SAP Return-to-Duty FAQ

After a DOT drug or alcohol program violation, you must complete a qualified SAP evaluation, follow the SAP’s education or treatment recommendations, complete a follow-up SAP evaluation, and pass a required return-to-duty test before returning to safety-sensitive work. SAP-prescribed follow-up testing then applies.

DriveLine helps eligible CDL drivers arrange Step 5 return-to-duty testing without a current employer. Passing the test alone does not authorize safety-sensitive work. An employer must satisfy the applicable return-to-duty requirements before you return.

Your SAP must first determine that you have complied with their recommendations and are eligible for return-to-duty testing.

DriveLine's Step 5 RTD drug test costs $155. If a DOT alcohol test is also required, it costs an additional $85. Required Clearinghouse query purchases, when applicable, are separate.

The appropriate party must report the negative RTD result to the FMCSA Clearinghouse. A responsible employer must confirm all applicable requirements before permitting safety-sensitive duties. Your Step 6 follow-up testing requirement remains.

Step 6 is the unannounced follow-up testing program prescribed by your SAP and administered through the responsible employer or authorized service agent after you return to safety-sensitive work.

At least six unannounced tests are required in the first 12 months of performing safety-sensitive duties after your return to duty. Your SAP may prescribe testing for up to 60 months.

An employed driver should coordinate the SAP follow-up plan with the responsible employer or its authorized C/TPA. Genuine owner-operators need appropriate employer/C/TPA arrangements and cannot manage their own tests as the driver.

Step 6 enrollment is $245, including the first required follow-up test. Additional SAP-prescribed tests are billed separately.

DriveLine can try to connect qualified drivers with carriers willing to consider applicants with previous Clearinghouse violations. We also offer a free list of SAP-friendly carriers. Employment and placement are not guaranteed.

No. You cannot perform DOT safety-sensitive functions while prohibited. All return-to-duty conditions must be met before a responsible employer can permit safety-sensitive work.

Consult the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy and Compliance for authoritative information.