Positive Drug Tests Skyrocketed in 2022, Says FMCSA

Positive drug tests among truck drivers rose nearly 25 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, according to the federal database. 

68,639 positive tests were reported to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse in 2022, according to a recent report from the administration. By comparison, 55,223 positive results were logged in 2021. 

More than 40,916 drivers were found to have marijuana in their system in 2022, a massive jump from the 31,085 reported in the previous year. 

The other most common drugs found in drivers’ systems in 2022 were, in order, cocaine (10,953), methamphetamines (5,569 positives), amphetamines (5,349) and oxymorphone (1,398). The agency tests for a total of 14 drugs. 

Since the clearinghouse’s establishment in 2020, 166,296 drivers have had at least one positive test. Drivers who test positive must complete a return-to-duty process. Of those 166,296, 91,523 have not started the process, with just shy of 46,000 having been deemed eligible to drive again.