Action
Notice of final disposition.
Summary
FMCSA announces its decision to grant Motion Picture Compliance Solutions (MPCS) an exemption from the requirement that an employer must not employ a driver who is subject to drug and alcohol testing to perform safety-sensitive functions prior to conducting a full query of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) on behalf of its members that employ commercial driver's license (CDL) holders. Under the exemption, MPCS may conduct a limited query of the Clearinghouse before one of its member employers hires a driver for a project, rather than conducting a full pre-employment query as required. If the limited query indicates that information about the driver exists in the Clearinghouse, the driver would not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions unless and until a full query subsequently shows that the driver is not prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). Absent the exemption, a limited query would be available only to satisfy the employer's duty to make an annual query, not a pre-employment query. The Agency has determined that the terms and conditions of the exemption, coupled with MPCS's unique safety protocols, will achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to the level of safety that would be achieved through compliance with the applicable regulation.