Be advised that all employers of individuals who have or will have CDL's will come under the act on January 1, 1996. These rules are modifications of existing drug and alcohol driver testing procedures.
Many employers are unaware of the new rules and their implications.
Not only is mandatory drug and alcohol testing a requirement for every employed CDL driver, but there are extensive new paperwork and record keeping requirements and new mandatory drug and alcohol education programs. In a short article we can't describe everything contained in a 323 page set of rules, but we will give you enough information so that you can explain the basics of the act and its implications to your commercial customers. Driver' means any person who operates a commercial motor vehicle. These definitions are so broad they take into account the drivers of subcontractors hired by the general contractor. These definitions could also be construed to include an employer who hires an overnight delivery service to haul a package to a customer.