5 - Important DOT Clearinghouse FAQs

 

·        Are there any changes in the existing drug and alcohol requirements?

No, there are no changes in any existing requirements in the USDOT procedure for drug and alcohol testing.

·        Will the Clearinghouse follow the follow CDL results from state to state?

In order to maintain the complete and accurate information about the drivers the clearinghouse will identify the driver who move frequently and have CDLs in different states and link those CDLs.

·        Who is authorized to use the Clearinghouse?

1.       CDL Drivers

2.      Employers (motor carriers, CMVs)

3.      Consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPAs)

4.     Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs)

5.      Medical Review Officers (MROs)

6.      Enforcement personnel

 

·        How will authorized users sign up?

All the authorized users need to register with the clearinghouse in order to acess the clearinghouse.

·        ARE DRIVERS REQUIRED TO SIGN UP?

1.       Drivers doesn’t need to register for the Clearinghouse but, a driver will need to be registered to provide electronic consent in the Clearinghouse if a prospective or current employer needs to conduct a full query of the driver’s Clearinghouse record—this will include all pre-employment queries beginning on January 6, 2020.

2.      It is also important for the drive to be registered electronically in order to view the information in his or her own Clearinghouse record.

3.      Drivers who register before January 6, 2020, will have their Clearinghouse accounts and contact preferences set up, allowing them to quickly respond to query requests from employers on or after January 6, 2020. Registration is available at https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/register.

4.     SDLAs will be able to query the Clearinghouse prior to completing licensing transactions, such as the issuance, renewal, transfer, and upgrade of a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

5.      In a recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to extend the compliance date for the requirement established by the Clearinghouse final rule that states query the Clearinghouse before completing certain CDL transactions. The SDLAs’ mandatory compliance with this requirement, currently due to begin on January 6, 2020, would be delayed until January 6, 2023.

6.      The NPRM proposal would, however, allow SDLAs the option to voluntarily query the Clearinghouse beginning on January 6, 2020.