Advice For Failed Pre-employment Hair Test

Hello guys! New CDL holder here looking for a little advice on a pickle I've found myself in.

About 2 weeks ago I graduated from roadmaster driver school and got my CDL. Roadmaster is owned by a certain company so they persuaded me to join that same company. So i took my hair test and UA and passed to get into school.

Well after gradation I leave to orientation and start my new path. 4 days in I am informed that I had failed the hair test and I was not going to be employed. Confused and defeated I left with my tail between my legs and headed home.

I had not used maruijuana in almost 16 months since I left California so I was very confused as to what could have happened. But of course there was no way to defend myself. After researching how the hair test is done and how it works it made complete sense what had happened.

My hair is very long, I've been growing it for about two years now. My test sample was done by the safty officer and when he had taken my sample he took it from the tip of a lock on the back of my head. He said he takes it from here because it's less noticeable. In my ignorance I agreed that was fine as I was under the impression hair test go back about 90 to 180 days. After arriving home in defeat my research found the medical standard way of testing was to cut from the root about an inch and a half of hair to measure 90 days of growth.

So my sample was from nearly two years back! Way past what I thought the test could measure. So for what ever reason the Safty officer was completely performing the test wrong and my ignorance has landed me in a bad place. Even the company poster dicribes how the test is to be done.

My research shows that this will be a failed test durring orientation on my DAC and should fall off after about three years. Not requiring a SAP or anything. And in Texas it is Illegal for a company to disclose a failed hair test.

So advice I'd give you guys is make sure your hair is cut if there's any chance there's traces of a substance in it. The 90-180 days is no standard if the sample taker is not medically trained on how to properly take the sample.

The advice I need is, Do you guys think there's anything I can do to save my career for the next three years? Could I challenge the results somehow to clear my DAC? Or do I just need to get a new job and wait for a few years and try again? It will suck having to lie about never failing a drug test but I've got to do what I've got to do.

I know I've screwed up. Thanks to anybody who's got anything to say, good or bad.

-Dylan

Just on the off chance that this is real, and isn't a Forum brigade-ing situation from the butthurt about our marijuana discussion. I highly suggest you NOT lie about failing a pre employment. IF they find out, that will be TWO serious issues on your record before you ever got in the seat.

It will suck having to lie about never failing a drug test but I've got to do what I've got to do.

There is no possibility of concealing it since clearing house was established.

You already know your first screw up, so that is in the past.

Move forward. Do not lie on applications. If you do it will be looked at much more serious than the failed hair test.

As I understand the current standard, hair testing is still not a DOT standard, I don’t believe it will be sent to the clearinghouse. I know there are members of Congress looking to get that changed, but hasn’t happened yet. It will be on your DAC so it will be visible and you will be required to answer for it. Be HONEST and you may find a second chance type company willing to give you a shot after hearing your explanation. If your honest and upfront about your past you may get that shot, if you lie and they find out you will be done.

Ah, but it will show up on your DAC as stating along the lines of, "Terminated for violation of company safety policies." Essentially a kiss of death for a new CDL with zero experience.

My research shows that this will be a failed test durring orientation on my DAC and should fall off after about three years. Not requiring a SAP or anything. And in Texas it is Illegal for a company to disclose a failed hair test.

You are pretty much down for the count. PJ was very generous to you. I'm gonna say nobody will touch you. Today's economy isn't even showing a lot of demand for new inexperienced drivers. Those with serious issues are rarely even considered.

I would not take any comfort from what you think you learned from your research. It was fallible at best.

There was a member that posted a few months ago that he was sent home from CR England after a failed hair test. PAM still brought him in but he left shortly after for a different opportunity. Starting pay is lower than most carriers but at this point you just need to get your foot in the door and put in 6 months, preferably a year, and more options will become available.

If someone is worried about the hair test, why wouldn’t they cut their hair short before the test? I guess the long hair is more important than passing the test.

There are so many topics posted here about passing drug tests. I wonder how many young people trying to get into driving are squeaky clean in this area or even realize that they need to be above reproach. Seems like a minority, but I could be mistaken.

I wonder how many young people trying to get into driving are squeaky clean in this area or even realize that they need to be

Bruce, it may seem like it's just young people in these conversations, but there are also a lot of older people who mess up their chances at a driving career by making some poor choices.

Oftentimes I can't even call it a poor choice. With all the ways available now to gain access to legal Marijuana, there are a lot of people getting pigeon holed into something they probably aren't. It is one more hurdle to getting this career started and it's affecting a lot of potential candidates.

I wonder how many young people trying to get into driving are squeaky clean in this area or even realize that they need to be

Bruce, it may seem like it's just young people in these conversations, but there are also a lot of older people who mess up their chances at a driving career by making some poor choices.

Oftentimes I can't even call it a poor choice. With all the ways available now to gain access to legal Marijuana, there are a lot of people getting pigeon holed into something they probably aren't. It is one more hurdle to getting this career started and it's affecting a lot of potential candidates.

I would also add that some just don't think long range. A person may not have had a trucking future on their horizon a year or more ago, and made lifestyle choices then that are not compatible with our industry now. Another could be say one utilized some CBD product for a medical or recreational use. Come to find out that it also contains THC which was uncovered during a pre-employment drug test, or at their orientation. Painful or costly lessons on lifestyle choices and decisions from their past can appear. I say think long and hard before you start the ball rolling. Skeletons will come out of the closet.