Drug & Alcohol Testing Consortium

All drivers who hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and who operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) are subject to alcohol and controlled substances testing as required by United States Department of Transportation (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) regulations. The NHMTA Drug and Alcohol testing consortium helps members meet these regulations.

Services include a seven-panel drug screen for pre-employment testing, random testing, reasonable suspicion testing, post-accident testing, overnight courier services and the required medical review officer services. The consortium’s Third Party Administrator (TPA), DISA, handles these services for NHMTA consortium participants.

NHMTA has negotiated reduced fees for collections to keep your per-test costs down. By joining the consortium, your per-test costs will be lower than what is offered outside the consortium. A comprehensive network of collection sites is available throughout the state.

Finally, NHMTA can provide you with two hours of mandatory supervisor training for an additional charge.

Contact the NHMTA office at (603) 224-7337 with questions about the drug and alcohol testing consortium.

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When Are Tests Required?

Pre-employment

This test applies to CDL drivers applicants.

Random

Unannounced testing of CDL drivers based on a random selection of drivers. The lottery chooses names from a list of all drivers in a pool. Drivers are notified of selection must submit to testing. This process ensures that all drivers have an equal chance of being selected at any time.

The selection over 12 months with a 50 percent annual sample rate for eligible drivers. Random alcohol testing should be conducted at an annualized rate of 10 percent.

Post Accident

This test applies to CDL drivers cited for a moving violation arising from a reportable accident or when a fatality occurs. This test must be administered within 32 hours of the accident. Alcohol testing must be conducted within 8 hours of an accident.

Reasonable cause

This test applies when a trained supervisor or company official observes a driver acting in a manner that indicates the use of alcohol or controlled substances. The supervisor must prepare and sign a statement documenting the observation within 24 hours. Testing should be coordinated as soon as possible following the reasonable cause determination.

Return to Duty

Should a driver test positive, before returning to work for a company, the driver must submit to and pass a return-to-duty alcohol and/or controlled substance test.

Follow up

After the driver has passed a return-to-duty test, the driver is subject to follow-up testing at a minimum of six tests in the first twelve months upon returning to duty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Must Be Tested?

What Are The Training Requirements?

What Is the company policy?

The DOT Agencies require employers to have written policies for their DOT testing programs. At a minimum, these policies must contain specific information required by the appropriate DOT agency. Your policies must delineate between the items and actions which are required by DOT and which are required by the company or employer. We provide a sample policy with our program for your review. You can write your policy as a guideline to meet your company needs.

How Much Do The Tests Cost?

Each drug test costs $48. If the initial test is positive, and the second part of the split sample is tested (only the driver can request this), there is an additional charge. Each alcohol test varies in price depending on the collection site used.

There is also an additional charge for a confirmation test (this is only done if the first test is positive), and the driver requests a retest.

We have a list of collection sites so you can decide where you want to go for collections. You will not incur any costs at the collection site, provided the employee brings the custom chain of custody forms.

What Happens If A Random Selected Employee Is Not Sent For Testing?

What Is Considered Alcohol?

Alcohol means the intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or other low molecular weight alcohol, including methyl and isopropyl alcohol. The mandated method for testing for alcohol is by breath and/or saliva. Only devices approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety (NHTSA), which are on the Conforming Products List (CPL) shall be utilized for alcohol testing.

Only trained Breath Alcohol Technicians (BAT’s) or Screen Test Technicians (STT’s) will be allowed to administer a breath or saliva test.

The New Hampshire Motor Transport Association consortium testing program has several locations with the required personnel and equipment to perform the required alcohol testing.

What are considered controlled substances?

Testing Procedures

The mandatory testing procedures are based on those established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

These procedures include:

Urine sample collection
Laboratory procedures
Alcohol test procedures
Reporting of results and confidential record-keeping of final test results and statistical data.

Only laboratories certified by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) may be used. These procedures exist to safeguard the accuracy and protect privacy of drivers.

Companies and drivers must participate honestly in the process. A driver who refuses to submit to testing is considered “unqualified to drive.” A driver who has tested positive test results with a qualified medical review officer (MRO). The driver will be allowed to explain any special circumstances to the MRO. The MRO is responsible for reporting the results to the companies drug program management for action.

All drivers determined to be positive by the MRO must be referred to a substance abuse professional (SAP) for counseling.

In addition to the testing procedures, §382 of the FMCSA regulations requires all drivers, supervisors and company officials to undergo a training program on the use and abuse of alcohol and controlled substances.