In the trucking industry, a clearinghouse is a database that is used to track the compliance of commercial drivers and trucking companies with federal and state safety regulations.
The clearinghouse typically contains information about drivers’ records of duty status, as well as the results of roadside inspections and other compliance-related activities.
This information is used by trucking companies, law enforcement officials, and other stakeholders to ensure that drivers and trucks are operating safely and in compliance with regulations.
Additionally, the clearinghouse may also be used to share other types of information, such as alerts and advisories, to help ensure the overall safety and efficiency of the trucking industry.
What is the FMCSA Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse?
The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that gives employers, the FMCSA, State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations. An act of Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to establish the Clearinghouse.
The Clearinghouse enables employers to identify drivers who commit a drug and alcohol program violation while working for one employer, but who fail to subsequently inform another employer (as required by current regulations).
The Clearinghouse requires the following:
- Employers are required to query the Clearinghouse for current and prospective employees’ drug and alcohol violations before permitting those employees to operate a CMV on public roads.
- Employers are required to annually query the Clearinghouse for each driver they currently employ.
FMCSA releases December 2021 Clearinghouse Monthly Summary Report
FMCSA has released the latest Clearinghouse Monthly Summary Report, covering data reported to the Clearinghouse through December 2021. The report includes information on the number of Clearinghouse registrations, queries conducted, violations reported, and drivers in the return-to-duty (RTD) process. You can also use the links below to download PDF versions of the previous reports.
REGISTRATIONS
Registration for the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) began for all user roles on September 28, 2019. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders, employers, consortia/third-party
administrators (C/TPAs), medical review officers (MROs), and substance abuse professionals (SAPs) all must register within the Clearinghouse. In some cases, a single user may have multiple roles within the Clearinghouse. For a summary of the number of drivers and organizations that are registered in the Clearinghouse, see the table below.
Positive drug tests account for 82% of the total violations reported.
Substances Identified in Positive Drug Tests
Return-To-Duty Processes
If a CDL/CLP holder has a drug and alcohol program violation recorded in the Clearinghouse, the CDL/CLP holder must be removed from safety-sensitive functions, including operating a commercial motor vehicle, until the return-to-duty (RTD) process is completed. Select milestones of a driver’s RTD process are recorded in the Clearinghouse. The table below provides a snapshot of the number of drivers in the RTD process with their status in the Clearinghouse as of January 1, 2022.
CDL/CLP Holders in the Return-to-Duty (RTD) Process as of 11/1/2022
