The Taxi Services team at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) continues to find ways to support the taxi industry. The SFMTA is now paying the $600 cost of the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluation for taxi drivers who failed the drug test as part of the driver permit renewal process.
A Substance Abuse Professional is a licensed physician, psychologist, social worker, certified employee assistance professional, or nationally certified addiction counselor with knowledge of and clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol-related disorders who evaluates employees who have violated a drug and alcohol regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
When taxi drivers test positive for prohibited drugs or over 0.04 for Alcohol, the SFMTA suspends the driver's A-Card, and the Third Party Administrator refers the driver to a SAP. If Drivers wishes to return to work as a taxi driver, they must properly follow the rehabilitation program prescribed by the SAP. The SAP will provide a written release to the Third Party Administrator certifying the driver’s eligibility to be considered for return to work only after the driver has signed a return-to-work agreement. The return-to-work agreement outlines the terms and conditions of continuing care and follow-up drug testing, which shall be the terms and conditions under which the SFMTA lifts the suspension of the Driver’s A-Card.