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 ProHRHQ carrier page
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.
The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
Since January 2020, carriers must run a full query of FMCSA's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse before a driver's first dispatch and a limited query on every employed driver at least once a year. The Clearinghouse records positive tests, test refusals and other violations reported by employers and testing providers. A driver with a violation cannot drive again until completing the return-to-duty process with a substance abuse professional and passing a return-to-duty test, followed by follow-up testing. Roadside violations in this BASIC, such as possession or use of alcohol or drugs on duty, are rare but weighted heavily.
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.