Controlled Substances/Alcohol
The FMCSA BASIC category covering driver use of controlled substances and alcohol, along with the carrier's management of the federal drug and alcohol testing program. Pre-employment, random, reasonable-suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty, and follow-up testing requirements all fall under this BASIC. The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse — the federal database of testing violations — is part of the same regulatory frame.
Why it matters
Violations in this BASIC are high-severity by definition. A driver who tests positive or refuses a test is removed from safety-sensitive functions immediately and remains so until completing the SAP-directed return-to-duty process. A carrier that fails to manage its testing program correctly creates federal exposure that extends well beyond the BASIC score. Underwriting and large-account procurement read this BASIC closely.
Where it appears in a Hoffman Report
The Safety record table shows the carrier's three-year weighted Controlled Substances/Alcohol score against cohort. Carriers reading clean here are signaling functional testing-program management, not just driver behavior — the BASIC measures both.
Related terms
Drug and alcohol testing requirements are defined by 49 CFR Part 40 and Part 382 and updated periodically. The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse is administered separately by FMCSA. Current rules govern.