Work Smarter: Tips for conducting bulk queries in Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Did you know that the DOT’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse provides options for employers and consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPAs) to conduct queries individually OR upload multiple queries at once? It’s true.

How do you conduct such a bulk query? 

First, download and complete the Bulk Upload Template File here. (Keep in mind that C/TPAs that working with multiple employers will need to upload a separate file for each employer.)

Next, once you have completed the bulk upload file, log in to the Clearinghouse, and under My Dashboard, go to Queries and select “submit a bulk upload” to get started.

How are bulk queries processed?

Unlike individual queries, which are processed as soon as they are entered (in the case of limited queries) or as soon as a driver provides his or her electronic consent (in the case of full queries), bulk queries are processed in batches. These batches are processed each night, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. EST., in order to avoid overloading the system during peak user hours.

Lastly, once you have successfully submitted your bulk upload file, the number of queries in your file will be deducted from your query balance. Within a few minutes, the queries contained in your file will begin appearing in your Query History page.

Learn more about how bulk queries are processed here.