SUFFOLK, Va. — Federal regulators are cracking down on commercial drivers who have violations involving drugs and alcohol.
On Nov. 18, federal trucking regulators began requiring state driver licensing agencies to downgrade a driver’s commercial license once a driver fails a drug or alcohol test.
This is all part of the Federal Motor Carrier Administration’s Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
Watch related video: Grieving moms who lost kids in crashes fight to change Virginia seat belt, license laws
Marcus Little drives a truck and owns MDL Logistics in Suffolk. He feels this will improve safety but said it could also affect the supply chain.
“A lot of people are going to quit driving, period or they’ll take the Class B and drive a dump truck,” Little stated.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, nearly 179,000 drivers with CDLs or commercial learner’s permits are in prohibited status as of October 1, 2024. Unless they complete the return-to-duty process, they will be unable to operate a commercial vehicle.
Watch related coverage: Local law enforcement alarmed by recent rise in drugged driving crashes, arrests
Standing next to her husband Marcus, Angela Little explained how her dispatch company, KJ Dispatch Service, helps give second chances to drivers who have previous violations.
“I do offer the second chance. I will get them back into the re-entry program,” Little said. “It’s about 7 supervised drug tests, and once they take the drug testing and can clear their part, then they’re back in return to duty status.”
Angela Little added that many people just don’t go through that process, partly because of cost.
For more information on this requirement, click here.
