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Commercial Driver Alert: How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?
You’re off work for the weekend, so you meet some friends for drinks on Sunday. You’re having a good time, but it’s getting late in the day, and you have an early shift in the morning. Your friends ask you to stay for one more round, and you’re not sure. As a...
11 Common Misconceptions About DOT Physicals
A Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exam is integral to obtaining and maintaining a commercial driver’s license. Whether you are preparing for your first DOT physical or are a career driver, here are 11 myths and misconceptions that we need to dispel...
Protect Yourself with this Checklist for Your DOT Driver Qualification File
Chances are, at some point, one of your drivers will be involved in an accident. The first thing you want to do after a traffic incident is make sure that everyone is ok. The very next thing you want to do is to ensure that your Driver Qualification Files (DQF) are in...
Avoid These Costly DOT Drug Testing Mistakes
It seems like administering DOT drug tests should be a simple and straightforward process. However, knowing who to test, when to test, and what kind of test to administer can be confusing, and doing it wrong can have serious financial consequences for your business....
Can Women Be Truck Drivers? Yes!
Truck driving is currently a male-dominated industry, with over 90% of jobs held by men. It can feel intimidating for women to try to break into commercial driving. However, the industry is changing. The number of women entering the trucking industry is growing...
Commercial Driving and Mental Illness: What Are the Rules?
When you think about the most dangerous jobs, commercial driving might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, among US workers, truck drivers experience the third highest fatality rate, with the majority of those fatalities occurring in highway accidents....
Managing Testing Anxiety For Your DOT Medical Examiner Certification
You’ve been preparing for weeks, yet as you walk into the building for your DOT certification exam, your heart begins to race, your palms get sweaty, and you suddenly can’t remember anything you studied. While you can expect some...
6 Steps to Get Back to Driving After a Failed DOT Drug or Alcohol Test
If you are a commercial driver, failing an official drug test is a big deal that will put your career on hold. The good news is that you can return to work after a failed drug test if you follow the six steps below. Who Needs to Complete the DOT Return-to-Duty...
Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls of DOT Physical Exams for Physicians
Doctors who perform physical exams for commercial drivers need to be aware of their increased legal liability. Because of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, medical professionals performing DOT exams have unique legal exposure. Claims against medical...
Shy Lung? 5 Surprising Causes of Insufficient Breath Samples
Two key criteria must be met when using breath alcohol testing equipment, also known as evidential breath testers (or EBTs), to capture a breath sample. First, the test subject must provide a minimum volume of breath. (Between 1200 ccs and 1300 ccs, depending on the...
Recent Posts
Road to Health: 7 Tips for Drivers Quitting Smoking
As a commercial driver, your health is one of your most valuable assets. It enables you to safely perform your job. Prioritizing your health will not only keep you safe and prolong your career, but it will also protect other drivers on the road. Smoking might seem...
The Cost of Deception: The Dangers of Using a Fake DOT Medical Card
What is a DOT Medical Card, and Who Needs One? A DOT medical card is a certification provided by a qualified and registered DOT medical examiner that says you are physically and mentally capable of safely operating a commercial motor vehicle. Getting a medical...
Bringing Healthcare to You with Mobile DOT Physicals
We currently face a shortage of tens of thousands of drivers across various industries in the United States. The American Trucking Association expects that by 2030, the trucking industry could be short 160,000 drivers.1 The continued explosion of e-commerce means that...
Breathe Easy: What DOT Drivers Can Expect from a Spirometry Test
A spirometry test is not required as a part of every CDL medical exam. But if your doctor has any concerns about your lung function, they may ask you to take one. If you’ve never taken a spirometry test, you might feel concerned about the testing procedure and what it...
How Companies Benefit From Drug and Alcohol Testing Pools
For Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated employers, random drug and alcohol testing is both a requirement and a responsibility. Even in non-DOT-regulated industries, such as health care and construction, random drug testing is a best practice that keeps...