Page 14 - ATR 2 2015 web

News iN Brief, ing potential hires for drug or alcohol entities to require access to employees’
Continued from page 13 abuse. But because of federal regula- social media accounts. Employers at
tions, those testing hair still have to schools, daycares and summer camps
According to data from the conduct urinalysis tests. The bill would could require their employees to
American Trucking Associations (ATA), simply allow those companies to drop “friend” them on Facebook, for exam-
nearly 70 percent of all the freight ton- the duplicative process. ple. The bill sought to amend a 2013
nage moved in the U.S. goes on trucks. J.B. Hunt Transport has been law prohibiting any employer from hav-
Wilson said that an online community testing hair and urine samples for ing that requirement.
allowing businesses and consumers to nearly a decade. Between May 2006 The bill passed the House, 91-1, on
hire trucks, combine cargo space and and December 2014, the company had Feb. 23, with only Rep. Warwick Sabin,
track shipments from loading dock to 110 driver applicants fail the urine test D-Little Rock, voting no. It was referred
loading dock could be a game-changer while 3,845 people had drug-positive to the Senate Committee on Public
for the multi-billion-dollar industry. hair test results. Schneider National, Health, Welfare and Labor.
On the Move says its goal is to based in Green Bay, Wis., found similar
join the next wave of transformative results. Between March 2008 and June
online businesses by using digital tools 2012, they had 120 prospective drivers
to connect transportation customers fail the urine test while 1,400 appli-
with smaller and independent truck- cants had drug-positive hair test results.
ing service providers. With develop- “Preventing drug users from oper-
ment of OMVS’ new trucking program ating commercial trucks will improve
underway, the company’s first step will safety on our roads and enhance indus-
be building partnerships with smaller try standards,” Boozman said. “This
trucking firms, giving them an oppor- legislation eliminates the duplicative
tunity to compete in the same, wider drug-testing process and allows truck-
marketplace as the biggest players. ing companies to use the more effective
option, without having to pay for two
aRkansas legislaToRs tests.”
pRopose dRug sCReening “Americans rely every day on the The bill drew attention from
Changes foR TRuCk dRiveRs safety of our roads and highways as Facebook. Spokesperson Andy Stone
The commercial trucking industry they commute to their jobs, travel to said, “Any legislation that requires
would have more options available for schools and recreational activities, and employees to give employers access to
pre-employment drug screenings under transport goods and products across the their private communication is prob-
legislation two Arkansas lawmakers country,” co-sponsor Sen. Joe Manchin lematic, but this bill goes even further
introduced in March in Congress. (D-WV), said. by compelling minors to provide an
The Drug Free Commercial This bill is supported by the adult employee or supervisor access to
Driver Act of 2015, filed by Sen. John American Trucking Associations, the their social media accounts.”
Boozman (R-Ark.), and Rep. Rick Arkansas Trucking Association and the Facebook also was opposed to
Crawford (R-Ark.), would allow the U.S. Trucking Alliance. House Bill 1362, the Uniform Fiduciary
Department of Transportation to recog- Access to Digital Assets Act, by Rep.
nize hair testing as an alternative option aRkansas soCial Media Matthew Shepherd (R-El Dorado). It
to the Department of Transportation pRivaCy bills unpopulaR would have allowed a deceased person’s
required urinalysis testing. WiTh faCebook personal representative access to his or
“My bill’s only concern is improv- Facebook didn’t “like” two bills her digital information. Both bills failed
ing the safety of our roads,” Crawford recently considered by Arkansas leg- to garner support in the Senate.
said. “Some drug users, when they islators – one that could have allowed
know that a drug test is likely, are able certain employers to require access to Csa sCoRing sysTeM undeR
to abstain for just a few days before the their employees’ social media accounts, aTTaCk
test and beat the system. This bill would and one that would have given personal Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., reintroduced
catch a much larger percentage of those representatives access to a deceased per- the Safer Trucks and Buses Act, which
drivers and keep them off the roads.” son’s digital records. would reform safety scores for trucks and
Many commercial trucking compa- House Bill 1087 by Rep. Nate Bell buses by making the scores more reflec-
nies are already using hair tests because (R-Mena), would have allowed entities tive of the company’s safety record.
they find it is more effective in screen- working with minors as well as religious
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14 aRkansas TRuCking RepoRT | issue 2 2015