US federalRequired by law49 CFR 382.603

DOT reasonable suspicion training for supervisors

A ready-made course you customise for your organisation, with a live session deck and two surveys. You only add the 8 details that are specific to your organisation.

See the live deckSee the full outline
Try the coursePreview the survey
Length
120 min
Lessons
6 lessons
Frequency
Once, before making determinations
Last reviewed
8 Oct 2026
Making the call
What would you do?

Yard supervisor sees a driver with glassy eyes and slow speech after lunch

Try it: this is one of 16 interactive activities in the course.

What's included

Three pieces that work together

Copy once, get everything. Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck.

Self-paced course

Short lessons with real workplace scenarios, not walls of text.

  • 6 lessons, about 120 minutes
  • 3 video slots (you add the videos)
  • Flashcards, accordion, tabs, sorting activity and quizzes
  • 15-question final check, 80% to pass

Live session deck

An AhaSlides presentation to run after the course, in person or online.

  • 11 slides
  • Quiz, poll, word cloud, scale slides
  • A closing slide for your contacts

Two surveys

Find out what landed, and whether people use it on the job.

  • Post-course feedback, about 2 minutes
  • 30-day check-in
  • Anonymous by default
  • Results feed your next refresher

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, learners can

Built to the law Each objective names the requirement it comes from and the lesson that covers it.

IDObjectiveRequired byWhere it's covered
TO 1.0Achieve ≥ 80% on the final assessment-Whole course
LO 22.1.1Explain the supervisor's role and why reasonable suspicion protects the public382.307; 382.603Lesson 1: Your legal role
LO 22.2.1Identify physical, behavioral, speech and performance indicators of probable alcohol misuse382.603Lesson 2: Alcohol: effects & indicators
LO 22.3.1Identify physical, behavioral, speech and performance indicators of probable controlled-substance use382.603Lesson 3: Drugs: effects & indicators
LO 22.4.1Make a determination based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations - and avoid hearsay and bias382.307(a)-(b)Lesson 4: Making the call
LO 22.5.1Follow testing timelines and removal from safety-sensitive functions + your info382.307(e)Lesson 5: Document it
LO 22.5.2Complete the signed written record within 24 hours or before results are released, whichever is earlier + your info382.307(f)Lesson 5: Document it

Your part: what a template can't do for you

  • Minimum duration: 120 min (60 min alcohol + 60 min controlled substances - minimum).
  • Your workplace details: fill in the 8 highlighted fields so the course describes your own policies, contacts and locations.
  • Records: record completion in your own LMS or record system.

Course outline

6 lessons, about 120 minutes

Minutes per lesson are an estimate, shared out by page count.

ContentInteractiveVideoYou customise
1

Your legal role

2 pages

14 min
Before you beginNoteList
HookKey factAccordionQuizVideo
2

Alcohol: effects & indicators

4 pages

29 min
How alcohol affects drivingTabsImage
IndicatorsFlashcards
PracticeSorting activity
PracticeQuizVideo
3

Drugs: effects & indicators

4 pages

28 min
Drug classes tested (Part 40 panelTabs
Indicators by classFlashcards
MythsFlashcards
PracticeMulti-select quizQuizVideo
4

Making the call

3 pages

21 min
PracticeProcess
PracticeScenario
PracticeTableQuiz
5

Document it

2 pages

14 min
PracticeChecklistYour infoYour infoYour info
Avoid pitfallsAccordionQuiz
6

Final assessment

Assessment

14 min
Final check15 questions80% to passCompletion page

Live deck and surveys

11 slides to run live, two surveys to close the loop

Pink slides are interactive. Both surveys are anonymous; pink questions are written for this course.

TitleTitle + agenda
PollHave you ever had to make a fitness-for-duty call?
QuizIs "I heard he was drinking" enough?
QuizWho may NOT do the alcohol test?
QuizWritten record due within…
Content · customiseOur DER, form and collection site
Word cloudObservations you can write down
ScaleConfidence making a reasonable-suspicion call
Open-endedWhat would make you hesitate?
Q&AAsk the trainer anything
Closing · customiseWho to contact, and where to find more
Post-course feedback: 11 questions, about 2 min
  1. Overall rating 5 stars
  2. Relevant, realistic, right length, helpful activities agree/disagree grid
  3. What was most useful? multi-select
  4. Confidence before this course, and now 1-5 scale
  5. Do you know how to get a driver to the collection site without them driving? multiple choice
  6. How confident are you telling articulable observations from hunches? 1-5 scale
  7. How well can you recognize… grid
  8. Safety concerns about drivers are acted on here, even when we're short-staffed. 1-5 scale
  9. One thing we should change or add open text
  10. Would you recommend this course? NPS
30-day check-in
  1. Have you used what you learned since the course? multiple choice
  2. How confident are you today? Compare with day 1 1-5 scale
  3. Do you know where to find our reasonable-suspicion form and DER contact? yes / no / not sure
  4. A moment where the training helped, or where you weren't sure open text
  5. Which topics should the next refresher focus on? ranking

Results show whether people use the training on the job, not just whether they finished it.

Make it yours

8 fields to fill in, and you're ready

Everything else is done. These are the details only your organisation knows; each one is highlighted inside the course.

  • Designated Employer Representative{{DER_CONTACT}}
  • Rs form link{{RS_FORM_LINK}}
  • Collection site and transport{{COLLECTION_SITE_AND_TRANSPORT}}
  • Second supervisor practice{{SECOND_SUPERVISOR_PRACTICE}}
  • Drug alcohol policy link{{DRUG_ALCOHOL_POLICY_LINK}}
  • LMS or record system{{LMS_OR_RECORD_SYSTEM}}
Show all 8 fields
  • Survey URL{{SURVEY_URL}}
  • Survey 2 URL{{SURVEY_2_URL}}

FAQ

Common questions

Can I run DOT reasonable suspicion training for supervisors training online?

The course itself is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session. Whether online delivery meets your local rules depends on the law that applies to you, so check 49 CFR 382.603 or ask your own counsel.

How often is this training needed?

Once, before making determinations (no recurrent training required by FMCSA - refresher recommended).

Who needs this training?

Supervisors/company officials who may make reasonable-suspicion determinations for CDL drivers (FMCSA-regulated motor carriers).

What records should I keep?

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when. Check the retention period that applies to you in 49 CFR 382.603.

Can I edit the content?

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply. Keep anything your own law requires you to cover.

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Last reviewed: 8 October 2026Based on: 49 CFR 382.603 (training: ≥ 60 min alcohol + ≥ 60 min controlled substances); 49 CFR 382.307 (reasonable suspicion testi…Templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Ready to run it?

Open the live deck to see how the session runs alongside the course and both surveys.

See the live deck