C/TPA & consortium · Fresno, CA
DOT Consortium & TPA Services in Fresno, CA
Fresno is the largest city in California's San Joaquin Valley, and the farm and food freight it generates runs on trucks along State Route 99 and the Central Valley. Carriers hauling produce, nuts, and dairy need a DOT Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse program that handles seasonal hiring and long, irregular hours.
What is a DOT consortium / C/TPA?
A DOT consortium is a shared random testing pool that lets small and mid-size employers meet the federal testing rules without running their own program. We act as your administrator, which includes random selection and notification, collections, Clearinghouse queries, MRO coordination, and recordkeeping.
Why it matters in Fresno
Interstate 5 runs along the west side of the Valley and bypasses Fresno, so much of the freight that originates here moves on State Route 99, and the BNSF and Union Pacific mainlines cross in the city. Surrounding areas are dominated by farm production, and agricultural haulers often add drivers for harvest and drop them again afterward. Seasonal drivers who hold a CDL and haul for you count as DOT-regulated just like year-round staff, so a pool that can add and remove drivers on short notice helps. Exemptions can apply to some farm-related driving, and whether a specific driver is covered depends on the CDL rules and the work performed.
Pricing
Consortium enrollment is priced by fleet size: $99 for 1 driver, $199 for 2-5 drivers, $349 for 6-15 drivers, $499 for 16-25 drivers, and $749 for 26-50 drivers. Fleets above 50 drivers receive a custom quote.
Get Me CompliantFrequently asked questions
We hire extra drivers during harvest. Do they need to be tested?
If a seasonal driver holds a CDL and operates a vehicle that requires one, the driver is covered, including a pre-employment Clearinghouse query and a negative pre-employment drug test before driving. Tell us when each seasonal driver starts and stops.
Does our farm operation count as a DOT-regulated employer?
It depends on the vehicles and the work. Some farm-related driving is exempt from the CDL rules, and when the CDL is not required the testing rules generally do not apply. Send us a short description of your drivers and vehicles and we will help you work out who is covered.
How do long, irregular hours affect random selection?
Random selection ignores schedules, so a driver can be selected on any day the selection period runs. We tell your contact, and the driver reports for the test promptly. Tell us your usual shift patterns so we can plan around them.
What happens when a driver fails or refuses a test?
The driver must be removed from safety-sensitive work immediately and cannot return until completing the return-to-duty process with a Substance Abuse Professional. The result also goes into the Clearinghouse, which future employers will see.
Ready to enroll your Fresno fleet?
Join our DOT consortium for random pool management, Clearinghouse queries, and audit-ready recordkeeping.