Welcome. The purpose of this video is to introduce you to FMCSA's
Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse,
also referred to as the Clearinghouse.
You'll be guided through five topics.
Let's begin with an explanation of what the Clearinghouse is.
The Clearinghouse is a secure online database
that contains records of violations of FMCSA's drug and alcohol
testing program, including positive drug or alcohol test results
and test refusals.
When a driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process and
follow-up testing plan, this information will also be
recorded in the Clearinghouse.
Only select registered users, including employers and FMCSA,
will be able to access the Clearinghouse directly.
Other government agencies, such as State Driver Licensing
Agencies (SDLAs) and State law enforcement agencies, will receive
information on driver eligibility status only.
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21,
directed the Secretary of Transportation to develop the
Clearinghouse, as a way to better share
drug and alcohol program violations.
FMCSA published the Clearinghouse final rule in December 2016,
which established the Clearinghouse requirements, and mandated
that it be operational by January 6, 2020.
To learn more about the Clearinghouse final rule,
visit the link at the bottom of the screen.
So, who is required to use the Clearinghouse?
CDL drivers (that is, drivers who hold a commercial driver's license
or commercial learner's permit,
employers of CDL drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles,
consortia/third-party administrators, medical review officers,
substance abuse professionals.
Users are required to perform various actions in the Clearinghouse.
A user role card is available for download
from the Clearinghouse website.
To access the Clearinghouse, users must first register.
Once registered, employers, designated C/TPAs, and MROs will
record drivers' drug and alcohol program violations,
and other related information, in the Clearinghouse.
Employers will request driver consent to check their records.
Drivers will log in to the Clearinghouse to provide or refuse consent.
Note that drivers are not required to register for the Clearinghouse,
but must be registered to respond to electronic requests from their
prospective and current employers.
After obtaining the required consent, employers and/or designated
C/TPAs will query the Clearinghouse to determine if the queried
driver's Clearinghouse record contains information about drug and
alcohol program violations.
The primary mission of FMCSA is to improve safety on our Nation's
roadways by preventing CMV-related fatalities and injuries.
The Clearinghouse will help meet this goal by
providing employers and FMCSA enforcement personnel access to
reported violation information, in real time,
by making it easier for employers to
meet pre-employment investigation and reporting obligations,
by making it harder for drivers to conceal drug and alcohol
violations from employers,
by providing more insight into employer compliance
with drug and alcohol testing requirements.
Now that you know what the Clearinghouse is and its role in
improving highway and road safety,
it's time to take action.
Are you registered for the Clearinghouse?
Visit the Clearinghouse website to register today.
You can also read frequently asked questions, subscribe for email
updates or visit the Clearinghouse Learning Center
to download a variety of helpful materials.
The Clearinghouse will be a vital online tool to identify commercial
driver's license and commercial learner's permit holders who
have refused or failed drug tests, or have failed to complete a
return-to-duty substance abuse program.
Thank you for your continued effort to support this process.
Your contribution plays an important role in improving
highway and road safety for everyone.