For example, you might consider these OQRs:

• Not Conducted
• No Longer Employed
• Test Overlooked

For tests that were not conducted, follow the guidance below:

Open the test result in the Full Record Editor where you can manage the OQR for the drug and alcohol tests.

You have three options:
Option 1: Omit the Specimen Type

In the Full Record Editor, where you see “Specimen Type” for the drug or “Alcohol Test” for the type of alcohol test to conduct, select the option: Not Tested (or blank if Not Tested isn’t found). Using the option implies the test was not required.
This indicates that no test was required or performed for that portion.
The test result will not be included in the random selection statistics.

Option 2: Use a Special OQR (Overall Qualitative Result) that prevents the test (drug or alcohol) from getting counted. If a collection occurred but one part of the test was overlooked, you can set the OQR for that component using one of the special OQRs.

Option 3: Use OQR Participant Is No Longer Employed

In some cases, the participant may no longer be employed by the company at the time of the scheduled test. The user may still wish to complete the record for data management purposes.

This allows the record to be marked complete while excluding the test from statistics.

To add new OQR with the special attribute:

1. Navigate to: Other-Data and tap the option: 
   Test Result Codes: Overall Qualitative Results [OQR]
2. Tap the option to add a new OQR, such as:Test Collection Overlooked
3. Set check-box for the attribute: Does NOT Contribute to Random selection statistics (see image below).
4. In the Full Record Editor, apply this OQR to the drug or alcohol component that was not collected.

This ensures that:

• The urine (drug) test does not count toward annual random selection stats.
• The Collection Date still applies — for example, to record the alcohol test.

Summary Logic

• If a Collection Date is entered:
  • The test is normally counted for statistics.
  • Unless the Specimen Type is blank or the selected OQR is set to one marked  Does NOT Contribute to Random selection statistics.

Tip

Use these procedures for cases such as participant not available, overlooked test, or no longer employed. These methods help you maintain a complete record while ensuring your random test statistics remain accurate.

DTN asked ChatGPT a question commonly asked about Consortium membership and compliance by TPAs who use the application to manage their customers’ DOT compliance needs.

This article features a common question posed to us by TPAs:

Question 1:

Our consortium manages random drug testing for multiple companies to ensure DOT FMCSA compliance for DOT-regulated drivers. We recently added three new companies with a total of five drivers. However, first quarter random selections for the consortium had already been conducted before these companies joined. If we include these new companies in the consortium’s random selection pool for the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2025, will they be in compliance even though they did not participate in first quarter randoms?

ChatGPT’s answer:

Yes, the new companies will remain in compliance as long as they are properly included in the consortium’s random testing pool for the remaining quarters of 2025. DOT FMCSA regulations require that the annual random testing rate (50% for drugs, 10% for alcohol as of 2025) is met across the entire consortium. Since random selections are made throughout the year, new companies added after Q1 can still meet compliance requirements as long as:

Third Party Administrators, and Employers often ask about DOT compliance when a participant is selected for random drug testing and the drug test collection is conducted the following year. The issue raises the question: What year does the collection count toward annual percentages.  It’s a fairly common question for randoms conducted late in the fourth quarter and the collection isn’t performed until January the following year.

DOT Random Testing Compliance

This tutorial will guide you through the details to generate a random selection to pick a number of participants for drug and alcohol testing.

The random selection control provides details about the random selection in multiple sections.  In the final section, the user will review the number of participants to select: by percentage and count.

• DOT Category control for DOT randoms when participant categories are missing.
• Annual Selection/Testing Targets.
• Number of random selections required and conducted to date.
• No. of currently eligible participants and the average number over the year..
• Random Selection Method.
• Year to Date collection statistics that contribute to the percentages.
• Random test results that are not referenced to a random selection event.
• Percentages & Counts automatically set for current random.
• Picking Alternates.
• Random Selection Notes.

Random Control Page:

Below is a screen shot of the random selection module.

The design is Top/Down: the parameters used to generate the random are outlined at the top so the user can easily review the details sequentially, from the top of the page, to the bottom, where the button is located to generate the random. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout.

The random selection parameters that are account specific for individual pools or consortia, are managed in their respective profiles and include:

• Annual targets and no. of alternates to pick.
• No. of random selections planned for the year
• Selection Method
• Date to schedule the random and the roll over for the next random.

Random Selection Participant DOT Category:

A DOT Category must be specified for each participant for the DOT Mode specified in the account profile. Modes: FMCSA, FAA, PHMSA, FRA, USCG, FTA.

The Category is essential for the preparation of the Quarterly and Annual MIS Report.  You will see a warning if the category is missing for a single participant. You can select a default category to use for participants missing their category before you generate the random.  If you don’t select a default category to apply, you can resolve the issue later when you prepare the DOT MIS Report.  Resolving missing categories after the fact is routine and straightforward.

You will see the message below when categories are missing:

Annual Targets:

This section shows the annual targets specified for the consortium or the individual pool.  For example, in 2024, according to the DOT Mode FMCSA, you are required to test 50% for substance and 10% for alcohol.  The percentages vary by Mode.  For a consortium, the percentages are specified in the consortium profile.  For individual accounts, the percentages are specified in the Account Profile under the section: Random Selection Parameters.  The Random Selection Control Module shows the percentages.  You can edit the random selection parameters for the consortium or the individual pool (account) directly.  At the top of the page, on the left, you will see the edit icon – click the icon to open the profile editor where you can manage the parameters.  When the consortium or account profile is saved, there will be a link to come back to the random selection control.

This example specifies 52% 11%. If you’re generating randoms quarterly, for the first quarter randoms you’ll select 13% for substance (52/4=13), 2.75% for alcohol (11/4=2.75).  If everyone picked is tested, the percentages for each subsequent quarter would be the same.  If some are not tested, the percentages will be automatically adjusted to so you will achieve your target percentage with the fourth quarter random.  The percentages for each random are calculated based on the number of drug and alcohol tests collected and the average size of the pool across all the randoms generated for the year.

Random Selections Conducted:

This section displays the number of random selections scheduled for the year and the number that have already been conducted.  This example shows that randoms are generated quarterly (4) and one random selection has been completed.  If the percentage yet to complete, for example, is 33%, the percentage for the next random would be calculated as 33/3=11%.

No. of Participants:

The current and average no. of participants is displayed.  The average is used to calculate the percentages of collected test results for the year.  If the random is for a consortium, it also reports the number of accounts that are members of the consortium.

Random Selection Method:

There are three ways to pick people from a list for both a drug and an alcohol test.  Using Double Jeopardy (DJ), the random selection control first picks participants for the substance test, and then random selections for the alcohol tests are picked from the participants who were already selected for the substance test.  DJ minimizes the number of participants selected and no one is picked for just an alcohol test.

Click the information symbol to read how the other two methods select participants for substance and alcohol tests.

Tests Collected:

This section shows the number and percentage of substance and alcohol tests collected.  The percentages are based on the average size of the list of participants across all random conducted for the year.  In the example below, 42 and 11 substance and alcohol tests were collected which represents 35.59% and 9.32% for substance and alcohol, respectively.

Random Test Result Records NOT Referenced to an Event:

For each participant selected, an empty drug/alcohol record is created.  When you get test results from the Lab, MRO, or Clinic, for a random, you will want to find the existing record and enter the results.  If you create a new test result record, as you do with a Pre-Employment or other test results, the originally created test result record, with no test results entered, will appear as a  random test that was not conducted. The originally created record references the random selection event that created it.  If you create a new record for a random selection test, it will not reference the selection event.

In this example, 3 substance test results and 2 alcohol test results do not reference a random selection event.  The 3 substance and 2 alcohol tests represents approx. 10.23% and 6.82%, respectively.  The percentage of substance and alcohol tests that reference selection events have been calculated as 23.86% and 6.82%, respectively.

If the percentage calculations take the non-event records into account, the percent calculation for the substance test is:  (50 – 23.86 – 10.23)/2, i.e., the annual target (50) minus the percent calculated for event related records, minus 10.23% for the non-event related tests counted, divided by 2, the number of random selections left to conduct the year – it’s spreads out the annual target over the number of randoms scheduled.

Click the about icon to read more about the numbers reported.  If you want to include these test results in the percentages for the random selection you’re about to generate, click the option:
Use ALL Random Test Results in % Calculation.

Percentages and Counts for the Random Selection:

The counts shown here are the number of participants that will be selected for a Urine Substance Test and a Breath Alcohol Test.  The panel represents the list of substances that will be tested.  NIDA-5 is generally the 5-Panel Federal Drug Test that includes the 5 substances required by the DOT.

In this example, 50 participants will be selected for the substance test and 10 participants will be selected for a breath alcohol.  16.67% of the no. of participants in the current list who are eligible for testing calculates as 50.  If the percentage is a fractional number, it is rounded up to the next whole number.  The no. of alcohol tests is calculated identically.  You can change the numbers as needed. Enter a new percentage and the count will change.  Enter a new count and the percentage will be recalculated.  Enter zero (“0″) if you want no one selected.

The Reference is automatic when the number of randoms scheduled for the year is 4 (quarterly) or 12 (monthly), otherwise, enter a Reference that is appropriate for the occasion. The Reference appears on the printed lists of participants selected.

Alternates:

When you generate a random for a consortium, you can specify a number of alternates to pick from each company, if a primary selection was picked from the company (member account).  The value entered can be a count or a percentage and is indicated by choosing Count or Percent option. It is recommended that you specify the value as a count.  If you enter 2, for example, then every consortium member who has a participant picked, will have 2 alternates picked from their list.  Alternates are not picked from member accounts that had no primary selections picked.

If the random selection is for an individual pool (a single account) you will specify a percentage or count for the number of alternates to pick in the same way you enter the selection values for the substance and alcohol test.

Notes:

In the account profile (individual pool) or the consortium profile, a note can be entered that appears in the random selection control to help the user remember details that may need consideration.

Click the button to generate the random:

When the random selection is complete, you’ll be presented with the list of participants selected and options to print the list(s).  The initial page provides a number of options to print the random selection for the administrative user.  You will also find an option on that page to open the email/print module so the random selection for each account in the random selection (an individual account or each account in the consortium) can be emailed the account contact or printed including with the company address if you need to mail the selection to the account contact.

Random Selection Results Summary Pages

• Individual Pools
• Consortium

For random drug and alcohol testing, a company may choose to join a consortium and participate in random selections conducted from the combined list of all members’ eligible personnel. A company may prefer not to join a consortium and have the random selection pick participants for testing from their list of personnel as a stand alone or individual pool.

For drug and alcohol testing data management and compliance, one challenge the TPA faces is ensuring that every stand-alone account and consortium has its random selections conducted as per the company requirements for DOT regulation and/or their Drug Free Workplace policy. The profile for every Stand-Alone account and every Consortium includes a date the next random selection is scheduled.

How the Scheduling Feature Works

The scheduling feature in DrugTestNetwork is designed so random selections required for the year are not missed. Here’s how it works:

• Customizable Frequency: Each stand-alone account and consortium has random selection profile that specifies the date of the next random selection and includes the frequency of testing. Users can choose from options such as Weekly, Monthly, Twice Annually, or Annually. This ensures that each company’s requirements are easily met and the next random selection date can be advanced forward automatically when a random selection is generated.
• Automated Date Tracking: Once a random selection is conducted, the application automatically updates the date for the next scheduled random. This is determined based on the frequency set in the profile.
• Query-Based Alerts: Users can easily query which accounts are due for their next random selection based on the current date. For the TPA who manages a lot of stand-alone accounts, the feature helps to ensure randoms are not missed.
• Historical Records: The system also keeps track of the “Previous” random selection date and the date the random selection list was sent to the company contact. This historical data is invaluable for audits, compliance checks, and internal reviews.

Tutorial: Configuring the Scheduling Parameters

To make full use of the scheduling feature for non-consortium members, it’s essential to correctly configure the account’s scheduling parameters. These parameters are found under the “Random Selection Parameters” section of the account profile editor. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set them up:

• Access the Account Profile Editor:
  • Navigate to the specific account you need to configure.
  • Open the account’s profile editor by selecting the account from your list of managed companies.
• Locate the “Random Selection Parameters” Section:
  • Within the account profile editor, scroll down until you find the “Random Selection Parameters” section. This section contains all the settings you need to control the scheduling of random selections for this account.
• Set the Attribute for the Account: Participates in Random Selections:
  If the TPA is not managing random selections for a company, this attribute should be set to No. Under the Utilities menu the TPA will find a report to show all accounts whose attribute is set to No.
• Access the Consortium Profile Editor:
  Click the Consortia menu and open the consortium profile edit where you will find the random selection profile for the consortium.

• Set the Frequency:
  • In the “Frequency” dropdown menu, choose how often random selections should occur. Options include Weekly, Monthly, Twice Annually, and Annually. Select the option that aligns with the company’s testing requirements.
• Review the “Next” Date:
  • This is the date the next random selection will be conducted for the account. When the random selection control is opened to generate the randoms, the “Next” date will be calculated automatically, based on the frequency indicated for the account. You can review and adjust this date if necessary, although it’s recommended to let the system handle this automatically for consistency.
• Monitor the “Previous” Random Selection Date:
  • The “Previous” date field will display the last time a random selection was conducted. This field is automatically updated by the system after each random selection, and is useful for tracking and auditing purposes.
• Save Changes:
  • After configuring the scheduling parameters, be sure to save your changes. This will ensure that the system follows the newly set parameters for all future random selections.

Benefits of the Scheduling Feature

• Ensures Compliance: By automating the scheduling of random selections, DrugTestNetwork helps users maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies, reducing the risk of penalties or legal issues.
• Reduces Administrative Burden: The scheduling feature significantly reduces the administrative load associated with managing random drug and alcohol testing, allowing users to focus on other critical tasks.
• Increases Efficiency: With the ability to quickly identify which accounts need their random selections conducted, users can efficiently manage their workload and ensure that no account is left behind.

Report Stand-Alone Accounts & Consortia Schedule

Click the menu Randoms where you will find a variety of reports for random selections to list scheduled randoms, manage attributes for stand-alone accounts, summarize random selections that have been conducted, keep track of statistics and annual targets, and more.  Each reporting option on the page includes an “information” icon to read more about each feature.

Summary

The scheduling feature for consortia and stand-alone accounts is a convenience and a great tool for ensuring the integrity and reliability of your drug and alcohol testing program. By automating the process and providing clear, actionable insights, DrugTestNetwork empowers users to manage their responsibilities effectively and with confidence.

DrugTestNetwork, the web-based software application, and RandomWare desktop software (http://RandomWare.com) both automatically generate a DOT MIS Report for every Mode/Category represented by all employees tested.  The number of employees represented in each category is defined by the average number of employees included in each random selection conducted for the pool.  To calculate those averages, each of the software applications review the audit trails for all the random selections conducted for the period requested for the report.

Below is the list of covered-employee categories for the DOT Modes of Transportation [FMCSA, FAA, PHMSA, FRA, USCG, and FTA] reported for random testing of drugs and alcohol (all other “reasons for testing” are covered in the DOT MIS Report as well):

• FMCSA (one category):
  • Driver
• FAA (eight categories):
  • Flight Crew-member
  • Flight Attendant
  • Flight Instructor
  • Aircraft Dispatcher
  • Aircraft Maintenance
  • Ground Security Coordinator
  • Aviation Screener
  • Air Traffic Controller
• PHMSA (one category):
  • Operation/Maintenance/Emergency Response
• FRA (five categories):
  • Engine Service
  • Train Service
  • Dispatcher/Operation
  • Signal Service
  • Other: Includes
    •  yardmasters
    • hostlers (non-engineer craft)
    • bridge tenders
    • switch tenders
    • other miscellaneous employees performing 49 CFR 228.5 (c) defined covered service.
• USCG (one category):
  • Crew-member
• FTA (five categories):
  • Revenue Vehicle Operation
  • RevenueVehicle and EquipmentMaintenance
  • Revenue Vehicle Control/Dispatch
  • CDL/Non-Revenue Vehicle
  • Armed Security Personnel

If the subscriber’s database is not up to date with the above Modes and respective Categories, users can update the list as needed.  The feature is found under the menu Other-Data > Modes & Personnel Categories.  Tapping the option will open the available list of Modes.  To add a new Mode, tap the option Add a Mode (top of the page).  To add categories to an existing Mode, from the list of Modes, tap the people icon to list the current categories, where you will find the option: Add a Category.  Each Category record includes an abbreviation and the full description.  The full descriptions for each category are noted above.

It’s a big challenge for TPAs to keep employee rosters up-to-date for the random selection of participants for drug and alcohol testing.  Importing data is an easy task with resources to read “tab-delimited” text files saved from Excel spreadsheets.

Employers will often provide their active personnel/employee lists in an Excel spreadsheet.  It’s easy to save the spreadsheet as “tab-delimited text” for the import into the Employer’s account.  The system has the capability to import far more than the employee’s first name, last name and employee ID whether it is a Social Security Number or other proprietary employment ID, however, this article will limit the discussion to just a few of the available keywords for import.

The first row of the spreadsheet contains “key-words” that identify the columns of data.  The following keywords identify the columns for the employee’s first name, last name and ID, respectively:

• First
• Last
• ID_No

Sometimes a single column might contain the employees first and last name as “John Doe” or “Doe, John”

When a single column contains both names you can use these key-words in row-1 above those columns:

• LF-Name: when the name in the column appears as “Doe, John“
• FL-Name: when the name in the column appears as “John Doe“

Other useful items often imported are fields referred to as “Location” and “Misc” and use those keywords.

When the program generates the random selection, if either of those fields are populated for the eligible participants in the randomization, the report of participants selected will include that data.

The Excel spreadsheet must be saved as Tab-Delimited Text to remove all the Excel formatting and proprietary attributes before importing the data into the application.  When the file is saved, close Excel because Excel prevents other applications from accessing the file while Excel has it open.

The import resource uses the Browse feature to locate and upload the data file.  Before the import is executes, all existing participant records for the account are deleted, however, existing drug and alcohol tests associated with the participant are not effected, and the new participant records are ready for a random selection.

Other import methods are provided that do not delete existing personnel. The Merge features set the attribute for all personnel to Not-Active. If an employee with the same name and ID is imported, the existing record is set to Active or Not-Active pending on the status of the imported record.

Below is an image of the Excel spreadsheet with instructions to save the spreadsheet, as Tab-Delimited Text, the file that is selected for import:
You can download the instructional Excel spreadsheet Here.

How to Import the text file:

Tap the Clients menu to navigate to the application’s main page, search for the account for the import,  and tap the personnel icon to open Personnel Management where you will find the link for importing.

1. Search for the Account:
This example searches for a company with the name that starts with heritage.

2. Tap the people icon to open Personnel Management for the account.
The people icon appears according to whether the account is DOT or Non-DOT.

•  DOT Account
•   Non-DOT Account

3. From personnel management, under the section on the right, titled Options for this Account, you’ll find links to open the import module and a help module that outlines all the keywords recognized:

 Import the .txt file.

 Import Help – including keywords required for the import.

4. Tap the Import icon, and click the Browse button to locate the .txt file saved from the Excel spreadsheet.  Choose the Overwrite option, and click submit.

Any keywords not recognized are reported and the import is halted.  For example, if you misspelled First (for first name) or used FirstName as the keyword, the import will stop and the module will report the keywords it doesn’t recognize.

When the import is completed, it will report the number of personnel records that were uploaded.

The original list of employees eligible for random drug and alcohol testing from which the randomization was conducted is saved as a permanent record.  If John Doe was in the list at the time the random selection was conducted, his name will appear in the audit trail record.  If John Doe is removed from the personnel roster for the company in which he was employed, his name is forever maintained in the audit record.

A safety sensitive employee who must comply with Federal DOT guidelines must have passed a pre-employment drug test prior to his or her employment and must be eligible for random drug and alcohol testing from that point forward.  Therefore, one of the most frequently asked questions regarding random selection for drug and alcohol testing is whether an employee was in the list at the time a particular randomization was generated regardless if the employee is currently in the client’s pool of personnel eligible for selection.

The random selection audit answers the questions:
Users can query a list of random selections for a client by date as shown below.  To review the list of personnel eligible for the selection, the user simply clicks the icon to review the entire list that participated in the random selection generated for a specific randomization request.

In the application the user clicks the personnel icon (seen on the right) to review the list of employees eligible for each random selection in the report.

The Random Selection Listing for a specific account for a specified period of time:

DrugTestNetwork.com is an Internet based (SaaS: Sofware as a Service) software application for drug and alcohol testing; resources for TPAs, MROs, Labs, Employers or School Administrators to manage drug testing data for their drug free workplace, DOT compliance or drug free schools.

You’ll find 3 ways to generate a random selection for both a drug and an alcohol test when you’re generating a draw for both in a single request.

Double Jeopardy (DJ): The selection count for the substance test must be GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO the selection count for the alcohol test.

• First, donors are randomly selected from the entire list for the substance test.
• Then donors are randomly selected for the alcohol test from those that were selected for the substance test.
• DJ minimizes the number of donors that report for testing.

If a person wasn’t selected for the substance test, they will not be selected for an alcohol test. The percentage for the alcohol test must be less than the percentage for the substance test. If the percentages for the substance and alcohol test are the same, everyone selected will be picked for both a substance and an alcohol test.

 One Test Only : The count for the substance test must be GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO the selection count for the alcohol test.

• First, Donors are randomly selected from the entire list for the substance test and then removed from the list so they will not be selected for an alcohol test.
• Then donors are selected from the remaining list for the alcohol test .

Both Tests: The count for the substance test must be GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO the selection count for the alcohol test.

• Donors are randomly selected from the entire list for the substance test and remain in the list as possible candidates for an alcohol test.
• Then donors are selected again from the entire list for the alcohol test. Some people may be picked for one test and some may be picked for both test; hence, the name Both Tests.