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Hiring School Bus Drivers with Non-FMCSA DOT Experience

7/31/2025| Reference Number : 228.0| School Bus, Legislative/Regulatory | FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, FMCSA, Recruitment, DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing, Non-FMCSA CDL, Safety-Sensitive Positions, Substance Abuse Testing Records, Return-to-Duty Process | | Return|

As a school bus contractor, ensuring that your drivers meet all federal and state safety regulations is one of the most critical parts of your operation. In recent years, much attention has been given to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, an online system that tracks drug and alcohol violations for commercial drivers. However, many school bus contractors may not know that they are still required to run manual inquiries on certain CDL drivers. If your new driver has experience under another DOT agency—such as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—you cannot rely on the Clearinghouse alone. Continue reading for more information on the additional legal obligations under 49 CFR § 391.23(e) to manually request testing history.

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