Drug & Alcohol Program
DOT drug and alcohol program, set up and run for you
TenFour runs the program for you around an established testing consortium: we tell you exactly which one to join and how, complete the enrollment for you, walk you through naming it as your C/TPA in your own Clearinghouse account, prepare the written policy, and handle every form the program generates from the first pre-employment test onward. Software watches the selections, the events each one triggers and the records they generate; a person checks that the file is right. You pay the consortium's own membership fee and each test directly to the provider, never through TenFour and never marked up.
What we do
Consortium enrollment done for you
We tell you which established random-testing consortium to join and with whom to file, complete the enrollment for you and your drivers, and walk you through naming the consortium as your C/TPA in your own Clearinghouse account. You pay the consortium's own membership fee directly: $99 a year for the whole account, however many drivers, with the consortium we refer you to.
Program administration
Pre-employment tests when you hire, random selections handled through the pool, and the follow-ups each event requires.
Records that hold up
Test results, enrollment certificates and policy documents organized and retained.
Fees paid directly, never marked up
You pay the consortium's membership fee, individual tests, DOT physicals and MRO services directly to the consortium, collection site, lab, MRO or examiner. None of it goes through TenFour, so nothing is marked up and nothing is hidden on our invoice.
Who it's for: Carriers with CDL drivers subject to DOT testing, including one-driver operations, which must be in a random pool.
The 2026 random rates, and the number everyone gets wrong
Section 382.305(b)(2) sets the minimum annual random rate for controlled substances at 50 percent of average driver positions. Section 382.305(b)(1) sets alcohol at 10 percent. Those are the rates in effect.
You will see 25 percent quoted constantly: in blog posts, in consultant marketing, sometimes in training material. The confusion has a specific origin: 25 percent was the actual minimum rate for calendar years 2016 through 2019, and FMCSA raised it back to 50 percent effective January 1, 2020 (84 FR 71527). Material written during those four years was never updated. The Administrator does have authority to move the rate based on industry violation data, which is why it has changed before and could change again. Verify it annually rather than trusting a number you read once.
What 50 percent means for one truck
It does not mean you are tested every other year. The rate applies to the pool’s average driver positions across the year, and selections are random, so a single-driver operation can be selected twice in one year and not at all the next. Budget for it as a recurring cost, not a predictable one.
How the consortium part works
You join an established third-party consortium; TenFour does not run a testing pool or sell consortium membership. We tell you exactly which consortium to join and with whom to file, complete the enrollment for you, and walk you through naming it as your C/TPA in your own Clearinghouse account.
You pay the consortium's own membership fee directly: $99 a year for the whole account, however many drivers, with the consortium we refer you to. Tests, DOT physicals and MRO services are paid directly to the provider as well, at the provider's price, never through TenFour and never marked up. From there every form the program generates is ours: the written policy, each random selection and the event it triggers, and the records an auditor asks for. The same consortium handles your Clearinghouse reporting, which the Clearinghouse compliance page covers.
Why an owner-operator cannot run their own pool
Random selection has to be genuinely random and administered by someone who is not the person being selected. A one-driver carrier cannot satisfy that alone, which is why owner-operators join a consortium, a shared random pool run by a third-party administrator, where your name sits alongside enough other drivers for the selection to mean something. The guide to how a drug consortium works for owner-operators covers selection, cost and what to check before joining.
That consortium is also who you designate as your C/TPA for Clearinghouse reporting purposes, so the two obligations are usually solved by the same relationship.
The six testing events, and when each applies
The program is not only random testing. Six distinct testing situations exist in Part 382, and small carriers most often get caught out by post-accident testing, because the decision has to be made correctly at the worst possible moment, at the scene, under time limits.
Supervisor training people forget they need
If you have drivers and anyone may be called on to make a reasonable-suspicion determination, 49 CFR 382.603 requires at least 60 minutes of training on alcohol misuse and 60 minutes on controlled substances use for that person. It is a one-time requirement for the designated supervisor, and it is documented, which means an auditor can ask for the certificate.
A true one-person operation with no other drivers has nobody to supervise, so this does not bite. The moment you hire your first driver, it does.
When testing is required
| Situation | Regulation | When |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-employment | § 382.301 | Before first performing safety-sensitive functions |
| Random: controlled substances | § 382.305(b)(2) | 50% of average driver positions per year |
| Random: alcohol | § 382.305(b)(1) | 10% of average driver positions per year |
| Post-accident | § 382.303 | Following qualifying accidents, within set time limits |
| Reasonable suspicion | § 382.307 | On a trained supervisor’s observation |
| Return-to-duty and follow-up | §§ 382.309, 382.311 | After a violation, per the SAP’s plan |
What this costs
TenFour membership, first truck
$99/month
Billed annually ($1,188/yr) · $119 month to month · +$59/month per additional truck
Billed annually; each additional truck +$59/month, every driver included. Every form and record the program needs is part of the membership, from the consortium enrollment onward. You pay the consortium's own membership fee ($99 a year for the whole account with the consortium we refer you to), tests, DOT physicals and MRO services directly to the provider.
Every price for 1 to 6 trucks is published, no quote form, no sales call. See full pricing. Running 7 or more? Contact us for custom pricing.
What happens if you skip it
Drug and alcohol program failures carry unusually heavy consequences because they sit at the intersection of federal enforcement, your CDL and civil liability after a crash.
- Using a driver who has not passed a pre-employment test is among the violations that fail a new entrant safety audit on a single occurrence.
- A refusal to test is treated as a positive result, with the same consequences.
- A violation puts the driver in Clearinghouse prohibited status, which since November 2024 means losing commercial driving privileges until return-to-duty is complete.
- Not being enrolled in a random pool at all is a straightforward federal violation that an investigator confirms by asking for one certificate you cannot produce.
Sources
- 49 CFR 382.305: Random testing
- 49 CFR 382.301: Pre-employment testing
- 49 CFR 382.603: Supervisor training
- 49 CFR Part 40: DOT testing procedures
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. TenFour is a compliance service, not a law firm, and is not affiliated with FMCSA or any government agency. This page explains federal requirements in plain English, verify specifics for your operation against the sources above.
Common questions
What are the DOT random testing rates for 2026?
50 percent of average driver positions per year for controlled substances under 49 CFR 382.305(b)(2), and 10 percent for alcohol under 382.305(b)(1). If you see 25 percent quoted, that was the minimum rate for calendar years 2016 through 2019, FMCSA raised it back to 50 percent effective January 1, 2020 (84 FR 71527).
Does an owner-operator need a consortium?
Yes. CDL drivers subject to testing must be in a random program, and because selection must be administered by someone other than the driver, an owner-operator joins through a consortium rather than running a pool alone.
What does a consortium cost?
The consortium we refer members to charges $99 a year for the whole account, however many drivers, paid to the consortium directly. Across the published prices we found, the median for one driver is $160 a year. Tests are extra everywhere, paid to the collection site or lab at their price.
Is the consortium the same as my C/TPA?
Usually. The consortium that runs your random pool is typically also the third-party administrator you designate for Clearinghouse reporting. Confirm your provider does both: some only do one, and the gap is easy to miss.
What happens after a positive test?
The driver is immediately removed from safety-sensitive functions and enters the return-to-duty process under 49 CFR Part 40, Subpart O: evaluation by a substance abuse professional, completion of their prescribed program, and a negative return-to-duty test, followed by unannounced follow-up testing. The violation is reported to the Clearinghouse.
Does a refusal count as a positive?
Yes. A refusal to test is treated as a violation with the same consequences as a positive result, and it is reported to the Clearinghouse the same way. What counts as a refusal is broader than most drivers expect, including leaving the collection site before the process is complete.
Do I need supervisor training?
If you have drivers and someone may make reasonable-suspicion determinations, 49 CFR 382.603 requires 60 minutes of training on alcohol misuse plus 60 minutes on controlled substances for that person, documented. A one-person operation with no other drivers has nobody to supervise, so it does not apply until you hire.
Does TenFour run its own testing pool?
No. We enroll you in an established consortium's random pool and handle every piece of paperwork around it, so your name sits in a large, established pool and your file stays clean. You pay the consortium's own membership fee and the individual tests, physicals and MRO services directly to the provider, at the provider's price.
What does this cost?
Program administration and recordkeeping are part of the plan, from choosing the consortium and completing the enrollment to every selection record: $99/month for the first truck on the annual plan, $59/month for each additional truck, every driver included. You pay the consortium's own membership fee ($99 a year for the whole account, however many drivers, with the consortium we refer you to) and the individual tests, DOT physicals and MRO services directly to the provider, never marked up. The consortium is usually one more vendor to manage with its own renewal; here we manage it for you, alongside your driver files and Clearinghouse queries.
Handled, for one published price per truck.
Part of the TenFour membership: $99/month for the first truck on the annual plan, +$59/month for each additional truck, every driver included. Built for carriers with 1 to 6 trucks; fleets of 7 or more are priced by conversation.
$99/month is the annual plan for one truck, billed $1,188 up front, about two months free against $119 month to month. Each additional truck is $59/month ($69 month to month), every driver included, up to six trucks. Cancel any month; remaining full months refunded.