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When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) first introduced the Clearinghouse database and it went into law and it began regulating drug and alcohol tests for all commercially licenced drivers as of January 6, 2020, there were many questions about how the program would work and IF it would...

Spending your days and nights on the road, away from family and friends can become problematic. Long days sitting in a noisy cab (often alone) can also be draining. Trucker life can be a tough and lonely job. 

So why do truckers choose this life? 

The overall freedom...

Before an employee starts any new job, there are usually requirements that need to be met before starting in earnest. For many that includes filling out reams of paperwork for human resources. For others, it includes completing training courses or onboarding programs. In the world of transportation, one requirement, stated...

The main goal of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the “Clearinghouse Rule” is to keep motorists safe on our nation’s roads and highways. When the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) established the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, they gave several groups of people access to...

Driving under the influence of alcohol (above a certain blood alcohol level) is a crime and can drastically impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle properly. If caught, a driver can face jail time and the financial ramifications can last years. 

Buzzed driving can take on similar characteristics...

According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million American adults battled a substance use disorder in 2017. The study examined genetics, environmental components, and mental illness as ongoing factors leading to these addictions whether they are alcohol or drug related. These factors could make it...

One of the more common comments from friends and family members of people suffering from addiction is that they thought the person had it under control. Phrases like, “We all drink” and “We didn’t think it was a big deal” are often masking a deeper problem - an addiction. 

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It’s not uncommon for people who struggle with addiction to suffer a relapse over the course of their recovery. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction relapse rates range between 40-60%. 

To avoid a relapse, it is important to avoid addiction triggers that could cause a downward...

While the federal government does not have accurate statistics on how many trucks (or their cargo) hit bridges in any given year, many states do keep a record, and the numbers indicate a growing problem across the United States. 

Bridge strikes occur when a truck, that is often too...

The Clearinghouse rule, as part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA), was implemented for regulated employers on January 6, 2020. The rule’s primary purpose is to set up a secure database or “Clearinghouse” that gives employers, the FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel...

Willie Nelson said it best. 

“On the road again, 

I just can’t wait to get on the road again.

Goin' places that I've never been

Seein' things that I may never see again

And I can't wait to get on the road again.”

While our site focuses on...

Drug addiction, while compulsive in nature and chronic for many, is an extremely complex issue. There’s often no easy answer to the question of why one person becomes an addict while another is not impacted in that way. There’s also no easy solution if you become one of the almost...

Last month we examined the long-term health consequences that accompany alcohol use. The negative ramifications included: cardiovascular disease, liver problems, cancer, mental health problems, digestive diseases, and cognitive impairments to name just a few. 

This month, we are taking a closer look at how alcohol use and abuse can...

While many of us understand the consequences of driving while intoxicated, many drivers remain unconvinced about the impact that marijuana has on the brain, body, and reflexes of those behind the wheel. Today, we are taking a closer look at the effects that cannabis, (aka marijuana,) can have on a...

After failing a drug or alcohol test, many CDL truckers will look to Return to Duty (RTD) and the position they once held. What does the process called “Returning to Duty” involve and how can you get back to work in the position you once held? 

Let’s examine the...

Vapes or e-cigarettes are the latest trend in smoking. According to a 2019 survey, more than 5 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. Vaping is also growing in popularity among adults. Nearly one in five 18- to 29-year-olds reports vaping regularly,...

Now that the new year has begun in earnest and the government’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is now fully operational, we here at Clearinghouse Navigator are committed to providing a robust eLearning resource center to help all stakeholders maintain immediate and ongoing compliance with the new requirements of 49 CFR...

The United States is in the grips of an opioid crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the National Institutes of Health estimate that over 128 people die daily from overdosing on opioid class drugs. In the last decade alone more than 750,000 Americans have died from...

As of January of last year, the Clearinghouse Rule has gone into full effect. The electronic database will track commercial driver’s license holders (CDLs) who have tested positive for prohibited drug or alcohol use, as well as any refusals to take drug tests and other drug and alcohol violations. 

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Now that the Clearinghouse Rule has been in full effect for a year, there still may be lingering questions about the use of the database and how to access, correct, or add information. Thankfully, we here at Clearinghouse Navigator are committed to answering all of your questions as well as...

Operating a truck day-in-and-day-out can be stressful on the mind and body. Concentrating on changing traffic patterns, avoiding dangerous road situations, and sitting in one place for hours on end can take a toll on the body. For these reasons, many big rig operators complain about ergonomic pains and seek...

Every industry faces their own challenges. We have seen in the last year that some fields, such as the healthcare industry, can be extremely dangerous for front line workers. The trucking industry is no different. There are several key hazards that every trucking company and driver should be aware of...

Substance use and abuse is a rapidly growing problem in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder in 2017. This number has grown in the past three years. 

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol testing regulations for Commercial Driver License (CDL) employees requires that screenings be completed at certain times and reasons. The regulations require 5-panel testing for substances including: marijuana, cocaine, Opiates (opium and codeine derivatives), amphetamines and methamphetamines, and  Phencyclidine or PCP. 

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In our last few blogs we have discussed alcohol & drug use, as well as mental health issues that face many in the trucking industry. While dealing with one of these serious issues is critical, so is maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle while on the road. 

That being...

Did you know that an estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States have experienced at least one major depressive episode? According to the Healthy Trucking Association In America, approximately 1.5% of the American population suffers from depression. In comparison, 13.6% of truck drivers suffer from some level of...

How can you tell if a friend, relative, or colleague has an alcohol problem? The signs may not be as easy to spot as one would think. Unhealthy use, or even abuse, of alcohol can actually range from mild to severe. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Unhealthy alcohol...

Truck drivers have an essential job in our economy today. Without their dedication and long hours of work, the world would be a very different place. Think about all the deliveries, shipments of food, medicines, and tons of products that need to be delivered across the state and across the...

In most professions, balancing work life and home life can be a juggling act, at best. In the world of trucking, this balance can be extremely difficult since days on end are spent away from home and family. Long nights in hotels or sleeping in the bed of the truck...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “More than 760,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose.” In 2018 alone, nearly 70% of the 67,367 overdose deaths involved an opioid. These numbers show that opioid use has reached a crisis level across the country. 

Opioids...

Keeping the rubber to the road may seem like a simple task, but when the snow and ice piles up this is no easy job. Driving a tractor trailer in serious winter conditions demands a specific set of skills for all professional truck drivers. Good maneuvering and skid control skills...

Trucking is the backbone of the American economy. Without the tireless work of the men and women in our field, there would be no packages received, no shipping, and no way to conduct business in our strongly e-commerce world. 

As R&A Trucking Company put it, “Trucking and the transportation...

The numbers are simply staggering! Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes. That calculates out to one person every 50 minutes, according to statistics collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

The number of...

Imagine for a moment that your packages take twice as long to arrive, the produce on your grocery shelves is not as fresh, and the supply chain of many products has slowed dramatically. Those are a few of the consequences of what could happen if this country sees a truck...

In the last few months, truck drivers, along with frontline workers, have been the unsung heroes in our nation. So many of the products and services that Americans depend upon would not be available without the long hours and dedication of the trucking industry. 

Most truck drivers love what...

Trucks and the trucking industry keep the American economy going, especially in these times of economic crisis. They are the lifeline for families to have access to daily needs including food, medicines, and clothing. 

According to the American Trucking Association, nearly 70 percent of all the freight tonnage...

On a typical day, more than 700 people are injured in distracted driving crashes. Electronic devices, chatty passengers, eating food, and distractions outside the vehicle tend to be the biggest ways that a driver’s attention is diverted from what really matters … the road in front of them. How can...

Most of us can identify when a vehicle around us is driving aggressively. What we don’t often notice is when our own behavior is triggering drivers around us in an aggressive manner. Are you an aggressive driver? Here are some red flags to be aware of as well as ways...

The Clearinghouse Rule is a secure electronic federal database that went into effect on January 6, 2020. It contains information about drivers who hold commercial driver's licenses (CDLs), are covered by the requirements of FMCSA's Part 382 (Drug and Alcohol Testing regulation), and have violated a prohibition set forth in...

Did you know that the accident risk level from drowsy driving is comparable to driving drunk according to federal regulators? In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving results in 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and more than 100,000 accidents each year. 

Here at Clearinghouse Navigator,...

Marijuana has accounted for more failed drug tests and clearinghouse violations than any other substance. This isn’t particularly shocking being that marijuana is one of the most commonly used substances that will lead to a failed drug test. But as marijuana laws continue to change around the country, there is...

On January 6th, 2020, the new FMCSA Clearinghouse went live. The main goal of the FMCSA's Clearinghouse was, and is, to save lives by reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. To accomplish this mission of enhancing safety on our nation's thousands of miles of highways, CMV drivers...

Clearinghouse Navigator simplifies FMCSA's new Clearinghouse rule requirement by bringing together robust eLearning solutions, dozens of FAQs, knowledge base articles, and more. The new rule is designed to keep drivers safe while holding CMV professionals accountable for their decision making. 

While Clearinghouse Navigator has already helped lots of CMV professionals...

Everyone who shares the highways should be invested in the safety of CMV operators. Truckers are constantly delivering essential goods throughout the country, and as we’ve learned during the current pandemic, CMV drivers are crucial to our ability to keep our towns, communities, and cities functioning effectively. 

Unfortunately, CMV drivers...

COVID-19 has put so many of our daily processes, routines, and habits to the test. People from around the world have been forced to stay inside, maintain social distancing, and limit their social interactions in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. While this has undoubtedly been a...

If you work in the trucking industry or commercial motor vehicle sector, no doubt you have heard of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse. Slated to begin on January 6, 2020, the Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies, and...

The laws regarding marijuana are changing throughout the country. Recreational legalization has already taken place in states like Massachusetts, Colorado, California, and more, with medical legalization taking place in an even higher number of states. But the constantly evolving legality of marijuana has also led to some confusion regarding...

Drivers running red lights have continued to be one of the major safety concerns on roadways across America. While many organizations are currently seeking to solve this deadly roadway concern, no single organization can solve the entirety of the problem. It will require a coalition effort from drivers, educational organizations,...

Truck drivers very rarely make national news, and, last we checked, there aren’t too many Hollywood movies about the lives of CMV operators. Despite the lack of national attention, truckers are without question one of the most essential wings of the workforce in America, and throughout the world. 

The...

Over the last several months, schools and training programs have relied solely on eLearning and remote teaching tools. While the initial adjustment towards online learning may have taken people by surprise, the benefits of eLearning became clear as the process developed. While it may not be ideal for university...

The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse officially went live on January 6th, 2020. The purpose of the FMCSA's Clearinghouse is to improve highway safety by reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. To accomplish this mission of enhancing safety on our nation's thousands of miles of highways,...

The life of a truck driver can be a perilous one. Even if a CMV operator does everything properly, and follows every mandated highway procedure, it can take just a few moments for a devastating accident to occur. The unique risks of operating commercial motor vehicles is one of...

COVID-19 has put a stop to so many different aspects of day to day life. The luxuries we once took for granted, such as getting haircuts and going to the gym, are no longer part of our daily routine. And while these inconveniences have been difficult to deal with, some...

By now, you’ve probably stumbled upon the #Thankatrucker hashtag across social media, or read an article on how communities are going above and beyond to thank truck drivers during COVID-19. The display of appreciation is in response to truckers putting themselves at risk in order to continue doing their jobs...

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the new FMCSA clearinghouse rule is, “what classifies as a violation?”. The answer to this question has a wide ranging impact on professionals throughout the CMV industry. The new rule is intended to keep drivers safe, but in order to do so,...

On January 6th, 2020, the new FMCSA Clearinghouse went live. The main goal of the FMCSA's Clearinghouse was, and is, to save lives by reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. To accomplish this mission of enhancing safety on our nation's thousands of miles of highways, CMV drivers...

The spread of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of truckers and CMV drivers across the United States. As much of the world has come to a screeching halt, the wheels that deliver essential supplies to our communities, including food and medical equipment, have continued to turn. 

While many non-essential businesses have...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new clearinghouse rule officially went into effect on January 6th, 2020. The clearinghouse is intended to be a secure online database in which FMCSA, CMV employers, State Driver Licensing Agencies, and law enforcement officials can identify CDL drivers who have violated federal drug and...

The new FMCSA clearinghouse rule, which requires CMV drivers and employers to register their drug and alcohol violations on a federally mandated clearinghouse, is intended to improve highway and driver safety. As with any new rule, though, it's going to take some time for CMV drivers and employers to fully...

It’s in everyone's best interest for America’s highways to be functional, maintained, and above all, safe. The statistics regarding accidents and fatalities on America's highways are staggering. The statistic that resonates deepest in our opinion is that, according to the National Academy Press, “Every 13 minutes someone dies in...

On December 5, 2016, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a Final Rule establishing a centralized database - or clearinghouse - of drug and alcohol violations committed by holders of commercial drivers licenses. The rule is intended to keep all drivers safe on highways across America. 

When the...

The world has become an increasingly complex, unpredictable place over the last six months. The coronavirus that continues to disrupt daily life around the world is putting businesses and individuals in tough circumstances, and life is still yet to return to normal. 

One of the main concerns of the last...

When COVID-19, a member of the coronavirus family, first appeared in Wuhan, China, it set off a chain of events that eventually forced countries and communities to impose emergency measures to prevent the spread of the dangerous virus. These extreme measures are undoubtedly necessary to curb the spread of...

On January 6th, 2020, the new FMCSA Clearinghouse went live. The main goal of the FMCSA's Clearinghouse was, and is, to save lives by reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles. To accomplish this mission of enhancing safety on our nation's thousands of miles of highways, CMV...

On Friday, February 21, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published initial data from the first weeks of its CDL Clearinghouse database. This database seeks to improve safety by preventing commercially licensed drivers who have violated FMCSA substance abuse rules from returning to the road without first being evaluated by...

The new FMCSA clearinghouse rule officially went into effect on January 6th, 2020. 

And while Clearinghouse Navigator is full of information and eTraining lessons on how to follow the rule, many CMV employers are still unsure about what to do next. This blog will cover what actions employers of CMV...

The new FMCSA rule that will require CMV drivers to register their alcohol and drug violations on a federal clearinghouse is meant to keep the roads safer. But how, exactly, did the new rule come to be? 

The answer to that question involves the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, the...

Driving under the influence of alcohol can be deadly, but that fact is well known and well established. Why, then, is the number of accidents in which alcohol played a role either increasing or staying roughly the same?   

To truly answer this question, we need to understand some of...

The new FMCSA Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse has commercial drivers and employers a little unsure about what to expect from the process. While we’ve discussed in other blogs how the new rule is intended to help, we thought it would be helpful to take a look at...

The most critical component of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is the testing of commercial motor vehicle operators, whether it is a driver of a motor carrier, school bus, limousine, municipal vehicle, or construction equipment. A common question of owners, employers, and human resource departments is, “What happens if an...

As an employer, commercial driver, owner, human resource professional in the CMV field, or risk management specialist, you have probably begun familiarizing yourself with the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Rule passed by congress. In fact, you may have more questions than answers at this point. Our site hopes to rectify...

If you work in the trucking industry or commercial motor vehicle sector, no doubt you have heard of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse. Slated to begin on January 6, 2020, the Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies, and...

American roadways connect every major city in our nation. The over 164,000 miles of highways are a part of our nations larger interstate system that spans from coast-to-coast, and from Alaska to Florida. The ultimate goal of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to save lives on these...

Two years ago, the United States Department of Health and Human Services declared opioids a  public health emergency and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis. This action came after almost three decades of having pharmaceutical companies reassure the medical community that patients would not become addicted...

Life on the road can be both exciting while, at the same time, terribly lonely and frustrating. Living a solitary life on the road for almost every day and sleeping in a rig for many nights on end isn’t for everyone. The lifestyle is one that has many financial and...