Supply Chain Stalled Because 72,000 Truckers Failed Strict Drug Tests

[Papageorgio]

No kidding. That's why you need to pay them more instead of just expecting ever more for less and less. If you can't beat what Jeff Bezos will pay them to push a cart around a warehouse all day, they sure as hell ain't going to bother with all the bullshit required to drive a big rig these days.

So $100K plus a bonus is less money than you'd make at a warehouse at Amazon?

 

[Turtlesoup]

A dire truck driver shortage that’s wreaking havoc on the US economy is getting worse — and it’s being fueled partly by tough federal drug-testing restrictions that were imposed nationwide last year, industry officials told The Post.

More than 72,000 truck drivers have been taken off US roads since January 2020 because they have failed drug tests that are now required by the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, a 22-month-old registry established to increase safety on US highways, according to government data.

Supply chain stalled by 72,000 truckers who failed strict drug tests

More than 72,000 truck drivers have been taken off US roads since January 2020 because they have failed drug tests that are now required by the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.

nypost.com

Truckers on drugs need to be removed--they are threat to everyone else on the road...and should have been occuring long ago...many lives could have been saved.

This said CALIFORNIA could get a bunch of truckers by not harassing non california non-union drivers and preventing from driving in the state.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Why? You?

So the answer is no, you haven't, hence you are in no way qualified to claim their compensation is unreasonable or part of the problem.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Who would have thought that in 2022 we would reach a time in our trucking careers where our trucks no longer smoke but our drivers do.

 

[Papageorgio]

No kidding. That's why you need to pay them more instead of just expecting ever more for less and less. If you can't beat what Jeff Bezos will pay them to push a cart around a warehouse all day, they sure as hell ain't going to bother with all the bullshit required to drive a big rig these days.

Yeah, working at Amazon for $15 an hour is much more attractive to me than $75,000 to $100,000 a year. My soon just started entry level with a company and they are starting at $62,400 a year with excellent benefits. If you think $15 an hour is great money and almost what truck drivers make, then you go on and think what you need to think, I am all for what makes you happy.

 

[Synthaholic]

Well Trump's boy was at that time. Not sure I can blame it on him but don't mind trying. Been a good thing for me. I can pass the pee test.

See, the solution is for Republicans and Democrats both to put pressure on Biden to legalize marijuana at the Federal level so that these tests are no longer as strict as a Schedule 1 drug requires.

Marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and magic mushrooms are all Schedule 1. Which is ridiculous.

 

[Synthaholic]

Who would have thought that in 2022 we would reach a time in our trucking careers where our trucks no longer smoke but our drivers do.

Truckers are probably the biggest group of cigarette smokers left. Then who? Construction workers?

 

[Devils_Advocate]

A dire truck driver shortage that’s wreaking havoc on the US economy is getting worse — and it’s being fueled partly by tough federal drug-testing restrictions that were imposed nationwide last year, industry officials told The Post.

More than 72,000 truck drivers have been taken off US roads since January 2020 because they have failed drug tests that are now required by the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, a 22-month-old registry established to increase safety on US highways, according to government data.

Supply chain stalled by 72,000 truckers who failed strict drug tests

More than 72,000 truck drivers have been taken off US roads since January 2020 because they have failed drug tests that are now required by the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.

nypost.com

So have the National Guard step in until shipping companies can hire enough drivers…

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Truckers are probably the biggest group of cigarette smokers left. Then who? Construction workers?

Hookers, bartenders and those that post on message boards…

 

[Synthaholic]

So the answer is no, you haven't, hence you are in no way qualified to claim their compensation is unreasonable or part of the problem.

I believe starting pay is around $90k, isn't it?

 

[evenflow1969]

See, the solution is for Republicans and Democrats both to put pressure on Biden to legalize marijuana at the Federal level so that these tests are no longer as strict as a Schedule 1 drug requires.

Marijuana, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, and magic mushrooms are all Schedule 1. Which is ridiculous.

Mary Jo treated as schedule 1 is crazy. How ever not sure that change would solve the problem. I gave a feeling the whole opiate plague we are going through also has an effect here. It would be interesting to see some stats on percentage of failure per drug.

 

[Synthaholic]

So have the National Guard step in until shipping companies can hire enough drivers…

The National Guard and the US military are not your *******, doing manual labor like building Trump's fucking wall or driving commercial goods. Plus they don't a CDL.

 

[Synthaholic]

Hookers, bartenders and those that post on message boards…

Can't smoke in a bar anymore.

 

[Synthaholic]

All of this is further proof that we need to revitalize the rail industry. No reason why stuff can't get from California to the rest of the country by train. Cheaper, faster, more capacity.

 

[OldLady]

I've got nothing against random drug testing for truck drivers, but marijuana shouldn't be included. It's legal in several states and because it stays in your system so long, the testing does nothing to show if drivers are under the influence.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Why shouldnt people be allowed to smoke weed? Why is it of any of concern to you?

He's nuts.

 

[toobfreak]

and it’s being fueled partly by tough federal drug-testing restrictions

Doesn't seem to have stopped you from taking whatever it is you are on!

 

[Grumblenuts]

When you pay truckers by the mile you encourage the kind of insanity that leads to being addicted to a bunch of stimulants.

Reply:

Out of 3.5 million truckers 72,000 tested positive, that is 0.02% of all truckers. Also, truckers are tested randomly, so they never know if they are going to get tested. Drug use is very low in this country, the numbers have increased in states where pot has been legalized.

Anomalism was unquestionably correct so you went sideways instead of responding straight up. If drug use were really so insignificant in this country why would there be drug testing in the first place? That truckdrivers (particularly those paid by the mile but certainly owner operators as well) have relied too much upon caffeine and amphetamines to keep them awake should come as news to no one. Many have kept two or three logs to present to the DMV or the employer depending on circumstances.

Pot, not being a stimulant, actually presents no comparable threat because it does nothing to help drivers make more money, whether paid by the mile or not. Indeed, testing for pot is just political bullshit -- tossed in to frighten, not just truckdrivers but workers in general, union employees more specifically, into pointless submission to anything and everything a big corporate paymaster may desire. We're supposed to bow down and thank the lord for any pee trickled down upon us. Oh, thank you so much for being a job provida, massa. Thank you!

It's conservatives in general who really have no clue. And no, by "you" earlier I wasn't talking about you specifically and should have made that clearer at the time. You no doubt pay your drivers well because you don't want high turnover, especially when truckdrivers are scarce like now.

 

[Grumblenuts]

So the answer is no, you haven't, hence you are in no way qualified to claim their compensation is unreasonable or part of the problem.

Hence "Why?, You?" Because, you neither.. Duhhhhhhh! Your question was simply a trolling exercise.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Average Truck Driver Salary
$51,000 yearly
$24.55 hourly
Updated August 18, 2021