Lakeland Provides More Info on Driver Failing Drug Test
Lakeland Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Stone provided additional information following an exclusive story in last week’s Northern Westchester Examiner about a district bus driver failing a random drug test after returning from a morning route transporting students.
According to Stone, who had previously declined to give specifics on the unidentified female driver, a urine test was administered by a testing company on April 25 after the driver had just concluded her assigned morning rounds that involved high school and elementary school students.
After the results were obtained by the district, the driver, one of about 98 employed by Lakeland, was “immediately taken out of service,” Stone stated.
Meanwhile, Stone refuted the claims of a longtime bus driver in last week’s article who contended there were times when bus drivers were notified ahead of time by a dispatcher that a random drug test was pending.
“Neither the dispatcher or any other District employee notifies drivers “in advance” of a random drug tests. On the morning of the test date, the Supervisor gives the list to the dispatcher on duty who then immediately calls in those who are to be tested. They park their vehicles, come down to the building and go right to the back where the test is conducted. They must have their photo ID license with them. Should a driver refuse a test or not report to the Supervisor after their AM run, they are immediately taken out of service,” Stone explained.
“Who is tested and when they are tested is determined by the testing company, and is completely random, the district has absolutely no control over who, when or how often an individual is tested,” he added.
Stone further cited New York State Department of Transportation and federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules and regulations, stating the testing company is given an updated roster of drivers every calendar year, noting the list is updated every time they are on site and whenever a new driver is added to the roster.
“Governmental regulations require all motor carriers to test 25 % of their drivers per year. The Lakeland Central School District doubles that allowable threshold and tests 50 % of its drivers each year,” Stone stated. “The testing company contacts the Supervisor of Transportation to set up a date for the next round of drug tests. The Supervisor does not choose the date. Our only input is to alert the company of days that we will not be in session. The company will then pick a date, notify the Supervisor and then late in the afternoon of the previous day sends the random list of those to be tested to the Supervisor. This is a computer generated random list given to us by the company. This list is not shared with anyone.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
