Latest from APCA
Regulatory updates, industry news, and compliance best practices from the APCA team.
How to Set Up a USCG Random Drug Testing Pool for Your Vessel: A 46 CFR 16.230 Guide for Marine Employers
Which crew belong in your random pool, how selection must work, the 50% annual testing rate, and when joining a consortium makes more sense than self-administering — a practical guide for vessel operators.
What Happens to Your MMC If You Fail a Drug Test — and You Own the Vessel
For sole owner-operators, a positive test doesn't just affect your employment — it stops your business. Under 46 CFR Part 16, you're simultaneously the mariner subject to the test and the employer required to act on the result.
The DOT Return-to-Duty Process for CDL Drivers: What to Expect After a Positive Drug Test or Refusal
A confirmed positive or refusal to test triggers a mandatory federal process before a CDL driver can return to work. Here's every step — SAP evaluation, observed RTD test, and follow-up testing — in the order it happens.
When a Crew Member Fails a Drug Test: What Marine Employers Must Do Under 46 CFR Part 16
Your MRO calls with a confirmed positive. The steps that follow — removal, OCMI reporting, SAP referral, and documentation — are mandatory, time-sensitive, and carry real legal consequences if you get them wrong.
How to Get Your USCG Drug Test Right When Renewing Your MMC in 2026
The NMC will reject a non-compliant drug test — wrong facility, wrong form, wrong panel. Here's exactly what the USCG requires, what paperwork proves it, and how consortium enrollment may exempt you from a new test entirely.
Marijuana Is Being Rescheduled to Schedule III — But CDL Drivers and Trucking Employers Still Face Zero Tolerance
Rescheduling is real, but nothing has changed for CDL drivers. DOT testing continues at the same rates, a positive result still goes to the Clearinghouse, and state medical cards offer no protection.
FMCSA Clearinghouse Now Requires Identity Verification: What Employers and C/TPAs Need to Know
Starting April 27, 2026, new Clearinghouse registrants — employers, C/TPAs, MROs, and SAPs — must verify their identity with a government-issued ID and smartphone before their account is activated.
Post-Accident Drug and Alcohol Testing for Mariners: The 2-Hour and 32-Hour Windows That Trip Up Vessel Owners
After a serious marine incident, alcohol testing is due in 2 hours and drug testing in 32. Here's exactly what 46 CFR 4.06 requires of vessel owners.
New DOT Rule Effective June 10: What Employers Must Know About Observed Collections and Oral Fluid Testing
DOT's June 10, 2026 final rule corrects a regulatory impossibility in Part 40 and clarifies observed collection procedures while oral fluid testing remains unavailable.
2026 DOT Random Drug Testing Rates: What USCG Mariners and FMCSA Drivers Need to Know
The 2026 DOT random drug testing rate is 50% for USCG mariners and FMCSA drivers. Learn what it means, how it works, and how to stay compliant.
Your CDL Is at Risk If You're in the FMCSA Clearinghouse "Prohibited" Status
Over 200,000 CDL holders are in "Prohibited" Clearinghouse status. Under Phase II rules, states must downgrade your CDL within 60 days. Here's what to do.
Fentanyl Is Coming to DOT Drug Tests: What Mariners and Truck Drivers Need to Know
DOT has proposed adding fentanyl to its required drug test panel. Here's what USCG mariners and FMCSA truck drivers need to know before it takes effect.
5 DOT Compliance Mistakes Small Fleets Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Small fleets face the same DOT drug testing rules as large carriers but with fewer resources. Here are the most common compliance mistakes we see and how to fix them.
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