Lytx released a service to manage the labor-intensive process of complying with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse ruling, which requires motor carriers to query an online drug and alcohol testing violation database before hiring a commercial driver and once per year for existing drivers.

The Lytx Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Service manages the FMCSA-mandated process, conducting the required annual queries, including ensuring a driver's consent is obtained and in the case of a violation, providing an escalation path for our clients to take required next actions.

Motor carriers that violate any of the provisions in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse ruling, including accessing a driver's record without gaining proper written consent from the driver, could be fined up to $5,833 for each violation, Lytx officials said in a press release.

"With no automated way to conduct Clearinghouse queries, fleets are struggling to manage this new and significant workload," said Rick Walters, senior director of Lytx Compliance Services. "The Lytx Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Service allows our clients to automate and remove the guesswork from their regulatory processes so they can avoid liability and risk, while reducing costs and freeing up valuable time that can be redirected back into their business."

Lytx also adds documentation into each driver's qualification file. Through its Driver Qualification File Management Service, Lytx then manages and conducts physical, line-by-line audits on all documentation required by the Department of Transportation to help reduce gaps in the data that expose fleets to risk.

Lytx's Driver Qualification File Management Service also issues proactive notifications when items become due, files become noncompliant or documentation is missing to further protect fleets.