Truck driver out of service after marijuana odor led to discovery of illicit substances during roadside inspection

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered a Minnesota-based truck driver off the road for drug violations and defying a previous out of service order.

The federal out of service order was issued to truck driver Jordan Andrew Bane on March 5, 2021.

Authorities say that a February 17 roadside safety inspection of Bane’s truck was conducted by a Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles enforcement officer in Fair Haven, Vermont.

While the officer asked Bane for his license and paperwork, she “detected a strong odor of marijuana” and asked for permission to search the cab and sleeper berth of the semi truck.

Bane gave permission for the search.

During the search, the officer found “multiple containers” full of a substance that tested positive for marijuana along with an unlabeled pill bottle containing three different types of pills. The officer was able to determine all the pills to be Schedule II controlled substances for which Bane did not possess a prescription.

The officer also found two synthetic urine kits, one of which had already been used.

Bane was cited for possession of a narcotic drug and ordered out of service for 24 hours in accordance with Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s North American Standard enforcement criteria.

The FMCSA says that Bane defied the 24 hour out of service order. “Despite the out-of-service order, less than 24 hours later, Bane was stopped by the same Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles enforcement officer, this time in Barre, Vermont, approximately 2-hours distance from Fair Haven,” the agency said.

Bane has two prior convictions in Minnesota for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, and one conviction for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs.

Before returning to duty, Bane must undergo evaluation by a certified medical examiner and provide evidence that he is qualified to return to driving duties.