Covenant Transport Drug Test

If you’re considering driving a truck for Covenant Transport, you need to know what to expect with the Covenant Transport drug test.

In this article, we’ll get you up to speed on the type of drug test Covenant Transport uses and when you can expect to have to take a drug test.

Does Covenant Transport Drug Test in 2024?

Yes, they do. All trucking companies are required to test their drivers for drug use. The trucking industry is regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and DOT regulations concerning drug tests are very strict.

Drug testing is carried out to reduce the risk of avoidable accidents due to truck drivers being under the influence of substances that affect their concentration and delay their reaction times.

The FMCSA database which records positive drug tests for CDL holders had over 60,000 violations logged as of April 2021. This clearly demonstrates that drug testing is a necessary safety measure in this industry.

What Type Of Drug Test Does Covenant Transport Use?

The drug test used by Covenant Transport is a urine drug test.

The urine sample collection process is very simple, and it doesn’t take much time as long as you actually need to urinate. You’ll be given a sample cup and directed to a bathroom.

The bathroom will have blue dye in the toilet, and the water in the washbasin will be turned off. This is so that you can’t try to dilute your sample with water.

You’ll need to provide at least 45ml of urine. If you provide less, you have to drink water and wait until you need to go again. The temperature of your urine sample will be checked to ensure that it hasn’t been diluted or replaced with a urine substitute.

Once the sample collection is complete, you’ll sign the chain of custody paperwork, then your sample will be sent to a DOT-authorized lab for analysis.

When Does Covenant Transport Drug Test?

You’ll need to pass a drug test during the hiring process at Covenant Transport. You’ll also face random drug tests which are required by the DOT, post-accident drug tests, and reasonable cause drug tests.

See Also: List of Trucking Companies That Hire Felons.

Pre-employment Drug Test

The pre-employment drug test for Covenant Transport takes place during orientation. Attending orientation doesn’t mean that you’ve been hired, only that you’ll be hired if you pass all of the checks and tests.

Covenant Transport’s orientation takes place at the Covenant Transportation Training Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

This is a residential orientation that lasts for several days, and your accommodation and food will be provided. Covenant also covers your travel costs to and from the orientation center.

At your orientation, you’ll need to watch training videos and answer some related questions, then you take a road test and a backing test (backing up a tractor-trailer). Your rate of pay depends on your level of experience and your performance on those tests.

Post Accident Drug Tests

Post-accident drug and alcohol tests are required if you’re involved in an accident. Following DOT rules, you would have to submit to a drug test in the event of:

• An accident involving a human fatality.
• An accident for which you received a citation, and that caused a bodily injury that required immediate treatment away from the scene.
• An accident for which you received a citation that required a vehicle to be towed because of disabling damage.

Covenant may require post-accident drug tests in other circumstances, and you’ll need to consult the Covenant Transport drug and alcohol policy for a full guide.

Reasonable Cause Drug Test

Reasonable cause (also called reasonable suspicion) drug tests can be ordered if you appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while you’re operating a commercial motor vehicle.

Anyone that you encounter during the course of your work can report you to the company (or law enforcement) for suspicious behavior or unsafe driving, including members of the public.

Random Drug Tests

Once again, the Department of Transportation sets the rules about random drug testing for CDL holders.

All drivers at Covenant are entered into a pool and names are randomly selected for drug testing at regular intervals.

Obviously, in any job that carries out random drug testing, it’s not a good idea to take drugs. But with trucking, you can be ordered to take a drug test even during your time off. So taking drugs is not at all compatible with being a truck driver.

When you’re notified that you’ve been selected for a random drug test, you must report to a sample collection facility immediately.

What Drugs Does Covenant Transport Test For?

Your urine sample will be tested for the following drugs as required by Department of Transportation regulations:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• Opioids
• Amphetamines
• Methamphetamine
• MDMA

The opioids tested for on a DOT drug test are:

• Morphine
• Codeine
• Heroin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone

What Happens If You Fail The Drug Test?

If you fail the pre-employment drug test at Covenant Transport, you will not be hired. There are no exceptions to this rule, and you won’t get a second chance to take the test.

The staff conducting orientation at Covenant have heard every excuse in the book and they never give anyone a pass. If you’re not clean, don’t schedule your orientation until you are certain you will pass a drug test.

If you use marijuana which can remain in your system for several weeks, then you should get a DIY drug test to use at home. When that drug test gives you the all-clear, you’ll be able to pass the DOT drug test.

If you fail a random drug test, you’ll be fired and the positive test result will be logged with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) drug and alcohol clearinghouse.

After a failed drug test, you must complete the DOT Return to Duty process before you’re able to drive a commercial vehicle again.

The Return to Duty process involves undergoing evaluation by an independent substance abuse professional (SAP), following their recommendations regarding drug education and treatment, and submitting to and passing at least 6 unannounced drug tests in a 12-month period. The mandated drug testing period can continue for up to 60 months.

You’re responsible for paying all of the fees associated with the Return to Duty process.

The record of your failed drug test will remain in the clearinghouse database for 5 years and employers are required to check the database before hiring a new driver and annually thereafter.

The records for a completed Return to Duty process are also logged with the clearinghouse.

Driving For Covenant Transport

Truck driving jobs at Covenant Transport are mostly team driving positions on Over The Road (OTR) routes. This means that you share the driving with another driver which allows you to cover longer distances and earn more money.

If you already drive as a team or you’ve decided to team up with your significant other or a friend, then you’ll find it easy to settle in as a Covenant driver.

But if this is your first time driving a truck and you don’t have a partner lined up, then you may not enjoy being paired with a stranger and having to live on the road with them.

If you’re a new driver and Covenant will be paying for your CDL training, it’s essential to understand the pros and cons of team driving before you sign up.

If you find that team trucking or OTR is not for you and you quit before the minimum period is over, you’ll have to pay back your training costs.

Covenant offers competitive rates of pay and many routes give you weekly home time which isn’t always offered with OTR routes at other trucking companies.

Recap

Covenant Transport carries out pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable cause, and random drug testing.

They use the standard Department of Transportation drug test which analyzes a urine sample for the most commonly abused drugs.

The pre-employment drug test takes place during orientation and if you fail, you won’t be hired.

Failed drug tests are logged with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration clearinghouse database, and a Return to Duty process must be completed before you’re allowed to drive a vehicle that requires a CDL.

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