• Regardless of testing cycles, the math formula and concepts used in generating a selection are the same.

Following is an outline for a motor carrier that has opted for a quarterly random testing cycle. The example has a slight fluctuation in driver positions from quarter to quarter.

First quarter

First, determine who should be included in the driver master. Let’s suppose the first quarter’s pull has 250 driver positions. Based on this, you know — if nothing changes — that you must have 125 drug tests and 25 alcohol tests completed (at a minimum) by the end of the year. You divide 125 and 25 by 4 (the number of testing cycles) and round up. So the first quarter selection would include 32 names for drugs and 7 names for alcohol.

Second quarter

All of the first quarter tests should have been completed at this point. Let’s look at what has changed since last quarter:

• Do you need to make up any tests that were either canceled or not completed in the first quarter? You will need to compensate for these tests somewhere. It could be done during this testing cycle.
• Who should be in your pool? Do you need to add or remove names?
• Do you continue to have part-time positions equaling one full-time position? If that has changed, you will need to adjust the count to reflect this.
• Are any drivers on a leave of absence that you expect or know for certain will not return to drive for you? If you anticipate the driver will not drive again for you, you may safely remove the name from the list.

With all of this taken into account, suppose your driver positions spike during the second quarter, and you are now up to 300. You do the same mathematical formula as the first quarter. You take 50 percent of the 300, which is 150, divide by 4 (the number of testing cycles), and round up. You arrive at 38 drug tests. You then take 10 percent of 300, which is 30, divide by 4, and round up to reach 8 as the number of alcohol tests this quarter. If you missed any tests last quarter that you want to make up, you would simply add them to these numbers.

Third quarter

By third quarter, all the second quarter tests should have been completed. You look at the same variables as last quarter when preparing for the pull:

• Tests that were canceled or not completed in the second quarter,
• Adding or removing names, and
• True driver positions versus driver roster.

After reviewing these variables, you should arrive at an accurate number of driver positions for the third quarter. Suppose you had a major shift in numbers to 400 driver positions. You would use the same formula based on 400: 200/4 = 50 drug tests this quarter and 40/4 = 10 alcohol tests this quarter (plus any make-up tests for each test type).

Fourth quarter

Fourth quarter is the selection period in which you need to make sure that all your calculations are correct and that all tests are completed.

If you do not draw names at a higher rate than the minimum and therefore do not have a cushion to work with, it is imperative that the holidays, vacations, and the like do not interfere with sending drivers by the end of the year. It is a little-known fact that all tests must be completed and the MRO results received by the end of the calendar year, or the results do not count for compliance in the year the tests were requested. For example, if the driver was sent December 31 for a fourth quarter test, and the results were not officially sent and dated by the MRO until January 2 of the next year, that test cannot be used for compliance for the year. (Even if the test results were reported out on January 1 which is a legal holiday, it still would not count since it crosses into another calendar year.) It will appear on the lab summary for the following year.

On the other hand, you don’t want to end too early in the cycle either because it is the end of the year. Drivers who know that everyone was sent in early December may engage in prohibited behaviors thinking they may not get caught. It is a delicate balance of not too early and not too late. By fourth quarter, all the third quarter tests need to be completed. You look at the same variables as last quarter when preparing for the pull. After factoring in all these variables, you should arrive at an accurate number of driver positions for the fourth quarter. Let’s suppose you drop back to a lower number due to a slow time of year. Your driver roster has 225 driver positions for fourth quarter.

Before you do your last draw, you need to see where you are for numbers:250 + 300 + 400 + 225 = 1175/4 = 294 (the average number of drivers for the year).

Based on this, you must have 147 drug tests and 30 alcohol tests by the end of the year. So far you have: 32 + 38 + 50 = 120 drug tests at the end of the third quarter and 7 + 8 + 10 = 25 alcohol tests.

To accomplish the minimum 147 drug tests, you need at least 27 more tests. To achieve the minimum 30 alcohol tests, you need at least 5 names. If you do not select over the minimum for this quarter, you would need to make sure that all drivers selected go for the tests and that none are canceled. If you do not have results for all the names selected, you may find yourself conducting an emergency selection close to the end of the year to meet your compliance numbers.