Question
What does it generally cost to join a testing consortium for a one truck operation?
What do I have to do or keep track of? Do I need to carry proof of membership with me?
I plan to be heading back out on the road in the next week or so, and the testing requirement is one of the things I have left to set up.
Answer
Dan,
I can not and will not answer for other drug testing consortiums. But I will give you the details on the one we operate.
It costs $25/yr. to be included in our consortium. We ask that you provide to us any documentation of any drug/alcohol tests you have had during this year elsewhere. We enter your info into our database. You are placed in a consortium of other small companies. On a monthly basis we run the random selections. Notification of the need to be tested is done by phone, mail, or whatever is required for that company. If you are notified while out of our local area, we obtain your location, find a clinic in your vicinity, make the arrangements for you to pop in, be tested, have the specimen sent to our lab, and the results will come to us, then to you. You will have to pay the clinic for the collection service (unless you test at ours) and they will provide copies of the testing forms to you at that time. When we receive the results they will be mailed to you (unless you have been a bad boy and need to speak with our MRO first).
On a quarterly basis you will receive an MIS report of the entire consortium (which shows that you belong to one) and on a yearly basis you will receive a report of the entire consortium as well as one specific to your company.
These reports must be maintained in the event that the DOT requests them for the purpose of determining the positive rates for all testing over the last year. They randomly select approx. 10% of the industry to request these reports from.
Each drug test will cost $35. Collection services run between $10 and $20 and Alcohol tests $15-$25 depending on the area you are in.
In the event you are involved in an accident, you call us with your location (24 hour service is available for this)we find a clinic as close to you as possible and take care of the paperwork details for you.
If you have any questions about what you need to do at any time, you simply pick up the phone and talk to one of my staff. Yes, you get a real person to talk to unless the clinic is closed and then you will be directed to call MY pager number for assistance.
If you go to our website, there is an on-line registration area. Fill it out, zip it to me in e-mail and send me a check. We'll get you set up right away.
You may want to check out OOIDA and STA-UNITED for their pricing and services as well.
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Keeping you safe, healthy, and on the road.
Nurse Red
Visit us at www.Truck.net/abmsVisit us at
Answer
Thanks Nurse Red. I'll be in touch.