 0 0 6 5 1 0 0 

Alcohol use within 4 formi ty-sensitive function hours of per ng a safe 6 5 1 0 0 4 3 1 0 0 

Unclassified non-test violations 5 2 3 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 

Total 21 15 6 0 0 13 9 4 0 0 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Random A

Between 0.02 and 0.039 

by FTA Region 

Region 

Percent 

of Total 

Screens 

Between 

0.02 and 

0.039 

Total 

Screens 

lcohol Confirmations

1 0 0 621 

2 0.04 3 7,501 

3 0.10 5 5,256 

4 0.03 1 3,950 

5 0.07 2 2,734 

6 0.10 3 3,060 

7 0.37 1 268 

8 0 0 593 

9 0 0 2,169 

 10 0.19 4 2,064 

Total Alcohol Co

Between 0.02 and 

nfirmations 

0.039 for Four 

Test Types Combined by FTA Region

Percent 

of Total 

Screens 

Between 

0.02 and 

0.039 

Total 

Screens Region

1 0 0 877 

2 0.04 4 11,235

3 0.05 5 9,216 

4 0.03 2 6,538 

5 0.11 5 4,690 

6 0.11 5 4,412 

7 0.83 4 483 

8 0 0 875 

9 0.06 3 4,759 

 10 0.20 5 2,516 

3-33 2002 Annual Report

4. Return to Duty Data 

This chapter presents data on persons who have been returned to FTA safetysensitive duty after testing positive for drugs or alcohol or refusing to submit to 

a required test and who have subsequently completed a rehabilitation program 

designed by a substance abuse professional (SAP). Section 4.1 presents 

statistics on the number of persons returned to duty in calendar year 2002. 

Section 4.2 summarizes data for return to duty tests performed in 2002. 

Section 4.3 summarizes data for follow-up tests performed in 2002. The results 

are sorted and presented by various criteria: employer type, employer size, 

employee category, FTA region, and drug type. 

As mentioned in Chapter 1, only a portion of the recipients and subrecipients 

were requested to report their test data in 2002. Those employers were randomly 

selected from three stratified sample populations, based on employer size—535 

large employers, 36 small employers, and 237 rural employers.8 To make the 

sample data meaningful, the results are expressed as rates where possible, i.e., 

in Sections 4.2 and 4.3. In Section 4.1, where the data cannot be expressed as a 

rate, the number of instances reported have been normalized for the total 

number of employees by each size category to represent the total number of 

employers. The number of instances reported is also presented to provide basis 

for the rates or normalization. 

4.1 Employees Returned to Duty in 2002 

Data are presented for the number of employees who were returned to duty 

following a drug violation and following an alcohol violation. However, one 

person may test positive for both drugs and alcohol, and most employers test the 

returned employees for both drugs and alcohol. Thus, the numbers for drugs 

and alcohol cannot be added to obtain the total number of persons returned to 

duty. No statistics were reported for the total number returned to duty. 

The table at left presents the number of employees 

returned to duty. These data are subdivided by 

employer type and by employer size in the tables 

below. The data by employer size are further 

subdivided by employer type on the next page. Employees returned to duty 

were not reported by employee category. 

 

Employees Returned to Duty by Employer Type

Drugs Alcohol Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Normalized 569 108 82 16 

Reported 326 32 45 7 

Employees Returned to Duty 

Drugs Alcohol 

Normalized 677 98 

Reported 358 52 

Employees Returned to Duty by Employer Size

Drugs Alcohol Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

Normalized 560 93 24 80 0 18 

Reported 345 9 4 49 0 3 

8 The population that surrounds the transit organization determines the employer size category. 

Large is 200,000 or more, small is 50,000 to 200,000, and rural is less than 50,000. 

4-1 2002 Annual Report 
 Employees Returned to Duty by Employer Size and Employer Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

 Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Normalized 520 40 31 62 18 6 70 10 0 0 12 6 

Reported 320 25 3 6 3 1 43 6 0 0 2 1 

4.2 Return to Duty Test Data 

The positive rates for return to duty drug tests and alcohol tests9 are shown in 

the graph at left. The statistical basis for those rates is 

provided in the table. The rates are subdivided by 

employer type and size, by employee category, by FTA 

region, and by type of 

drug later in this section. 

Return to Duty Positive Rates

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

1.77

0.51

0.5

1.0

1.5

%

Return to Duty Specimens/ 

Screens Collected and Positives

Drugs Alcohol

Specimens Collected 623 396*

4.2.1 Return to Duty 

Test Data by Employer 

Type and Size

Verified Positives 11 2**

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

The following three graphs present the return to duty drug test and alcohol test 

rates by employer type, employer size, and employer size and type, respectively. 

Two of the rates in two of the graphs are presented on a separate scale because 

their sample sizes are too small to be representative of their populations. The 

graph (at right) showing employer size rates subdivided by employer type shows 

alcohol rates only for large transit employers because no confirmed alcohol 

positives were reported by small or rural employers or by contractors. The 

three tables that follow provide the statistical basis for the positive rates. 

 

9A positive alcohol test is a screen with a confirmed breath alcohol level of at least 0.04. 

Return to Duty Positive Rates 

by Employer Size and Employer Type

DRUGS ALCOHOL

6.25

7.69

3.0 1.87

5.0

7.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.52

1.87

0.58

0 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

 T C T C T C T %

Large Small Rural Large 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Return to Duty Positive 

Rates by Employer Type

Return to Duty Positive Rates by

Employer Size

DRUGS ALCOHOL DRUGS ALCOHOL

4.55

3.13 2.0

3.0

4.0

% T C T C 

 T = transit C = contractor 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.58

0.51

0.5

1.0

1.5

0 0

1.83

1.52

0.57

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

% Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

2002 Annual Report 4-2 
Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected 

and Positives by Employer Size 

Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employer Size and Employer Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Specimens Collected 462 107 16 6 13 19 347* 43* 3* 1* 1* 1*

Verified Positives 7 2 1 0 1 0 2** 0** 0** 0** 0** 0**

 *Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

4.2.2 Return to Duty Test Data by Employee Category

The following graph shows the verified positive rates for return to duty drug tests 

and alcohol tests by employee category. The table next to it provides the 

statistical basis for the positive rates. These data are further subdivided by 

employer type and by employer size on the next page. 

 

Note: The graphs subdivided by employer type and employer size do not 

contain columns for employee categories that show a positive rate of 

“0” in the preceding employee category graph. 

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Specimens 

Collected 569 22 32 390* 4* 2*

Verified 

Positives 9 1 1 2** 0** 0**

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected 

and Positives by Employer Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Specimens 

Collected 491 351* 132 45*

Verified 

Positives 9 2 2** 0**

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives 

Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected 

and Positives by Employee Category

Drugs

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

Revenue Vehicle Operation 438 9 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 138 2 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 30 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 14 0 

Armed Security Personnel 3 0 

Alcohol

Screens Confirmed

Positives 

Revenue Vehicle Operation 263 1 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 105 1 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 19 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 8 0 

Armed Security Personnel 1 0 

Return to Duty Positive Rates 

by Employee Category 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

2.05

0.38

1.45

0 0 0 0 0 0

0.95

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

CDL/ RVO RV& 

EM

RVC 

 /D

 CDL/ 

 N-RV ASP RVO RV&  EM

RVC % /D N-RV ASP

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 

CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 

ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

4-3 2002 Annual Report 
Return to Duty Positive Rates 

by Employee Category and 

Employer Type 

Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives 

by Employee Category and Employer Type

Drugs 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL Transit Contractor 

Two of the rates in the next graph are presented on a separate scale because 

their sample sizes are too small to be representative of their populations. 

Additionally, that graph contains alcohol rate columns for only large employers 

because no positive return to duty alcohol tests were reported by small or rural 

employers in 2002. 

Return to Duty Positive Rates by 

Employee Category and Employer Size

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

5.88

3.0 3.85

4.0

5.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.77

1.48

0 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

 0.39

0.95

 L S R L S R L L % RVO RV&EM RVO RV&EM

 L = large S = small R = rural 

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

 T C T C T C T C %

SC VP SC VP 

Revenue Vehicle Operation 

2.40

0.84

1.12

0.42 0 0

5.26

0.96 0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

334 8 104 1 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 119 1 19 1 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 25 0 5 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 10 0 4 0 

Armed Security Personnel 3 0 0 0 

Alcohol 

Transit Contractor 

S CP S CP 

Revenue Vehicle Operation 238 1 25 0 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 89 1 16 0 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 16 0 3 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 7 0 1 0 

Armed Security Personnel RVO RV&EM RVO RV&EM

 T = transit C = contractor 

1 0 0 0 

 SC = specimens collected VP = verified positives RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation S = screens CP = confirmed positives RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

Return to Duty Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives 

by Employee Category and Employer Size

Drugs 

Large Small Rural 

SC VP SC VP SC VP

Revenue Vehicle Operation 395 7 17 1 26 1 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 135 2 1 0 2 0 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 24 0 3 0 3 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 13 0 0 0 1 0 

Armed Security Personnel 2 0 1 0 0 0 

Alcohol 

Large Small Rural 

S CP S CP S CP

Revenue Vehicle Operation 258 1 3 0 2 0 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 105 1 0 0 0 0 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 18 0 1 0 0 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 8 0 0 0 0 0 

Armed Security Personnel 1 0 0 0 0 0 

 SC = specimens collected VP = verified positives 

 S = screens CP = confirmed positives 

2002 Annual Report 4-4 
4.2.3 Return to Duty Test Data by FTA Region 

The following map shows the verified positive rates for return to duty drug tests 

for each of FTA’s ten regions. The shading variations enable quick comparison. 

The exact rates are also included. The statistical basis for those rates is 

provided in the accompanying table. Because only two return to duty alcohol 

positives were reported, the alcohol rates for each region appear in a table 

(below the map), along with the statistical basis for those rates. 

 Positive Return to Duty Drug Test Rates by FTA Region 

 

 Return to Duty Alcohol Data by FTA Region 

Region 1 2 3 4 5 6 

 Return to Duty 

Specimens Collected 

& Positives by Region

Region Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

 1 16 0 

 2 140 0 

3 120 2 

4 35 1 

 5 129 0 

 6 26 2 

 7 13 0 

 8 16 0 

 9 77 4 

10 51 2 

7 8 9 10 

Positive Rate 0 0 1.90 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Screens 12 78 105 25 65 19 9 15 53 15 

Confirmed Positives 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

4.2.4 Return to Duty Test Data by Type of Drug 

The next two tables show return to duty test data for each type of drug tested 

for. The number of drug test specimens collected and the number and percent 

of those that were verified positive are shown at left. The percentage of total 

positives by drug type 

are shown at right. 

These data are 

subdivided by 

employer type, by 

employer size, and by 

employee category on 

the next page. 

Return to Duty Specimens Collected,

Positives, and Rates by Drug Type

623 specimens collected 

Positives Percent 

Marijuana 6 0.96 

Cocaine 4 0.64 

PCP 0 0 

Opiates 0 0 

Amphetamines 1 0.16 

Percentage by Drug Type for

Return to Duty Positives

Marijuana 54.5 

Cocaine 36.4 

PCP 0 

Opiates 0 

Amphetamines 9.1 

4-5 2002 Annual Report 
Return to Duty Specimens Collected, Positives, 

and Rates by Drug Type and Employer Type Percentage by Drug Type 

Transit Contractor for Return to Duty Positives 

491 collected 132 collected by Employer Type

Return to Duty Specimens Collected, Positives, and Rates 

by Drug Type and Employee Category 

RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV ASP

438collected138collected 30 collected 14 collected 3 collected

Percentage by Drug Type 

for Return to Duty Positives

by Employee Category 

Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent RVO RV& 

EM

RVC 

/D

CDL/

N-RV ASP

Marijuana 5 1.14 1 0.72 0 0 0 0 0 0 M 55.6 0 0 0 

Cocaine 3 0.68 1 0.72 0 0 0 0 0 0 C 33.3 0 0 0 0 

PCP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P 0 0 0 0 0 

Opiates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 

Amphetamines 1 0.23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A 11.1 0 0 0 0 

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM = Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

4.3 Follow-Up Test Data 

The positive rates for follow-up drug tests and alcohol 

tests are shown in the graph at left. The statistical basis 

for those rates is provided in the table below. These data 

are subdivided by 

employer type and size, 

by employee category, by 

FTA region, and by type 

of drug later in this 

section. 

Positives Percent Positives Percent Transit Contractor

Marijuana 4 0.81 2 1.52 Marijuana 44.45 100 

Cocaine 4 0.81 0 0 Cocaine 44.45 0 

PCP 0 0 0 0 PCP 0 0 

Opiates 0 0 0 0 Opiates 0 0 

Amphetamines 1 0.20 0 0 Amphetamines 11.1 0 

Return to Duty Specimens Collected, Positives, and Rates 

by Drug Type and Employer Size

Large Small Rural 

569 collected 22 collected 32 collected 

Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent

Marijuana 5 0.88 0 0 1 3.13 

Cocaine 3 0.53 1 4.55 0 0 

PCP 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Opiates 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Amphetamines 1 0.18 0 0 0 0 

Percentage by Drug Type 

for Return to Duty Positives 

by Employer Size

Large Small Rural 

Marijuana 55.6 0 100 

Cocaine 33.3 100 0 

PCP 11.1 0 0 

Opiates 0 0 0 

Amphetamines 0 0 0 

Follow-Up Positive Rates

 DRUGS ALCOHOL

1.54

0.34

0.5

1.0

1.5

%

Follow-Up Specimens/Screens 

Collected and Positives

Drugs Alcohol

Specimens Collected 4,389* 5,502

15** Verified Positives 85

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

2002 Annual Report 4-6 
4.3.1 Follow-Up Test Data by Employer Type and Size 

The following three graphs present the follow-up test rates by employer type, by 

employer size, and by employer size and type, respectively. Rates in two of the 

graphs are presented on a separate scale because their sample sizes are too 

small to be representative of their populations. The graph (at right) showing 

employer size rates subdivided by employer type shows alcohol rates only for 

large employers because no confirmed alcohol positives were reported by small 

or rural employers. The three tables that follow provide the statistical basis for 

the positive rates. 

 Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employer Size and Employer Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Specimens Collected 4,941 511 21 9 15 5 3,989* 379* 1* 8* 7* 5*

Verified Positives 74 8 1 0 1 1 14** 1** 0** 0** 0** 0**

 *Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

Follow-Up Positive Rates 

by Employer Type and Employer Size

DRUGS ALCOHOL

6.67

4.76

20.00

3.0

7.0

11.0

15.0

19.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.50 1.57

0 0.35 0.26

0.5

1.0

1.5

T C T C T C T C %

Large Small Rural Large 

 T = transit C = contractor 

Follow-Up Positive Rates by 

Employer Size

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

10.00

3.33 3.0

5.0

7.0

9.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.50

0.34

0.5

1.0

1.5

0 0

%

Follow-Up Positive 

Rates by Employer Type

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.53

1.71

0.35 0.26

0.5

1.0

1.5

% T C T C Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

 T = transit C = contractor 

Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected 

and Positives by Employer Size 

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Specimens 

Collected 

and Positives by Employer Type 

Drugs Alcohol 

5,452 30 20 4,368* 9* 12*

Verified 

Positives 82 1 2 15** 0** 0**

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

Specimens 4,977 525 3,997* 392*

Collected 

Verified 14** 1** 76 9 Positives 

*Total screens collected **Confirmed Positives

4-7 2002 Annual Report 
4.3.2 Follow-Up Test Data by Employee Category 

The following graph shows the positive rates for follow-up drug tests and 

alcohol tests by employee category. The accompanying table provides the 

statistical basis for the positive rates. These data are further subdivided by 

employer type and employer size in the subsequent graphs and tables. 

Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives

by Employee Category

Note: The graphs subdivided by employer type and employer size do not 

contain columns for employee categories that show a positive rate of 

“0” in the preceding employee category graph. 

Follow-Up Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer Type 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.92

1.00

1.12

0.58

0.35 0.27

1.56

2.30

0.66

1.54

0.61

0 0 0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

T C T C T C T C T C T C T C % RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV RVO RV&EM RVC/D

 T = transit C = contractor 

 RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

 RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 

Drugs

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

Revenue Vehicle Operation 3,223 63 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 1,849 18 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 244 3 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 175 1 

Armed Security Personnel 11 0 

Alcohol

Screens Confirmed

Positives 

Revenue Vehicle Operation 2,477 8 

Revenue Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance 1,651 5 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 155 2 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 102 0 

Armed Security Personnel 4 0 

Follow-Up Positive Rates 

by Employee Category 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.95

0.97

0.30

1.23 1.29

0 0 0 0.32

0.57

0.5

1.0

1.5

% RVO RV& 

EM

 RVC CDL/ 

 N-RV ASP RVO RV& RVC CDL/ ASP /D EM /D N-RV

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation 

RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 

CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 

2002 Annual Report 4-8 
Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employee Category and Employer Type

Drugs Alcohol 

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives Screens Confirmed

Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives

Revenue Vehicle Operation 2,918 56 305 7 2,278 8 199 0 

Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 1,698 17 151 1 1,486 4 165 1 

Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching 179 2 65 1 128 2 27 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 171 1 4 0 101 0 1 0 

Armed Security Personnel 11 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 

Two of the rates in the next graph are presented on a separate scale because 

their sample sizes are too small to be representative of their populations. 

Additionally, that graph contains alcohol rate columns for only large employers 

because no positive follow-up alcohol tests were reported by small or rural 

employers. 

Follow-Up Positive Rates by Employee Category and Employer Size 

 DRUGS ALCOHOL 

 

10.00 10.00

3.0

6.0

9.0

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1.92

0.97 0.85

0 0 0 0 0 0

0.57 0.5

1.0

1.5

1.29

0.33 0.30

 Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Small Rural Large Large Large % RVO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-RV RVO RV&EM RVC/D

RVO = Revenue Vehicle Operation RV&EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle 

Follow-Up Specimens/Screens Collected and Positives by Employee Category and Employer Size

Drugs Alcohol 

Large Small Rural Large Small Rural 

Specimens

Collected 

Verified 

Positives 

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives

Specimens

Collected

Verified 

Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives Screens Confirmed Positives Screens ConfirmedPositives

Revenue Vehicle 

Operation 3,183 61 20 0 20 2 2,456 8 9 0 12 0 

Revenue Vehicle and 

Equipment Maintenance 1,849 18 0 0 0 0 1,651 5 0 0 0 0 

Revenue Vehicle 

Control/Dispatching 234 2 10 1 0 0 155 2 0 0 0 0 

CDL/Non-Revenue 

Vehicle 175 1 0 0 0 0 102 0 0 0 0 0 

Armed Security 

Personnel 11 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 

4-9 2002 Annual Report 
4.3.3 Follow-Up Test Data by FTA Region 

The following two maps show the positive rates for follow-up drug tests and 

alcohol tests for each of FTA’s ten regions. The shading variations enable quick 

comparison. The exact rates are also included. The statistical basis for those 

rates is provided in the accompanying tables. 

 Positive Follow-Up Drug Test Rates by FTA Region Follow-Up 

Specimens 

Collected and 

Positives by Region

Region Specimens Verified 

Collected Positives

1 186 1 

2 1,574 12 

3 1,143 15 

4 119 2 

5 918 16 

6 137 1 

7 101 1 

8 163 7 

9 726 22 

10 435 8 

 Positive Follow-Up Alcohol Test Rates by FTA Region 

4.3.4 Follow-Up Test Data by Type of Drug 

ta for each type of drug tested for. 

Follow-Up Screens 

Collected and 

Positives by Region

Region Confirmed

Positives Screens 

 1 181 0 

 2 1,404 3 

 3 1,030 4 

 4 97 0 

 5 455 4 

 6 119 0 

 7 92 0 

 8 151 3 

 9 606 0 

 10 254 1 

The next two tables show follow-up test da

The number of drug test specimens collected and the number and percent of 

2002 Annual Report 4-10 
those that were verified 

, 

 

 Follow-Up Specimens Collected, Positives, and Rates 

R V ASP

Follow-Up Specimens Collected, 

positive are shown at left Positives, and Rates by Drug Type

and the percentage of total

positives by drug type are 

shown at right. These data

are subdivided by employer 

type, by employer size, and 

by employee category in the 

tables that follow.

5,502 specimens collected

 

 by Drug Type and Employee Category 

VO RV&EM RVC/D CDL/N-R

322 ted 18 d 24 d1 11 ed

Percentage by Drug Type 

3collec 49collecte 4collecte 75 collected collect

for Follow-Up Positives by

Employee Category 

Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent Positives Percent RVO RV& RVC CDL/

EM /D N-RV ASP

Marijuana 29 0.90 7 0.38 3 1.23 0 0 0 0 M 46.0 38.9 100 0 0 

Cocaine 30 0.93 10 0.54 0 0 1 0.57 0 0 C 47.6 55.5 0 100 0 

PCP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P 0 0 0 0 0 

Opiates 1 0 .03 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 1.6 0 0 0 0 

Amphetamines 3 0.09 1 0 .05 0 0 0 0 0 0 A 4.8 5.6 0 0 0 

 VO nue icl on RV R = Reve Veh e Operati &EM=Revenue Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance 

RVC/D = Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatching CDL/N-RV = CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle ASP = Armed Security Personnel 

 M = Marijuana C = Cocaine P = Phencyclidine (PCP) O = Opiates A = Amphetamines 

Positives Percent 

Marijuana 39 0.71 

Percentage by Drug Type

for Follow-Up Positives

Marijuana 45.9 

Cocaine 41 0.75 Cocaine 48.2 

PCP 0 0 

Opiates 1 0.02 

Amphetamines

PCP 0 

Opiates 1.2 

4 0.07 Amphetamines 4.7 

Follow-Up Specimens Collected, Positives, 

and Rates by Drug Type and Employer Type

Transit Contractor 

Percentage by Drug Type 

for Follow-Up Positives 

4,97 ted 5 7 collec 25 collected by Employer Type

Positives Percent Positives Percent Transit Contractor

Mariju Marijuana 48.7 22.2 ana 37 0.74 2 0.38 

Cocaine 35 0.70 6 1.14 Cocaine 46.1 66.7 

PCP 0 0 0 0 PCP 0 0 

Opiates 1 0. 02 0 0 Opiates 1.3 0 

Amphetamines 3 0.06 1 0.19 Amphetamines 3.9 11.1 

Follow-Up Specimens Collected, Positives, and Rates 

Rural 

by Drug Type and Employer Size Percentage by Drug Type 

l Rural 

Large Small for Follow-Up Positives 

5,452 collected 30 d 20 d collecte collecte by Employer Size

Positives Percent Positives Percent Large Smal

M

Positives Percent

arijuana 46.3 100 Marijuana 38 0.70 1 3.33 0 0 

Cocaine 40 0.73 0 0 1 5.00 

0 

Cocaine 48.8 0 50.0 

PCP 0 0 0 

Opiate

PCP 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Opiates 1 0 .02 0 0 0 0 s 1.2 0 

Amphetamines 5.00 

0 

3 0.06 0 0 1 Amphetamines 3.7 0 50.0 

4-11 2002 Annual Report 

5. Trend Analysis 

Because the data reporting requirement changed in 2001, the only rates that 

can be reliably compared for each year of reporting (from 1996 to 2002) are 

random violation rates. As mentioned in Chapter 3, the results actually 

reported in 2001 and 2002 do not accurately reflect total FTA testing due to the 

high proportion of results reported by large employers. The results from 

random testing were weighted to obtain “official” random violation rates that 

reasonably estimate the rate for all persons tested, enabling reliable 

comparison with the years before 2001 when all employers were required to 

report. Weighted rates are not available for any test types other than random 

or any subsets of the random testing. 

Also included in this chapter are comparisons of the following rates from 

results actually reported in 2001 and 2002: 

• Random test violation rates subdivided by employer type 

• Positive rates for four test types combined: random, post-accident, 

reasonable suspicion, and pre-employment. 

In this report, the violation rate10 refers to the number of positives and refusals 

combined per person selected to take a random test: 

Drug violation rate = (verified positives + refusals) ÷ (specimens collected + refusals) 

Alcohol violation rate = (confirmed positives + refusals) ÷ (screens + refusals) 

The positive rate10 does not include refusals. For drugs, it is the number of 

verified positives per the total number of specimens collected. For alcohol, it is 

the total number of confirmed positives per the total number of screens 

collected. 

5.1 Official Random Violation Rates from 1996 through 2002 

As mentioned in Section 2.3, the combined percentage of positives plus 

refusals (i.e., the violation rate) is the best indication of the overall level of drug 

use and alcohol misuse, and is used by FTA in determining minimum random 

testing rates for the following year. 

As shown in the following graph, the official drug violation rate rose in 2002, 

for the first time since employers in all size categories were required to report. 

The official weighted rate for 2002 rose above 1.0 percent, following its drop to 

0.98 percent in 2001. Because the rate did not remain above 1.0 for a second 

consecutive year, the FTA Administrator did not have the option to reduce the 

 

10 For clarity in presenting the test results, the terms “violation rate” and “positive rate” are used 

differently in this report than in Part 655. See the text box in Section 2.3 for a full explanation. 

 2002 5-1 Annual Report 
drug test quota from 50 percent to 25 percent for 2003. Although the official 

drug violation rate rose by more than 7 percent in 2002, equaling the rate in 

2000 of 1.05, it was still nearly 35 percent lower than the rate in 1996. 

Official Random Drug and Alcohol Test Violation Rate: 1996 to 2002

 

As also shown in the 

graph at right, the official 

random alcohol violation 

rate rose by more than 20 

percent in 2002 (to 0.22 

percent), equaling the 

highest rate (set in 1998). 

Despite its relatively high 

level, the 2002 alcohol 

violation rate remained 

well below the threshold 

of 0.50 percent for raising 

the testing rate from 10 t

25 percent. 

o 

5.2 Actual Rates for Results Reported in 2001 and 2002 

As shown in the graph below at left, both the transit and the contractor drug 

violation rates rose in 2002, reflecting the rise in the overall drug violation rate. 

The percentage of increase in the rate for transit employees was more than 

twice the percentage of increase for contractors. The alcohol violation rate for 

transit employees decreased while the rate for contractors increased.

As shown in the graph below at right, the combined positive drug test rate for 

random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and pre-employment tests 

remained the same, and the 

Actual Random Violation Rates by Employer Type: combined alcohol rate decreased. 

2001 and 2002

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

0.72

1.76

0.78

0.34

0.16

1.82

0.12

0.45

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

 2001 2002 2001 2002 2001 2002 2001 2002 

%

Transit Contractor Transit Contractor 

Actual Positive Rates for Four 

Test Types Combined: 2001-2002

DRUGS ALCOHOL 

1.59 1.59

0.22 0.17

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

% 2001 2002 2001 2002 

0.00%

0.25%

0.50%

0.75%

1.00%

1.25%

1.50%

1.75%

Drugs 1.60% 1.27% 1.20% 1.14% 1.05% 0.98% 1.05%

Alcohol 0.21% 0.19% 0.22% 0.18% 0.15% 0.18% 0.22%

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

2002 Annual Report 5-2 
Appendix A. Glossary 

Accident: An occurrence associated with the operation of a vehicle, if as a result: 

(1) A person dies;

(2) A person suffers a bodily injury and immediately receives medical treatment 

away from the scene of the accident; 

(3) With respect to an occurrence in which the mass transit vehicle involved is 

a bus, electric bus, van, or automobile, one or more vehicles incurs disabling 

damage as the result of the occurrence and is transported away from the scene 

by a tow truck or other vehicle; or 

(4) With respect to an occurrence in which the mass transit vehicle involved is 

a rail car, trolley car, trolley bus, or vessel, the mass transit vehicle is removed 

from revenue service. 

Alcohol: The intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or other low 

molecular weight alcohols including methyl or isopropyl alcohol. 

Alcohol concentration: The alcohol in a volume of breath expressed in terms 

of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath as indicated by a breath test. 

Alcohol confirmation test: A subsequent test using an EBT, following a 

screening test with a result of 0.02 or greater, that provides quantitative data 

about the alcohol concentration. 

Alcohol positive: See “confirmed positive.” 

Screening test: An analytic procedure to determine whether an employee may 

have a prohibited concentration of alcohol in a breath or saliva specimen.

Alcohol use: The consumption of any beverage, mixture or preparation, 

including any medication containing alcohol. 

Anti-drug program: A program to detect and deter the use of prohibited drugs 

as required by FTA regulations. 

Armed security personnel: Function including any person who provides 

security to protect persons or property, and any person who carries a firearm. 

Canceled or invalid test: In drug testing, a drug test that has been declared 

invalid by a Medical Review Officer (MRO). In alcohol testing, this would be a 

test that is deemed to be invalid. It is neither a positive nor a negative test. 

A-1 2002 Annual Report 
______________________________________________________________________________

2002 Annual Report A-2 

CDL/non-revenue vehicle: Job category including any transit employee who 

holds a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), performs a function requiring a 

CDL, and is not included in any other job category. 

Confirmed positive: A specimen with a confirmed breath alcohol level of at 

least 0.04 

Consortium: An entity, including a group or association of employers, 

operators, recipients, subrecipients, or contractors, which provides drug testing 

services and acts on behalf of the employer. 

Contractor: A person or organization that provides a service for a recipient, 

subrecipient, employer, or operator consistent with a specific understanding or 

arrangement. The understanding can be a written contract or an informal 

arrangement that reflects an ongoing relationship between the parties. 

Covered employee: A person, including an applicant, transferee, and certain 

volunteers who perform a safety-sensitive function for a recipient, subrecipient, 

employer, or operator. 

DOT: United States Department of Transportation. 

DOT agency: An agency (or "operating administration") of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation administering regulations requiring drug testing. 

Drug confirmation (or confirmatory) test: A second analytical procedure 

performed on a urine specimen to identify and quantify the presence of a 

specific drug or drug metabolite. 

Drug metabolite: The specific substance produced when the human body 

metabolizes a given prohibited drug as it passes through the body and is 

excreted in urine. 

Drug positive: See “verified positive.” 

Drug screening test (or initial test): An immunoassay screen of a urine 

specimen (collected in accordance with 49 CFR Part 40 and analyzed in a 

DHHS-approved laboratory), to eliminate "negative" urine specimens from 

further analysis. Positive specimens are analyzed again (via a confirmation 

test) to verify and quantify the presence of a specific drug or drug metabolite. 

Education: Efforts that include the display and distribution of informational 

materials, a community service hotline telephone number for employee 

assistance, and the transit entity policy regarding drug use and alcohol misuse 

in the workplace. 
Employee: A person designated in a DOT agency regulation as subject to drug 

testing and/or alcohol testing. “Employee” includes an applicant for 

employment. 

Employer: A recipient or other entity that provides mass transportation 

services or performs a safety-sensitive function for such recipient or other 

entity. This term includes subrecipients, operators, and contractors. 

Follow-up test: Required of employees who have returned to duty in a safetysensitive position following a positive drug test result or an alcohol test result 

of ≥ 0.04. A minimum of six tests must be performed during the first 12 

months after the employee returns to duty. 

FTA: The Federal Transit Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation. 

Large operator: A recipient or subrecipient primarily operating in an area with 

a population of 200,000 or more. 

Medical review officer (MRO): A licensed physician (Doctor of Medicine or 

Doctor of Osteopathy) responsible for receiving laboratory results generated by 

an employer's drug testing program, who has knowledge of substance abuse 

disorders and has appropriate medical training to interpret and evaluate a 

person's confirmed positive test result together with appropriate medical 

history and any other relevant biomedical information. 

Part 40: US DOT’s testing regulation titled Procedures for Transportation 

Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs, which was enacted in 1994 and 

revised in 2000. 

Part 655: FTA’s testing regulation titled Prevention of Alcohol Misuse and 

Prohibited Drug Use in Transit Operations. In was enacted in 2001 to expand 

the minimum requirements of the revised Part 40 and to combine the previous 

FTA testing regulations enacted in 1994: Part 653, Prevention of Prohibited 

Drug Use in Transit Operations, and Part 654, Prevention of Alcohol Misuse in 

Transit Operations. 

Positive test rate: Used in this report, for clarity in presenting the test results, 

to refer to the number of confirmed alcohol positives per total number of screens 

collected or the number of verified drug positives per total number of specimens 

collected. This definition differs from the regulatory definition (in Part 655), where 

“positive rate” refers to the number of drug test positives and refusals combined 

per person selected to take a random test. 

A-3 2002 Annual Report 
______________________________________________________________________________

2002 Annual Report A-4 

Post-accident testing: Required testing for prohibited drugs and alcohol, 

following certain mass transit accidents. These accidents include those in 

which a death occurs, medical treatment away from the scene is required, or 

one or more of the vehicles involved incurs disabling damage. 

Pre-employment testing: Testing that is designed to identify applicants who 

have consumed a prohibited drug in the recent past. Employers are prohibited 

from hiring an applicant for a safety-sensitive function unless they have a 

verified negative drug test. 

Random testing: Identifies employees who are using drugs or misusing 

alcohol by using an unpredictable and unannounced testing pattern. Safetysensitive employees are selected based on a scientifically valid random-number 

selection method. It is considered by FTA to be the most effective deterrent to 

drug use and alcohol misuse. 

Random testing rate: The rate at which each employer must conduct random 

tests each year. The number of random drug tests must equal a percentage 

(specified by FTA each year) of the number of the employer’s safety-sensitive 

employees. In 2001, the drug testing rate was 50 percent, and the alcohol 

testing rate was 10 percent. These rates remained the same in 2002. They can 

be amended (per Part 655.45) by the FTA Administrator based on the combined 

percentage of positive tests plus test refusals. 

 

Reasonable suspicion testing: Required when an employer has reasonable 

suspicion that an employee has used a prohibited drug or has misused alcohol 

as defined in the regulations. Reasonable suspicion testing must be based on 

specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations made by a trained 

supervisor concerning the appearance, behavior, speech, or body odor of a 

safety-sensitive employee. 

Recipient: An entity receiving financial assistance under Section 5307, 5309, 

or 5311 of the Federal Transit Act or under Section 103(e)(4) of Title 23 of the 

U.S. Code. A direct recipient receives funding directly from FTA, i.e., most large 

transit agencies, state governments, and metropolitan planning organizations 

(MPOs). An indirect recipient receives funding from a state government or from 

an MPO. 

Refusal to submit to an alcohol test: A covered employee fails to provide 

adequate breath for testing without a valid medical explanation. 

Refusal to submit to a drug test: A covered employee fails to provide a urine 

sample as required by 49 CFR Part 40, without a valid medical explanation, 

after the employee has received notice of the requirement to be tested or 

engages in conduct that clearly obstructs the testing process. 
Return to duty testing: Required before an employee is allowed to return to 

duty to perform a safety-sensitive function following a verified positive drug 

test, an alcohol result of 0.04 or greater, a refusal to submit to a test, or any 

other violation of the regulation. 

Revenue vehicle control/dispatching: Job function including any person 

who controls the dispatch or movement of revenue service vehicles. 

Revenue vehicle operations: Function including any person who operates or 

works as a crewman on revenue service vehicles at any time. 

Rural operator: A subrecipient of 5311 funding primarily operating in an area 

with a population of less than 50,000. 

Safety-sensitive function: Any of the following duties: 

• Operating a revenue service vehicle, including when not in revenue service; 

• Operating a non-revenue service vehicle, when required to be operated by a 

holder of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL); 

• Controlling dispatch or movement of a revenue service vehicle; 

• Maintaining a revenue service vehicle or equipment used in revenue service, 

unless the recipient receives section 5311 funding and contracts out such 

services; and/or 

• Providing security and carrying a firearm. 

Small operator: A recipient or subrecipient primarily operating in an area 

with a population of 50,000 or greater and less than 200,000. 

Substance abuse professional (SAP): A licensed physician (Doctor of Medicine 

or Doctor of Osteopathy), or a licensed or certified psychologist, social worker, 

employee assistance professional, or addiction counselor (certified by the 

National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors Certification 

Commission), with knowledge of and clinical experience in the diagnosis and 

treatment of drug and alcohol-related disorders. 

Transit agency: The public entity that receives the Federal grant (direct grant 

recipient), whether or not that recipient provides mass transit services directly. 

Vehicle and equipment maintenance: Function including any person 

repairing or maintaining revenue service vehicles or other equipment used in 

revenue service. 

Verified positive: A drug test result reviewed by an MRO and determined to 

have evidence of prohibited drug use. 

A-5 2002 Annual Report 
______________________________________________________________________________

2002 Annual Report A-6 

Violation rate: Used in this report, for clarity in presenting the test results, to 

refer to the number of test positives and refusals combined per person selected 

to take a random test: 

Drug violation rate = (verified positives + refusals) ÷ (specimens collected + refusals) 

Alcohol violation rate = (confirmed positives + refusals) ÷ (screens collected + refusals)

This definition differs from the regulatory definition (in Part 655), where 

“violation rate” refers only to alcohol testing. The concept of a drug violation 

rate is referred to as the “positive rate” in Part 655.
Appendix B. FTA Regions 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has ten regions, which are identified 

below. The data provided by these regions have facilitated the comparison of 

drug and alcohol test results and the identification of regional trends. 

U.S. States and Territories Reporting to the 10 FTA Regions 

Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 

Connecticut 

Maine 

Massachusetts 

New Hampshire 

Rhode Island 

Vermont 

New Jersey 

New York 

Virgin Islands 

Delaware 

District of 

 Columbia 

Maryland 

Pennsylvania 

Virginia 

West Virginia 

Alabama 

Florida 

Georgia 

Kentucky 

Mississippi 

North Carolina 

Puerto Rico 

South Carolina 

Tennessee 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Ohio 

Wisconsin 

Region 6 Region 7 Region 8 Region 9 Region 10 

Arkansas 

Louisiana 

New Mexico 

Oklahoma 

Texas 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

Colorado 

Montana 

North Dakota 

South Dakota 

Utah 

Wyoming 

American Samoa 

Arizona 

California 

Guam 

Hawaii 

Nevada 

Northern 

 Mariana Islands 

Alaska 

Idaho 

Oregon 

Washington 

B-1 2002 Annual Report 

Appendix C. 

Accident and Fatality Data Associated with Positive 

Post-Accident Tests by FTA Region

As mentioned in Section 3.2, the 

number of accidents in which a 

transit agency employee or 

contractor tested positive in an 

FTA post-accident test cannot be 

expressed as a rate, and the data 

reported cannot be normalized by 

FTA region. The number of 

accidents, fatal accidents, and 

total fatalities that were reported 

are presented by region in the 

table at right. The numbers for 

non-fatal accidents are subdivided 

by employer type and by employer 

size, respectively, in the two tables below. Because no fatal accidents were 

reported in 2001, the columns with fatality data are not included in those tables. 

 Accidents and Fatalities Resulting in Post-Accident 

 Positives by FTA Region

Drugs Alcohol 

Region Non-Fatal

Accidents

Fatal 

Accidents

Total 

Fatalities

Non-Fatal

Accidents

Fatal 

Accidents

Total 

Fatalities

 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 

 2 19 0 0 0 0 0 

 3 24 0 0 0 0 0 

 4 8 0 0 0 0 0 

 5 30 0 0 4 0 0 

 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 

 7 4 0 0 0 0 0 

 8 7 0 0 0 0 0 

 9 19 1 1 0 0 0 

10 5 0 0 0 0 0 

It should be noted that one person may test positive for both drugs and alcohol 

and that most employers test the employee for both drugs and alcohol. Thus, 

the numbers for drugs and alcohol cannot be added to obtain the total number 

of persons who tested positive. Data were not reported on the total number of 

persons testing positive in a post-accident test or for persons testing positive 

for both drugs and alcohol. 

Non-Fatal Accidents Resulting in 

Post-Accident Positives 

Non-Fatal Accidents Resulting in 

Post-Accident Positives 

by FTA Region and Employer Size

Drugs Alcohol 

Region Large Small Rural Large Small Rural

1 4 0 0 0 0 0 

2 19 0 0 0 0 0 

3 24 0 0 0 0 0 

4 4 3 1 0 0 0 

5 30 0 0 4 0 0 

6 6 0 0 0 0 0 

7 4 0 0 0 0 0 

8 7 0 0 0 0 0 

9 19 0 0 0 0 0 

10 3 0 2 0 0 0 

by FTA Region and Employer Type

Drugs Alcohol 

Region Transit Contractor Transit Contractor

1 3 1 0 0 

2 9 10 0 0 

3 9 15 0 0 

4 7 1 0 0 

5 23 7 4 0 

6 4 2 0 0 

7 4 0 0 0 

8 0 7 0 0 

9 9 10 0 0 

10 4 1 0 0 

C-1 2002 Annual Report 

December 2004 

Office of Safety and Security