California IN BRIEF : OAKLAND : Spot Drug Tests of Bus Drivers Blocked

An Oakland judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering AC Transit to delay tests and come back to court when it could prove its bus drivers were using drugs and causing accidents. Saying he had concerns about personal privacy, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Michael Ballachey harshly criticized what he called the government’s infringement on an employee’s privacy rights. Ballachey issued a preliminary injunction against drug testing at the request of the transit employees’ union. Drug tests at other Bay Area transit agencies have been halted so far by 15-day temporary restraining orders.