For owner-operators & small fleets

DOT Drug & Alcohol Consortium

Get into a random testing pool and get your pre-employment test done. $278 per driver covers your testing for the year, so there's no out-of-pocket costs whenever you take a test.

Enroll for $278See what's included
Rated 5.0 on GoogleBy the carriers we've helped
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FMCSA-RegisteredConsortium Administrator (C/TPA)
Nationwide ClinicsWe'll find one near you
Who needs a consortium

If your truck needs a CDL, you need a drug & alcohol program.

A DOT drug & alcohol consortium puts your CDL drivers in one random testing pool with drivers from other carriers. The FMCSA requires random testing for every CDL driver, and a consortium is how you get it.

  • You're an owner-operatorAn owner-operator can't randomly test themselves. The FMCSA requires you to join a consortium if you're driving a vehicle that requires a CDL.
  • You hire CDL driversEach driver needs a negative pre-employment test before they start driving, and must be tested randomly while they work for you.
  • You want to test your non-CDL driversEven if they're not driving a CDL vehicle, you may want the extra safety precautions.

Driving a truck that doesn't need a CDL? You aren't required to enroll. If you want to test anyway, our non-DOT consortium has the same price and process. Call (208) 278-6722 and we'll set it up.

Pricing

One price per driver. Testing included.

Your price covers 12 months in the consortium, plus pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion tests.

New driver

A driver's first year with us. The pre-employment test is included.

Per driver, 12 months$278
Enroll a new driver

What's included

  • 12 months in the consortium
  • Pre-employment test
  • Random tests
  • Post-accident tests
  • Reasonable suspicion tests
  • Workplace drug & alcohol policy
  • Certificate of enrollment

Renewing driver

A driver already in our consortium. Keeps them covered another year.

Per driver, 12 months$213
Renew a driver

What's included

  • 12 more months in the consortium
  • Random tests
  • Post-accident tests
  • Reasonable suspicion tests
  • Updated certificate of enrollment

More than 10 drivers

Running a bigger fleet? Call and we'll price it for your drivers.

Fleet pricingBy request
Call (208) 278-6722

What's included

  • Everything in the per-driver plans
  • Priced for your number of drivers
Compare

Know what you're paying up front.

Most consortiums advertise a low yearly price, then bill you for each test. Ours is one price with the tests in it.

Other consortiums
  • Out-of-pocket testing costs$65 to $149 a year gets you in their program, but you're paying out-of-pocket for tests. Expect to pay $300 to $400 annually.
  • A bill every time you testYour pre-employment, randoms, and all other testing is charged on its own, costing upwards of $90 each.
  • Write your own policiesFMCSA requires you to have a written drug & alcohol policy. Other consortiums don't include it when you enroll.
  • No direct supportNeed to change a testing location or report an accident? You'll have to call their customer service dept.
TIPS consortium
  • One price, testing included$278 per driver covers your 12 months in the consortium and your testing. You know the cost before you pay, and can budget accordingly.
  • Your tests are already paid forPre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion tests are included in the price. You pay nothing at the clinic.
  • Audit documents includedYou get a written drug & alcohol policy, a certificate of enrollment, and copies of all your test results so your file is ready when the auditor asks.
  • A dedicated TIPS agentNeed to change a testing location or report an accident? Call your TIPS agent, who can handle it quickly without the runaround.
Enroll for $278
How it works

Drug-testing compliant in four steps.

Place your order, we handle everything else from there.

  1. Step 1

    Order online or call

    Place your order online, or call us to speak with an agent and get signed up.

  2. Step 2

    We contact the driver

    You provide the driver's contact info, we'll get them enrolled and provide instructions for taking the pre-employment test.

  3. Step 3

    Certificate, policy, & results

    Once the results come back clean (3-5 business days), we'll send you copies along with a certificate of enrollment & workplace policy.

  4. Step 4

    We manage the random testing

    We notify you if yours are pulled for random, and manage the record-keeping that auditors ask for.

What's covered

Consortium fees & all required testing in one enrollment.

These are the DOT tests a driver can face in a normal year. All four are included.

TestWhen the DOT requires itIn your price
Pre-employmentBefore a new driver's first trip. You need a negative result on file.Included
RandomDrivers are picked without warning through the year. The FMCSA sets how many have to be tested each year.Included
Post-accidentAfter a crash where someone dies, or one where your driver is cited and someone is hurt or a vehicle is towed.Included
Reasonable suspicionWhen a trained supervisor sees signs that a driver is impaired.Included

Return-to-duty and follow-up testing only apply after a driver has a violation. We offer both as a separate service. Call (208) 278-6722 and we'll tell you what's involved.

Reviews

What carriers say about working with TIPS.

★★★★★

I sincerely enjoyed speaking with Samantha for the duration of our call concerning DOT compliance & registering for the DOT Clearinghouse. She is personable, professional, & very helpful. The process of getting a DOT number and complying with the DOT can be confusing & extremely undesirable, but Samantha's assistance proved seamless and easygoing. I 100% recommend TIPS for DOT & FMCSA compliance services if you're searching for a CTPA that your business can trust. Thank you Samantha for your help!

Win McBrideGoogle review
★★★★★

Samantha at TIPS was very helpful in getting me DOT/FMCSA compliant. They are extremely knowledgeable and the best legit compliance agent for any commercial owner operator or trucking company.

CrystalGoogle review
★★★★★

We started our authority and company this past April. Both Bailey and Samantha are very knowledgeable and have a way of explaining complicated regulations so you understand. They handle all of our compliance and fuel tax and remind us of important deadlines. I wholeheartedly and without reservation recommend them to all the truckers out there. Give them a call and see what they can do for you!

Bill MarksFacebook review
The rest of your program

What else the auditor checks.

The consortium covers testing. These cover the other parts of your drug & alcohol compliance requirements.

Clearinghouse Registration

Every carrier with CDL drivers needs an employer account, owner-operators included. We set yours up.

Add for $149
Clearinghouse Queries

Each driver needs a query before they start and one every year. We run them and track the dates.

From $87
DOT Supervisor Training

Supervise drivers? You need two hours of training before you can order a reasonable suspicion test.

Add for $145
FAQ

Drug & alcohol consortium questions

Have a different question? Call (208) 278-6722.

What is a DOT drug and alcohol consortium?+
A consortium is a group of carriers who put their CDL drivers into one random testing pool. A company called a consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) runs the pool, picks drivers at random through the year, and keeps the records. It's how owner-operators and small fleets meet the FMCSA's testing rules.
Do owner-operators have to join a consortium?+
Yes. If you drive a truck that needs a CDL and you're the only driver, the FMCSA requires you to join a consortium for random testing. You can't run a random pool of one.
How much does a drug and alcohol consortium cost?+
Ours is $278 for a new driver and $213 to renew, per driver, per year, with pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion tests included. Many consortiums charge $65 to $149 a year to join, then bill each test on its own, upwards of $90. Running more than 10 drivers? Call (208) 278-6722 for fleet pricing.
How does random drug testing work?+
Drivers are picked at random through the year. Each year the pool has to test a certain percentage of drivers according to FMCSA requirements for that year. When your driver is picked, we tell you, and they need to go to the clinic right away. A driver can be picked more than once in a year, or not at all.
Where does my driver take the test?+
At a clinic near them. We get your driver's location and set up the test for them at one of over 15,000 clinics nationwide.
How fast do I get my certificate of enrollment?+
As soon as the lab returns your pre-employment result, usually 3 to 5 business days. Your workplace policy comes with it.
What happens if I don't have a drug and alcohol program?+
You fail your New Entrant Safety Audit automatically. Having no testing program, or no random testing, is on the FMCSA's list of automatic failures. You can also be fined for each violation.
Are return-to-duty and follow-up tests included?+
No. Those only apply when a driver is coming back from a drug or alcohol violation, and we offer them as a separate service. Call (208) 278-6722 and we'll tell you what's involved.
Do I need the Clearinghouse too?+
Yes. The Clearinghouse is separate from the consortium. Every carrier with CDL drivers needs an employer account, plus a query on each driver before they start and once a year after. We can set up your account and run your queries.
Do non-CDL drivers need a DOT drug test?+
No. The FMCSA's testing rules only cover drivers of trucks that need a CDL. If your truck doesn't need one, you don't need a consortium.
Can I test my drivers if they are non-CDL?+
Yes, you can choose to test your drivers even if they are not required to be enrolled. We offer a non-DOT consortium for non-CDL drivers with the same price and process as the normal one.
Get enrolled

One price covers your testing for the year.

Have questions first? Call us and talk to a DOT compliance expert at TIPS before you buy.

Enroll for $278 (208) 278-6722