Trucking Coalition Seeks Federal Marijuana Test Plan

A coalition of 19 transportation and safety organizations, led by the American Trucking Associations, is urging four federal agencies to coordinate marijuana testing for transportation workers. The coalition is concerned that the DEA’s proposed rescheduling of marijuana to Schedule III could disrupt drug testing for safety-sensitive transportation workers. The group pointed out that in 2025, the Department of Transportation’s drug and alcohol testing program recorded 7 million tests, with nearly 56,000 positive marijuana results. The coalition is asking the DEA, DOT, HHS, and Justice to preserve testing authority, lab certifications, and federal coordination before any final rescheduling action. The group warned that rescheduling could create legal or regulatory gaps that weaken the existing drug testing framework, which relies heavily on controlled-substance testing to identify recent use and prevent potentially impaired individuals from performing safety-sensitive duties. The coalition is seeking to safeguard long-term marijuana testing for all safety-sensitive transportation workers, affirm the authority of DOT-regulated employers to conduct this testing, ensure HHS laboratory certification and test guidelines remain available and aligned with DOT’s safety mission, and establish a coordinated federal strategy focused on the transportation safety implications of rescheduling.