DOT drug tests really aren’t different than any other kind of drug test. I hear from a fair number of people who have to take them, worried that they’re harder to pass. But the only thing that makes them different is the fact that the requirements for a DOT drug test are set at the federal level.
What Is A DOT Drug Test?
For those who may not know, DOT stands for ‘Department of Transportation’. People who have to take a DOT drug test include anyone who drives a large truck or bus for a living, and any workers who are remotely involved with those vehicles – which is basically anyone in the same company.
A federal agency called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has about a hundred pages of regulations that both employers and labs have to follow when administering DOT drug tests. But fortunately, most of those regulations cover details about the paperwork that has to be done. The drug tests themselves are basically carried out just like they are for any other employer. Which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them seriously – it just means that you don’t have any extra cause for concern just because you’re taking a DOT drug test as opposed to any other kind.
Does The Dilution Method Work For DOT Drug Tests?
Since the FMCSA requires that a DOT drug test be a urinalysis, then yes, dilution will work fine. At least, it will be if you happen to be a pot smoker.
You’ll be given a standard 5-panel test that looks for other toxins as well, so if you do more than just smoke pot you’ll need to be aware of their detection periods and plan accordingly. For most other drugs besides weed, detection periods are measured in days, not weeks. THC cannabanoids are kind of in a class by themselves because of the way they’re stored in the body (in your fat cells), which is why marijuana use can be detected so much longer than other drugs.
What’s The Best Way To Pass A DOT Drug Test?
Federal regulations require that a lab tech observes you while you’re giving your specimen, so substitution is pretty much impossible, whether it’s a powdered urine kit or a friend’s clean pee. And you should definitely never even attempt to use synthetic urine, just because labs have too many ways to detect that now.
So if substitution isn’t an option (it isn’t for most people, in any situation), that leaves dilution as your only real option. But it’s what I generally recommend to anyone taking a piss test anyway, because when you do it right you’re genuinely able to give a clean specimen right on the spot, without all the stress of trying to use substitution without getting caught.
In any situation where you know your test will be unsupervised, substitution (with something besides synthetic urine) is a guaranteed pass, so in that case you should go for it. But in the case of a DOT drug test, or anytime you think you’ll be observed, dilution is a really close second as far as reliability goes.
DOT tests only use GC/MS if the initial test at 50ng/ml is positive. The difference is they also do the initial test at a lab. Only if that is positive is the split specimen sent to a second lab for GC/MS testing. I took a DOT test this past Monday morning and haven’t heard from an MRO yet (that’s good!). It is now the following Sunday morning.
I PASSED! My boss told me this morning the results came back negative. THANKS DEE!!
Regarding my previous comment, this is verbatim from FMCSA Title 49 Part 40 (the law):
§ 40.87 What are the cutoff concentrations for initial and confirmation tests?
(a) As a laboratory, you must use the cutoff concentrations displayed in the following table for initial and confirmation drug tests. All cutoff concentrations are expressed in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). The table follows:
Type of Drug or Metabolite – (1) Marijuana metabolites
(i) Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THC)
Initial Test 50
Confirmation Test 15
(b) On an initial drug test, you must report a result below the cutoff concentration as negative. If the result is at or above the cutoff concentration, you must conduct a confirmation test.
(c) On a confirmation drug test, you must report a result below the cutoff concentration as negative and a result at or above the cutoff concentration as confirmed positive.
(d) You must report quantitative values for morphine or codeine at 15,000 ng/mL or above.
Brian, that is AWESOME that you passed your test, thanks for letting me know!!! You made my day. :-)
And I also owe you a huge thank you for the great info on FMCSA regulations, you can be sure I’ll add it to my e-book to help out other folks who have to take DOT tests.
Hey man what’s up I’m going for my cdl I was perscribed xanex n suboxone n am tryin to stop col turkey but I smoke everyday manytimes n need to pass a test for dot I don’t no when what can I do to make sure ill pass
whats the best way to pass a swab test?
This is the greatest site ever created. I think I’m in love.
LOL, I’m glad you like it!
i need to take a dot physical and drug test all i have done is smoke weed. how do i pass it step by step please dee
the way i understand dot drug tests are not observed unless you have already failed.
Yes, that’s exactly right. It’s in the regs.
I have taken DOT drug tests on several occasions (being a trucker) and not all of them are the same in terms of what they want. I had to take a random UA for an LTL (less than truckload) carrier and I smoked 5 times a day for months, when test time came I had 3 hours notice and drank about a gallon of water with no vitamins and I passed with no problem, then I switched to an Over the road carrier, went for my pre-employment and did the same thing and was told it was dilute-negative and told to take another one, diluted it again, and was told to take another one, then got fed up and used someone elses pee and passed. But beware, some companies are different in their requirements. I would agree with Dee and use some vitamins to yellow up your piss. I have never tried it but it seems like it would make sense if your dilute-negative. And some companies consider dilute-negative an automatic Positive, SO BEWARE!
so if i failed a dot drug test will they find it out
I also know an older trucker who takes 1 hit on a friday night comes up clean with at home test 2 AND 3 days later (he uses at home tests on regular basis for knowledge purposes.) Obviously the best way to come up clean is dont smoke. but taking a A HIT or 2 once a week is the best way to enjoy cannabis without much worries and always with atleast 2 days prior to your work week beginning for obvious reasons, most companies wont have you test on the weekend. But I say, USERS BEWARE, nothing is fool proof.
I was just reading up on some false positives for drug tests and it says that Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) can cause a false positive for marijuana THC Any comments?
Jay,
Yeah I’ve read that too about the B-2 creating a false positive, but all I can say is that in 3 yrs of doing this I’ve never heard of ONE single person that that actually happened to. Until I hear from someone that can give me a first-hand account, I have to assume that it’s just another rumor that somehow got started and just won’t die.
Thank you for the fast response, I appreciate your input, maybe sometime I’ll try it at home a few times, I purchase the at home tests from ebay for 1 to 2 dollars each so doing some experiments wont be expensive, I have tried the First Check before and they seem like good tests, but I do recommend purchasing the cheap ones in bulk from the computer because the first checks run up to 17 bucks each…OUCH! but yeah, I’ll give it a shot at home some time…as of right now though I am clean and havent done anything in well over a month. Thank you DEE, have a good one.
Dee I dont enjoy canabis anymore but i was wondering what you know about passing a DOT test for loritabs I have cronic back pain so right now im depedent on them what can i do? Keep up the good work brother
I last smoked pot on Friday, today is Monday. I took a home urine test and it is positive. I will be taking an employmetn drug test this Thursday. Is that enough time to use your system to come up with a positive result?
Thanks
no not usualluy work out and drink plenty of fluids and you will be fine..
Previous post should state, ‘is that enough time to use your system to come up with a negative result?
I have taken up to one barr a day for 5 months n today is the firstday I didn’t I feel ok but I need to no how I can pass a urin test for pot n suboxin iv benn cleann off oxys for 8months now n don’t ever wanna go back to doing 7 to 8 80s aday
i have failed with the drinks but only because it was only 24hrs and not the 72 thay had said. the synthetics work and ive used them for 5 yrs on dot testing im just looking for new ideas because i fear there going to start given use a ride to the ramdoms so for now we all quit.your idea makes sence but im not sure id have time.good luck all
I have a probation test coming up on wed. I have read alot on this site and it talks about diluting. I am 250lbs and smoked everyday for the last five years.. and the stuff i was smoking has VERY high THC levels. Probably the highest you can get..(hydro and hash) i have stopped for good as of 5 days ago.. I have a great career and cant afford to violate.. i thought i was going to be tested at court a couple months back so i stopped for 5 days and used Instant acting detox 32 oz drink.. i took an at home test and passed.. I did also drink a good amount of water… My question is should I take a drink with diluting so my creatine levels and color is normal? If so what drink?
on a DOT5 test coming up, will using my 5 year old son’ pee work since it will be closed-door? I want tob avoid paperwork explaining my script for oxycodones 309+ X’s 8/day.
i may take a dot physical for a job i just interviewed for. anyone take a dot physical/drug test? are they performed at the same time? the position is non-driving so im wondering why they are using the dot method.
I’m stressing HARD…i’m suppose to go help with the oil spill, however the company is up in Northern California…so I’d have to fly out there this weekend to go and take a DOT test…however I’ve been smoking about 2 grams a week for the last couple months, and jus quit a few days ago…..only thing Im worried about is if they watch me pee…because I’m sure I’d fail of course. It’s just a huge gamble, because I dont have the cash to fly up there just to be denied…..are there any ways what soever that I can pass a test without usin someone elses pee?? or any of those detox drinks work real good within 24/48 hours?
Just a note:
I set up a lot of my employee’s drug testing through iDOT (Illinois). The tests are open door. They do test for synthetics for those who are somehow able to still sneak around it, and also test for chemical masks. These are tests that look to see if natural proteins and chemicals in your body are missing, suggesting that you took a cleanser for the test. If you are on probation then cleansers are probably a good answer for you, because you can’t be sent to jail for failing to have natural things in your body. However, depending on how serious your employer is about testing for drugs, or if it is just standard practice, and to what degree they test, if you need to cleanse for a DOT test, I would suggest that you quit doing drugs before you apply for a job as a driver, or exercise and drink ridiculous amounts of water and green teas, and natural detoxifiers.
Also, if you are on a script they will test you further. By that I mean that if your doctor gives you Vicodin then on a 5 pannel test you would just test positive for opiates. But if they left it that then you could also be doing heroin or Oxycontin. And they will give you a 10 pannel test. At the facility we use at my company they do not conduct 10 pannel for whatever reason. So, the sample is then sent to a hospital. The DOT test will detect (I believe) 50ng/ml, the hospital it is sent to if it needs further testing is more sensitive. We have had people pass a marijuana test for DOT and actually fail at the hospital because they were on Xanax or whatever and needed further varification. So, be careful, and good luck.
It is not uncommon for your HR team to be pretty buddy-buddy with the people who are conducting your drug tests, as we have to talk to these people on a daily basis, with every employee we hire. While they should just disclose that a test was negative for drugs or positive for drugs It is not completely uncommon for them to say that a test was sketchy, that you were nervous, etc. And that could put you at the top of the list for “random testing”. I would really suggest being clean at the time of applying for jobs. Or using natural means of detoxifying the body.
Alright dee, i’ve smoked atleast 5 times a day for about 2 years now, i have a drug test in 5 days, im a little over 200lbs i dont know if that matters. This is my first drug test and it is a DOT drug test, i need some advice!
I am an avid smoker and have been for years. I knew that I was going to have a DOT drug test for my job. I havent smoked in over 3 weeks. The day before the test I went to CVS and took and at home drug test. It came out negative and I just took my urine test today. Is it possible to fail the test taken at the doctors office? Please someone give me some info!
Just got my CDL last week and just bought a quarter today! I haven’t applied for any jobs yet. Waiting till the bag is gone. Drinking a gallon a day and lifting weights/running should speed up the detox.
I have a DOT physical in 2 weeks. Smoke all day long for months now. I have a urinator and fake piss. Do I dare try to fake the test or is it to sketchy.
Also if you have a current medical card is a new job going to make you dot physical again or just drug test you?
How long does it take the lab to notify you if you failed a dot drug test ???????
about a week…. I was clean for over a month and a half. I took a DOT test on 7-6-10 and got a call one week later that I came up positive for THC
whats the best way to get vicodin out of your system i have a dot tommorrow does niacin work
I just had to take a random DOT test this morning with only 30 min notice. The last time I smoked was 7 days ago. I only took two hits that night it was the good stuff though! Do you think I will pass even though I had no preporation?
hows it going people, I have a DOT test coming up on Friday, I’ve been an avid smoker for the last year, I’m 5’10 180lbs with a decent metabolism rate. The last day I smoked was the 27th of July and I ate a brownie that day (sux right). My test is on THE 20TH. I hoping to GOD that I pass this test. I’ve been drinking plenty of water with some green tea extract on the side, in hopes of flushing out the THC out of my system. I also bought this bottle hoping that it can mask the THC in my system when I take my test on Friday. In addition to that I also placed an order for a drug testing kit, hopefully it will come in before my test. I just wanted to know if anyone else has been in this position and how they fared. I’ve read all of the post that have been made here and it gave me some hope, I will post back when I get my results, wish me luck