Policy #4.23-Drug & Alcohol Policy for Individuals Involved in the Transportation of Students

DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY FOR INDIVIDUALS                           4.23.0


INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF MILLIS STUDENTS

 

            All individuals who are involved in the transportation of students for the Town of Millis, whether CDL, 7-D, or otherwise designated (including transportation monitors) shall be required to submit to alcohol and / or drug testing.

 

            A. Basic Guidelines:

                       

                        1. All drivers and monitors shall be subject to Drug and / or Alcohol                                    Testing, under the same guidelines as CDL Bus and Motor Coach Drivers,               as provided under the rules and regulation of the Federal Motor Carrier                                  Safety Regulations, as prescribed by the U. S. Dept. of Transportation /                                  General Highway Administration.

                       

                        2. These adopted rules and regulations apply to any driver or monitor                                using any vehicle to transport school children for the Town of Millis.

                       

                        3. Notification

                        Employees must be advised that they are subject to Drug / Alcohol Testing                        and the starting date of the policy.

           

            B. When Employees Can Be Tested

 

                        1. Random Testing for Drugs or Alcohol:

 

                                    a. All employees involved in the transportation of students will be                                      subject to Random Drug Testing.

 

                                    b. The location of testing shall provide privacy for the individuals                                       involved, at an agreed upon place. For members of the Millis Bus                                        Drivers Association, the agreed upon place will be chosen and                                              voted on by the Millis Bus Drivers Association and the Millis                                         School Committee. For other individuals covered by this policy,                                          the location shall be designated by the administration.

 

                                    c. Random Drug / Alcohol testing for members of the Millis Bus                                         Driver's Association can only be done immediately before driving,                                       during driving, or immediately after driving. Random Drug /                                          Alcohol testing for all others shall be immediately before, during,                                        or after their shift.

 

                        2. Following an Accident:

                       

                        As soon as possible, following an accident involving a school-related                                   vehicle during school related transportation, involving a fatality or moving              traffic violation, the driver shall be tested for alcohol and / or controlled                          substance. (Alcohol: within two (2) hours / controlled substance: within

                        thirty-two (32) hours). A driver who is subject to post-accident testing                              shall remain available for such testing or may be deemed to have refused                          to submit to testing.

 

                        3. For Reasonable Suspicion Testing:

                                   

                                    a. Employer / supervisor / company official must be trained in                                             accordance with #382.603: training of at least sixty (60) minutes                                         on alcohol misuse and an additional sixty (60) minutes of training                                             on controlled substance use.

                                   

                                    b. Said training is used to determine whether reasonable suspicions                          exist to require a driver to undergo testing. The training shall                                                 include the physical, behavioral, speech, and performance                                                        indicators of probable alcohol misuse and use of controlled                                                        substances.

 

                                    c. The documentation of the driver's conduct whether for alcohol                                         or substance abuse suspicion shall be prepared and signed by the                                             witness(es) within twenty-four (24) hours of the observed behavior                              or before the results of the test(s) are released, which ever comes                                            first.

 

                                    d. Alcohol suspicion: may be observed by supervisor or employer:                                                 based on observation of specific, contemporaneous, articulable                                            observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech, or body                                   odors of the driver or transportation monitor.

                                    Controlled substance suspicion: must be observed by at least two                                       (2) supervisors or company officials. If it is not feasible to have the                              two witnesses, then one (1) supervisor needs to witness the                                                         conduct. That one (1) witness must be trained as stated above.

 

                                    e. Observations may include indication of the chronic and                                                    withdrawal effects of controlled substances.

 

            C. Failure to Submit to Testing:

            No driver or other employee involved with transportation who refuses to submit   to such tests will be allowed to drive any school transportation related vehicle,   and will be subject to the same discipline as if he / she had failed the drug or alcohol test.

 

            D. Failure to pass Alcohol / Drug test

            Any employee who tests positive for Alcohol or a Controlled Substance will be    suspended immediately. A retesting (of the same sample) for substance abuse or       an immediate alcohol test, whichever is applicable, will be conducted. The       suspended driver will be allowed to resign if he or she so chooses.

 

            Prescribed Drugs:

 

            Any driver or other employee involved with transportation who is alleged to have             violated the alcohol or substance abuse prohibitions, shall have available as an    affirmative defense, that his / her use of a controlled substance (EXCEPT for    Methadone) was prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner who is familiar             with the driver's or employee's medical history and assigned duties.

 

            E. Any driver or other transportation employee who tests positive (from the same            sample) for alcohol or controlled substance abuse will be terminated.

 

 

School Committee First Reading: June 3,2003

 

School Committee Second Reading: June 17, 2003

 

School Committee Approved: June 17,2003

 

 

 

 

 


 


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