Passed UA Failed Hair Test. Still Drove Truck.

Boomshaker, almost all the companies are doing both hair and U/A tests now days. And it won't be long until they are all doing hair tests. It is just a matter of time at this point. Another consideration in all this is to remember that random tests are part of this whole career. I have been random tested four times this past year - two urine tests, one swab of my mouth (alcohol test), and a hair follicle test.

I would never take a hair follicle test, for any company.

Be careful about your stance on this matter - you may also never have a trucking job!

Boomshaker, almost all the companies are doing both hair and U/A tests now days. And it won't be long until they are all doing hair tests. It is just a matter of time at this point. Another consideration in all this is to remember that random tests are part of this whole career. I have been random tested four times this past year - two urine tests, one swab of my mouth (alcohol test), and a hair follicle test.

I would never take a hair follicle test, for any company.

Be careful about your stance on this matter - you may also never have a trucking job!

You are 100% correct my friend. I have to remember that it's a new day for me. And I can't change what I know. But rather from now on go with the flow and the rules and regulations of the trucking world. Thank you for smacking me in a gentle way and making me realize this. This is why I tell all want to be trucking students to come to this board and their information first hand for themselves. Thanks Old School.

I cut my hair extremely short, almost bald. Does this mean I should let my "soul patch" grow out more or grow a goatee so they have something to pluck? I have nothing to hide, the last time I smoked a joint was high school 30 years ago, I have a relatively healthy lifestyle, no meds, and do not associate with heavy drinkers or partiers. Except for one or two drinks every other day or so I am krystal kleen.

I cut my hair extremely short, almost bald. Does this mean I should let my "soul patch" grow out more or grow a goatee so they have something to pluck? I have nothing to hide, the last time I smoked a joint was high school 30 years ago, I have a relatively healthy lifestyle, no meds, and do not associate with heavy drinkers or partiers. Except for one or two drinks every other day or so I am krystal kleen.

There's hair on other parts of your body - eyebrows, pits, etc. That'll do!

You've got hair in other places. Just depends on where you want them getting it from. When I was hair tested they didnt "pluck" it - they cut it up next to the skin.

Hopefully once pot is federally legal it will be treated like alcohol, like it is in Colorado where they can test if you're actually high at the time, not if you smoked one joint a month ago. Number one killer from overdoses is prescription meds, number one killer behind the wheel is alcohol, stoners just want some munchies LOL. I haven't smoked since college in the early 80's, but to pretend someone is too high to operate a vehicle a month after smoking one joint is ridiculous. One its legal I expect to see it all change for the better.

Phil

Hopefully once pot is federally legal it will be treated like alcohol, like it is in Colorado where they can test if you're actually high at the time, not if you smoked one joint a month ago. Number one killer from overdoses is prescription meds, number one killer behind the wheel is alcohol, stoners just want some munchies LOL. I haven't smoked since college in the early 80's, but to pretend someone is too high to operate a vehicle a month after smoking one joint is ridiculous. One its legal I expect to see it all change for the better.

Phil

Not to let this discussion get too far afield, but.

I believe that weed SHOULD be legal. But even if it was, I would still choose to not smoke it.

And I don't believe for a MINUTE - that the FMCSA is EVER going to make it something that commercial drivers are going to be able to use.

And this is coming from someone that followed the Grateful Dead around the country for decades, high on all sorts of interesting stuff - without one single traffic incident in 10's of thousands of miles.

Call me a "reformed hippie" if you want - but even if weed becomes legal for medical & recreational use nationwide - I would still think that it's INAPPROPRIATE for COMMERCIAL DRIVERS TO USE it.

We can debate the differences between stoned drivers versus drunk drivers till the cows go MOOOO.

Commercial vehicle operators have always been held to a higher standard of conduct on the road - as well they should be. And despite the fact that it might be legal for everyone else in the future - you can be pretty sure that FMCSA and the Insurance Companies that insure the industry, and the companies themselves - are not going to be willing to risk the potential liability of having stoners operating tractor trailers on the nations roads.

And I would have NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

And the notion that "pretending that someone that smoked one joint is too high to operate a vehicle" (especially since you haven't smoked since the 80's - and weed in the legal states, is NOT the same weed you smoked in college), varies from individual to individual - and with ALTERED PERCEPTION - very few think they're "too high" to drive.

Again - not to get too far "off topic" here by starting a weed debate - but for new drivers and old - if you don't want to risk your driving career, than stay FAR AWAY from any substances that would cause you to fail a hair or urine screen - and you won't have anything to worry about.

I have my suspicions regarding the original poster.

When your very first post on this forum starts with "I have a friend that...".

Well, nuff said...

Rick

Hopefully once pot is federally legal it will be treated like alcohol, like it is in Colorado where they can test if you're actually high at the time, not if you smoked one joint a month ago. Number one killer from overdoses is prescription meds, number one killer behind the wheel is alcohol, stoners just want some munchies LOL. I haven't smoked since college in the early 80's, but to pretend someone is too high to operate a vehicle a month after smoking one joint is ridiculous. One its legal I expect to see it all change for the better.

Phil

Not to let this discussion get too far afield, but.

I believe that weed SHOULD be legal. But even if it was, I would still choose to not smoke it.

And I don't believe for a MINUTE - that the FMCSA is EVER going to make it something that commercial drivers are going to be able to use.

And this is coming from someone that followed the Grateful Dead around the country for decades, high on all sorts of interesting stuff - without one single traffic incident in 10's of thousands of miles.

Call me a "reformed hippie" if you want - but even if weed becomes legal for medical & recreational use nationwide - I would still think that it's INAPPROPRIATE for COMMERCIAL DRIVERS TO USE it.

We can debate the differences between stoned drivers versus drunk drivers till the cows go MOOOO.

Commercial vehicle operators have always been held to a higher standard of conduct on the road - as well they should be. And despite the fact that it might be legal for everyone else in the future - you can be pretty sure that FMCSA and the Insurance Companies that insure the industry, and the companies themselves - are not going to be willing to risk the potential liability of having stoners operating tractor trailers on the nations roads.

And I would have NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

And the notion that "pretending that someone that smoked one joint is too high to operate a vehicle" (especially since you haven't smoked since the 80's - and weed in the legal states, is NOT the same weed you smoked in college), varies from individual to individual - and with ALTERED PERCEPTION - very few think they're "too high" to drive.

Again - not to get too far "off topic" here by starting a weed debate - but for new drivers and old - if you don't want to risk your driving career, than stay FAR AWAY from any substances that would cause you to fail a hair or urine screen - and you won't have anything to worry about.

I have my suspicions regarding the original poster.

When your very first post on this forum starts with "I have a friend that...".

Well, nuff said...

Rick

I think Phil was talking about smoking one joint a month ago, not actually being high while driving...

I think Phil was talking about smoking one joint a month ago, not actually being high while driving...

He probably was - but even so - with companies (and soon DOT) going to hair testing, THAT is not going to determine whether you smoke ONE fatty while on home time, or hit your CBD Oil vape stick while on a 34 reset.

And as has been discussed in numerous other threads, with so many applicants that don't have issues passing ANY KIND of screening, it's going to be much easier for the industry to simply exclude those that choose to partake, than split hairs (pardon the pun) trying to determine the last time a driver puffed.

This forum (and most others I've been on), just seems to have very little sympathy for folks that can't pass a drug screen. And while weed may (or may not) become federally legal in the near future - it's still up to each individual state, whether or not to make it legal there.

For example: Oregon, you can walk into a weed store and buy a joint or a bag - anyone, anytime. Cali - you need scrip (not like they're all that hard to get).

I'd love to see people that want to blaze, do so without fear of prosecution. But I'd still be of the opinion that you are NEVER going to see it acceptable in a SAFETY SENSITIVE INDUSTRY.

Most drives wouldn't even dream of gargling with scope/listerine while on duty. Likewise with the folks that ask about having a few beers while off-duty (or at ORIENTATION fer christ sakes).

If smoking weed or drinking regularly is that important - than perhaps an industry that is not as safety sensitive as operating 80K lbs of rolling death on public streets would be a more appropriate career choice.

And I'm not some stick-in-the-mud-old-guy, that thinks stoners should be thrown from the tops of cliffs. I just don't think it's appropriate behavior for CDL drivers. The industry doesn't think so either (companies, insurance and federal regulatory agencies).

So for today - drop a positive and you're out of work. And I honestly don't think that's going to change - even if weed becomes legal on a federal level.

Sorry Phil - didn't mean for it to appear like I was jumping on you. I know people that can barely talk after smoking one joint. I certainly wouldn't want to be in the passenger seat with them.

Rick

Man this is the topic I hate most. I firmly believe anyone who needs this information also needs to hide the fact he or she gets high now and then. It astonishes me that some people still believe it's okay to risk my love ones life's on the road in an 80000 lb projectile because they for high 10 days ago. How the heck do I know when you got high?

Personally I wish you didn't post what types of testing companies did and let these idiots find out the hard way! Listen I am no goody two shoes when it comes to legalized pot. But I will be dang set against anyone who uses even occasionally and drives for a living. Sorry Brett but this subject is probably the stupidest subject ever on TT. If your afraid of the test you shouldn't drive period. I know to many people who use, they know when they are clean. Enough said