DOT Follow Up Drug Testing Procedures: The Full Guide

Question 1

Can a driver request early release from a follow-up testing plan?

Accepted Answer

No. Only the SAP who wrote the plan can shorten, modify, or end it early, based on a reassessment, not the driver's request or the employer's judgment.

Question 2

Does follow-up testing cost the driver anything?

Accepted Answer

The employer typically covers follow-up testing costs as part of managing the compliance obligation, though arrangements can vary by carrier policy.

Question 3

What happens if a driver is between jobs when a follow-up test comes due?

Accepted Answer

The obligation pauses only in the sense that there's no employer to administer it. It resumes in full with the next DOT-regulated employer, who must obtain the plan and continue where it left off.

Question 4

Is follow-up testing the same as random testing during that period?

Accepted Answer

No. A driver on a follow-up plan is tested according to the SAP's specific schedule, while remaining eligible for the company's regular random testing pool.

Question 5

Can a follow-up testing plan be extended beyond 60 months?

Accepted Answer

The standard federal maximum is 60 months. Anything beyond that would fall outside the typical SAP framework and isn't part of the standard follow-up testing structure.