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“It shows a lifestyle rather than simply
cleaning up because you know you’re
“uNtil it’s maNdated for eVerybody, carriers about to be tested,” said Bill Vickery,
like us are competiNg for the driVers who ATA political consultant.
doN’t waNt to use the electroNic logs.” “You don’t want to mandate it—you
just want it to be acceptable?” Shuster
—gary salisbury, asked for clarification. They all emphat-
ically agreed.
presideNt, fikes truck liNe, llc
“Urine testing is a lot cheaper, but
we’re paying for hair testing because
we know it keeps drug-users off the
October 2013. Further delays are a con- and also chairman of the Trucking roads,” said Harper. That is they’re pay-
cern for carriers that have implemented Alliance. Williams said there’s a need ing for both types of testing: urinalysis,
electronic logging and are losing busi- to let shippers know that some of their because the FMCSA requires it and hair
ness—and drivers—to those that haven’t. companies are running illegally. testing because it’s the best safeguard
“Until it’s mandated for everybody, “There is a lot momentum toward for keeping drug abusers off the high-
carriers like us are competing for the enforcement—shutting down carriers ways.
drivers who don’t want to use the elec- considered to be imminent threats,” “And the government doesn’t pay
tronic logs,” said Gary Salisbury, ATA Williams said. “They’re saying ‘if you for the test,” Shuster again clarified. All
chairman and president of Fikes Truck do these things, you’re going to get your answered “no.”
Line, LLC. “That creates a great eco- hand slapped,’ well I don’t want their After a few seconds of silence as
nomic concern for us. We have a proac- hand slapped, I want their hand cut off the legislators absorbed the simplicity of
tive stance on EOBRs and safety, but and to see blood on the floor so people the fix, Griffin replied, “I’d be happy to
when we communicated that mandate know this is real.” be involved in this.”
to our fleet, we lost about 38 percent of Both Congressmen were quick to
our fleet within 30 days,” support Williams’s assertion. “You’ve HoUrS-of-SErvIcE
Shuster was empathetic. “It’s a got to send a signal that it really is com- Shuster complimented the industry
balancing act,” he said. “If I tell all the ing; it’s not just talk,” Griffin said. “It on its willingness to independently seek
little owner-operators in my district ‘do helps to get signals from the adminis- new laws that will improve highway
it tomorrow,’ then they’re out of busi- tration that are consistent with where safety for all users, and reprimanded
ness. It’s going to come to the whole you’re doing.” the establishment forcing obstructive
system, eventually.” Shuster agreed. “When you see ‘solutions’ to concerns.
Delays could also be due in large enforcement like that happening, it “Show me the science that says
part to the establishment, Griffin encourages people to move.” they need to drive more safely because
pointed out. “I think it’s important to they’re improving their numbers year
not throw all delay and all failure to HaIr TESTING after year,” Shuster said.
move under the category of bad motive,” By far, the highest level of enlight- The carriers agreed. “Let’s put sci-
Griffin said. “A lot of it just goes along enment was reached when the dis- ence and data behind it so we don’t
with federal bureaucracy implement- cussion turned to drug testing; as in have people saying ‘well, I think we’d be
ing the law. Getting a bureaucracy to accepting hair testing as a viable means better off if we did this,’” Harper said,
make change takes a lot of time. Even of testing rather than the FMCSA- referring specifically to the hours-of-
if everybody loved it, it would still take required urinalysis. service rule changes.
forever.” “We had more than 3,000 drivers “I’m all for complying, but none
“Your industry has a big voice in who passed the urine test, but failed the of these people have ever driven
Washington,” Shuster said, encourag- hair test,” said Craig Harper, COO and trucks,” said Greg Carman, president
ing the group to continue to reach out EVP Operations at J.B. Hunt Transport. of Carman, Inc. “Some of these guys
to their legislators and Administrator “It’s a company policy to hair test them, don’t sleep the way a bureaucrat thinks
Ferro’s office. but we still have to do the urine test to they ought to sleep. They need common
“There are certain other stop-gap comply with the regulations. When we sense flexibility on how they can use
measures to let the public know this is first started hair testing, we had a 14 their break time.”
coming. There are things they are doing percent fail rate—people who passed the “Next thing we’re going to have are
and things they can be doing so people urine test, but failed hair.” the sleep police,” Shuster quipped.
will be less cavalier on the highways,” Hair samples, they explained retain
said Steve Williams, CEO of Maverick traces of drug use longer than urine.  41

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