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Fiorentino, D. , & Shannahan, R. (2011). Operator drug– and alcohol-testing across modes (CTBSSP Synthesis 23). Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board. The primary objective of this synthesis is to identify the current practices utilized to deter drug and alcohol use among operators within the Department of Transportation’s regulated community. The intended target audience is very broad, including DOT staff, various DOT agencies, companies of all sizes in the regulated industries, drug and alcohol testing organizations, and the research community. The document begins with a brief history of the transportation workplace drugs and alcohol testing program, the general approach, the reasons for testing, some of the issues that impact the validity of the tests, and an outline of the specific regulations by mode. We also present some alcohol and drug testing statistics to give the reader a sense of the scope of the program and of the prevalence of illegal alcohol and drug usage among safety-sensitive employees. Next, we report the findings of our inquiries to companies in the regulated community, with an emphasis on alternative strategies aimed at deterring illegal alcohol and drug use among employees. Unfortunately, participation on the part of the companies in the regulated community was limited, resulting in a very small sample. Moreover, it is possible that the companies that responded to our requests for information may not be representative of their entire industry. This is an important caveat. The structure and content of the section on alternative strategies reflects what the companies in the regulated community reported to us. The synthesis was not intended to provide an organic and comprehensive review of the scientific literature on alcohol testing, drug testing, and related topics, but, rather, to provide the minimum necessary information for most readers to understand and evaluate the actions of the regulated community. Thus, on the very sensitive issue of alternative specimens, for example, we devote considerable more space to the scientific issues associated with some matrices than others, because the regulated community has made certain decisions and those decisions are what the reader must understand and evaluate, not because of our inherent interest in one matrix over the other. An attempt was made provide the minimum necessary information in a scholarly fashion, with the hope of striking a delicate balance between brevity and thoroughness. It is hoped that readers find that balance useful, and they are asked to refer to the sources credited throughout the document for additional information. Finally, we present some general recommendations for new research. They are offered with the strong belief that data obtained through methodologically sound research can help clarify some of the lingering issues associated with alcohol and drug testing in the transportation workplace.
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