FAQ
Questions we hear every day.
Straight answers about mobile drug and alcohol testing, timing, service areas and what happens when a collector arrives. Anything else, call dispatch.
Do you come to us?
Yes. All of our testing is mobile and on site. Collectors come to terminals, job sites, offices and homes.
Where will the test take place?
Wherever the person is: a terminal, a job site trailer, an HR office, a hotel room or a home. The collector needs a private space with a door and, for urine collections, access to a restroom.
Will the collector be obvious?
No. Our collectors arrive in unmarked personal vehicles and dress to fit your environment. Nothing about the visit announces itself to co-workers or neighbors.
Do I need an account to book a test?
No. Companies usually set up an account so random programs and invoicing run smoothly, but individuals, families and attorneys can book a single test with one phone call.
Which laboratories do you use?
We hold accounts with LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics, Clinical Reference Laboratory, Omega Laboratories and Abbott. If your company already has a lab contract, we can collect under it. About our laboratory partners
5 questions
DOT testing
Federally regulated testing for safety-sensitive employees.
What is the difference between a DOT and a non-DOT test?
A DOT test is required by federal regulation for safety-sensitive employees under agencies such as FMCSA, FTA and FAA, and must follow 49 CFR Part 40 procedures with a Federal custody form and a certified lab. Non-DOT testing follows the employer’s or requesting party’s applicable testing program and does not satisfy a DOT testing requirement.
Which employers do you serve for DOT testing?
FMCSA, FTA, FAA, FRA, PHMSA and USCG employers: pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty and follow-up testing.
How does a DOT collection work?
Urine collections use the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form with a split specimen sealed in front of the employee. Specimens go to an HHS-certified laboratory, and results pass through a Medical Review Officer before they reach you.
When is post-accident testing required, and how fast must it happen?
For FMCSA-regulated employers, post-accident testing is required only when the accident and citation criteria in 49 CFR 382.303 are met. When it is required, the alcohol test is given as soon as practicable. If it is not completed within 2 hours, the employer documents the reason, and attempts continue up to 8 hours before stopping. Drug test attempts continue up to 32 hours. Other DOT agencies set their own criteria, so confirm which rule applies to your operation.
Can an instant or hair follicle test be used for a DOT employee?
No. Instant testing and hair follicle testing are for non-DOT programs only and do not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement. DOT drug testing under 49 CFR Part 40 uses authorized urine or oral-fluid specimens, documented on the Federal Custody and Control Form and tested through an HHS-certified laboratory.
4 questions
Non-DOT testing
Workplace, court-ordered and personal testing.
Who can order a non-DOT test?
Employers, courts, probation offices, attorneys, individuals and families.
Does a non-DOT test satisfy a DOT requirement?
No. Non-DOT testing follows the employer’s or requesting party’s applicable testing program and does not satisfy a DOT testing requirement. We apply rigorous chain-of-custody, documentation, privacy and professional collection practices to our testing services.
Can you test at my home for a family matter?
Yes. Personal and family testing is a large part of what we do. The visit is discreet and the results are reported only to the person who ordered the test, or to the court or attorney if the test was ordered for a legal matter.
Do you do court-ordered or observed collections?
Yes. Court-ordered testing comes with full chain of custody documentation. Observed collections are available when a court order, treatment program or policy requires them, performed by a same-gender collector.
3 questions
Instant and rapid testing
Screening results on site, for non-DOT programs.
How long do results take?
Instant tests are read on site in about ten minutes. Lab-based negative results are typically reported in 1 to 3 days. Positive results take 5 to 10 days because they go through confirmation testing and Medical Review Officer review.
What happens if an instant test is not negative?
The same specimen is sealed under chain of custody and sent to the laboratory for confirmation testing, which identifies the specific substance. Lab confirmation pricing varies by service area. See Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey pricing. A non-negative instant screen should be sent for laboratory confirmation before it is treated as a confirmed positive. Employers should follow their written testing policy and applicable law when making employment decisions.
When is an instant test the right choice?
For same-day hiring decisions, reasonable suspicion situations and post-incident checks where you need to act before the shift ends. Instant testing is for non-DOT programs only and does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement.
4 questions
Alcohol and EtG testing
Breath alcohol for DOT and non-DOT programs, EtG for non-DOT.
How far back does each alcohol test look?
Breath alcohol shows alcohol in the body right now. EtG alcohol testing reaches back about 80 hours.
What is the DOT alcohol testing sequence?
Our collectors carry evidential breath testing devices and follow the DOT screening and confirmation sequence: a screening test, a 15-minute wait if the screen is 0.02 or higher, then a confirmation test that produces the result of record. DOT alcohol screening may be performed using an approved breath or saliva screening device. A DOT confirmation test is performed by breath using an approved evidential breath testing device.
Is EtG a DOT alcohol test?
No. EtG is a lab-based urine test used for non-DOT purposes such as court-ordered monitoring, treatment and recovery programs, custody matters and zero-tolerance workplace policies. DOT alcohol testing uses an approved screening device followed, when required, by a confirmation test performed by breath on an approved evidential breath testing device.
How long do EtG results take?
EtG is a lab-based test collected under chain of custody, with negatives typically reported in 1 to 3 days and positives in 5 to 10 days.
4 questions
Hair follicle testing
A roughly 90-day look-back, for non-DOT programs.
How far back does hair follicle testing look?
Hair follicle testing covers roughly 90 days, and segmented hair testing breaks that window into month-by-month results. Urine drug tests, by comparison, generally cover the last few days.
What is segmented hair testing?
Segmented analysis divides the hair sample into sections, each representing about a month of growth, and reports each segment separately, so you see how use changed month by month.
Can body hair be used?
If head hair is too short, body hair can be collected instead. Our collector will explain what the lab can and cannot report from the sample.
Does a hair follicle test satisfy a DOT requirement?
No. Hair follicle testing is for non-DOT programs only and does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement. DOT drug testing under 49 CFR Part 40 uses authorized urine or oral-fluid specimens, documented on the Federal Custody and Control Form and tested through an HHS-certified laboratory.
How do I schedule a test?
Call 1-800-539-4934 or use the form on the Contact page. Tell us who needs testing, where and why. For a scheduled collection or a company account, the form works around the clock too.
How fast can a collector get to us?
Dispatch runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We dispatch mobile collectors as quickly as possible, including nights, weekends and holidays, across Northeast Pennsylvania, the Hudson Valley, Binghamton, Syracuse and New Jersey. For locations farther out, dispatch gives you an estimate before you commit.
Where do you serve?
Northeast and Central Pennsylvania, including Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Allentown, Williamsport and Bloomsburg / Columbia County; New York from the Hudson Valley and White Plains / Westchester County to Binghamton, Elmira / Corning and Syracuse; and New Jersey statewide. If your site is nearby, call and ask. See service areas
Can you run our random testing program?
Yes. Give us your selection list and testing window and we schedule and complete the collections across your shifts and locations.
How much does testing cost?
Prices are per collection. Dispatch will go over pricing with you and tell you about any additional fees before a collector is sent, so the total is never a surprise. Volume programs are quoted when you book. Lab confirmation pricing varies by service area. See Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey pricing.
24/7 phone and dispatch
Still have a question?
Call and ask a person. Dispatch answers 24/7/365.
1-800-539-4934