DOT Drug Testing in Cotopaxi, CO
Local Testing Centers
We provide Cotopaxi Colorado DOT Drug Testing, DOT Alcohol Testing, DOT Physicals and DOT Consortium enrollment at locations throughout the State of Colorado. Our Cotopaxi, CO DOT Drug Testing locations are within minutes of your home or office. Same day service is available in most places.
The staff of Smart Drug Testing is trained and certified in Colorado DOT drug testing procedures and all Cotopaxi, CO DOT drug tests are analyzed by a SAMHSA Certified Laboratory and reviewed by our licensed physicians, who serve as the Medical Review Officers (MRO). To schedule a DOT drug test at any of our Colorado locations, call (800) 977-8664 or you may schedule your test 24/7 by clicking the "Order your Test" button.
Please be aware that our Colorado DOT drug testing centers do not accept any form of payment and require a test registration/ donor pass to administer a drug, alcohol, or any other type of test. You must call (800) 977-8664 to register for a test or you may register online, no appointment is needed, but a test registration form is required. Your zip code will be used to find our closet drug testing center to perform the drug or alcohol test which is needed.
Our Colorado drug testing services are delivered with the highest commitment to customer satisfaction and we are dedicated to providing convenient, cost effective and confidential drug and alcohol testing services with one of the fastest results reporting methods available in the industry. Regardless if you are an individual ordering one test or an employer scheduling 100 tests, our commitment to providing outstanding customer service is the same. We also only use certified laboratories and all test results are verified by our Medical Review Officers (MRO).
On the road or on vacation? No worries. Smart Drug Testing has over 10,000 Drug and alcohol testing centers available in all cities and we can schedule your DOT Drug test, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
What is a DOT drug test?
A DOT Drug test is a drug test that’s regulated by the government, specifically, the Department of Transportation (DOT).
In 1991, the US Congress passed the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act when they recognized the need for a drug and alcohol-free transportation industry. The act required DOT agencies to implement drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive employees to maintain the safety of the traveling public and workers.
The DOT’s drug screening rules and procedures are listed within Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 40, commonly known as “Part 40.” These rules are published by an office within the DOT; the Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance (ODAPC).
DOT agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard write industry specific regulations that explain who is subject to testing, when, and in what situations. Industry employers implement the regulations that apply to their business.
Order a DOT Drug Test
Does your business fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation? Smart Drug Testing is a professional at establishing and administering DOT-compliant testing programs for any business in the transportation industry. We’re a consortium and third-party administrator, and we can manage your entire drug testing process from start to finish.
If you are a DOT-regulated company required to have a DOT-compliant drug and alcohol program in place, we can provide your business with complete driver drug and alcohol testing and program services. These include:
- Writing your drug-free workplace policy
- Collecting specimens and conducting driver drug and alcohol testing
- Having all results verified by a medical review officer (MRO)
- Training your Designated Employer Representative
Introduction to Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is a census-designated place and U.S. post office in Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The population as of the 2010 census was 47, most of whom are Caucasian. The Cotopaxi Post Office has the ZIP code 81223. It was a small train stop on the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad along the Arkansas River. Though there is a store serving the main highway through the town (U.S. 50), there are no major businesses in Cotopaxi (owing to the small population) except for a whitewater rafting business that attracts thousands of tourists each year to ride on the Arkansas River.
The township was named after Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, located in Ecuador. Henry Thomas was the man responsible for naming Cotopaxi. He was an early prospector to the western territory in the mid-nineteenth century. Cotopaxi is also known for its early failed colony of approximately 63 Russian-Jewish immigrants who first settled there in early 1882. These colonists, most of whom were related, traveled to Colorado in hopes of starting a successful farming community and to reap the benefits of the new Homestead Act, which would grant each head male of a family 160 acres (65 ha) of land. When the colonists arrived in Cotopaxi, they discovered that only half of the houses that were promised to be built upon their arrival had actually been erected; this forced many of the families to live out of small makeshift canvas houses during the first winter. In addition to the housing problems, the colonists faced an extreme shortage of supplies that were needed to support them through the first winter and to plant their crops. Desperate to plant their crops, the colonists soon opened large lines of credit with the local store to buy the seeds and equipment they needed to get their crops planted. The variety of crops that the colonists chose to plant mostly consisted of potatoes and corn. The immigrants soon discovered, however, that the climate in the Colorado mountains was only suitable for growing crops for less than four months out of the year, and the first frost of winter killed most of what was still planted in the fields. This failed season of crops forced the immigrants to look for jobs elsewhere to help pay off their fast-growing debt to the local store. They soon found work with the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad which had decided to lay down more tracks to the west over Marshall Pass. The men of the colony were paid three dollars a day, which helped the struggling settlement get through its first winter. The colonists made it to spring, but the second crop was also a failure, and entire families soon started leaving. Only about six families remained in Cotopaxi to plant a third crop, which was wiped out by a large blizzard, and this officially ended the attempted farming colony in early June 1884.
Cotopaxi is located in southwestern Fremont County at 38°22′16″N 105°41′14″W / 38.37111°N 105.68722°W / 38.37111; -105.68722 (38.371002,-105.687275). It lies on both sides of the Arkansas River, 33 miles (53 km) west of Cañon City, the county seat, and 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Salida.
What do DOT drug tests test for?
All DOT drug tests use the same 5-panel test. It tests for:
- Marijuana metabolites/THC
- Cocaine metabolites
- Amphetamines (including methamphetamine, MDMA)
- Opioids* (including codeine, heroin (6-AM), morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone)
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
Although there are several options for drug tests, DOT regulated drug tests must use urine samples.
When are safety-sensitive employees required to get DOT drug tests?
DOT drug tests are required in the following situations:
Pre-employment, or before you start your job responsibilities.
Reasonable suspicion/cause, or if one or more trained supervisors reasonably believes/suspects that you are under the influence of drugs. This must be based on observations concerning appearance, behavior, speech, smell, etc.
Random testing. Random tests must use a truly random selection process, each employee must have an equal chance to be selected and tested. These are completed quarterly.
Return-to-duty testing, which is required after a violation of drug and alcohol rules. You can’t return to any DOT job before being tested and may be subject to unannounced testing at least 6 times in first 12 months. These tests must be conducted under direct observation.
Follow-up testing that takes place after return-to-duty. A Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) manages the follow-up testing for up to 5 years, determining how many times an employee is tested, and for what substance. These are completed in addition to other DOT required testing.
Post-accident testing. This is required if you’re involved in an accident meeting certain DOT criteria. An alcohol test must occur within 8 hours of the accident, and a drug test within 32 hours.
What happens if I fail my DOT drug test?
If you fail your DOT regulated drug test, DOT regulations require your employer to immediately remove you from performing any DOT safety-sensitive job. There may be other consequences, too, like losing your certification or license. This depends on your company’s policy or employment agreement.
DOT Drug Testing Locations in Cotopaxi CO
(Don't see a location near you? Call us (800) 977-8664)
Smart Drug Testing workforce experts stay up-to-date on DOT regulations, and can ensure that your business maintains compliance. If you’re interested in using our regulated drug testing services, connect with a member of our team. Our clinics also have a certified medical examiner on hand at all times to perform DOT physicals.