What companies can be audited by the FTA in a Drug and Alcohol Compliance Audit?

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an organization within the US Department of Transportation (DOT). They provide financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems.

Generally, the FTA provides assistance to companies and organizations that fall into the local public transport sector. These include buses, subways, light rail, ferries, commuter rail and trolleys.

One of their roles involves conducting a formal review of companies and organizations to ensure compliance with federal regulations. This is known as a Drug and Alcohol Compliance Audit.

A series of questions may be covered during the audit across several personnel. These can include the drug and alcohol program manager, the person responsible for urine collection and recording, a breath alcohol technician, an oral fluid test technician, medical review officer, substance abuse professional and a third party administrator.

The FTA is one of several agencies within DOT who can carry out audits for compliance with DOT's drug and alcohol program. Other agencies within DOT which may carry out drug and alcohol compliance audits include:

• The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) for the trucking industry
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for pipeline transportation
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the aviation industry
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the rail industry
• United States Coast Guard (USCG) for coastal defence and maritime law enforcement

Employers need to know which agency their company falls under because each one has their own set of regulations that need to be adhered to. If work is performed under multiple DOT agencies then the employer may be audited by more than one agency.

Generally, a company can expect to be audited by the FTA (as opposed to one of the other DOT agencies listed above) if they fall under the local transportation sector.