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Medical certificate changes begin Jan. 30

bigbird42368

bigbird42368

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Medical certificate changes begin Jan. 30
By Jill Dunn
Published November, 04 2011

A new law affecting medical certificates for CDL holders will begin implementation Jan. 30 and be phased in through 2014.

On Dec. 1, 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a final rule to require CDL holders to provide a current original or copy of their medical examiner’s certificate to the issuing state driver licensing agency.

CDL holders will have to continue carrying a paper copy of their medical certificate (DOT medical card) and carriers also will have to keep a copy of drivers’ medical certificates until Jan. 30, 2014.

Starting Jan. 30, those applying or renewing CDLs must certify with their state driver license agencies what interstate or intrastate driving category they fall under. A few states do not require proof of medical fitness for CDL holders driving in intrastate commerce.

Also on that date, those applying or renewing CDLs under the non-excepted interstate category must provide their DMV with an original or copy of their medical examiner’s certificate. Current CDL holders under this category must self-certify and provide the medical examiner’s certificate to their DMV by Jan. 30, 2014.

The purpose of the changes is to link the medical certificate to the CDL and include driver medical record in the Commercial Driver’s License Information System, the federal electronic database.
 
What next, talk of cutting driving hours, letting mexican trucks into USA, it seems like the truck driver is more limited on their earning potential with all of the new rules and regulations that wont stop. Zero Emission Trucks, i wonder how long until they park all of the poor owner operators that dont have a zero emmision??
 
they really don't understand how important we are to the US economy , our employees check us out, our doctors and now the license department is ,if your 10 lbs over weight you might be out of a job soon at this rate
 
how does this work if you have a cdl but dont drive anymore. drove for a long time but have a diffrent job now would like to keep my cdl incase i would go back to trucking i dont have a curent dot medical. but would get one if needed to to drive but dont want to go threw the bull to get one for no reason. sounds like a nother money sceem to screw the trucking ind. when times get tough take it out on the truck drivers.
 
it's not hard to see what a scam the whole medical card thing is when you see what 'rolls" out of trucks at truck stops.
I know a guy that has every medical condition you could think of, and he just got a 2yr card on his last physical. He was so excited, he put off his retirement another year so he could keep his insurance. He said he hadn't gotten a 2yr card since the 90's..lol
 
sharpshooter said:
it's not hard to see what a scam the whole medical card thing is when you see what 'rolls" out of trucks at truck stops.
I know a guy that has every medical condition you could think of, and he just got a 2yr card on his last physical. He was so excited, he put off his retirement another year so he could keep his insurance. He said he hadn't gotten a 2yr card since the 90's..lol
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unbelievable
 
alvan said:
how does this work if you have a cdl but dont drive anymore. drove for a long time but have a diffrent job now would like to keep my cdl incase i would go back to trucking i dont have a curent dot medical. but would get one if needed to to drive but dont want to go threw the bull to get one for no reason. sounds like a nother money sceem to screw the trucking ind. when times get tough take it out on the truck drivers.
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You will have to get a physical in order to keep your CDL. The new law states that if you currently have a CDL and you don't use it for driving a commercial vehicle, you'll have to decide whether to keep it or not, but if you decide to keep it, a DOT physical will be required and has to be done by January 30,2012. Otherwise, you'll need to surrender your CDL and trade it for a Class C license.
 
The way i look at it i just renewed my CDL last year and have not received anything about this so i dont have to renew for 3 year and then i will make that decesion if going to get physical or not. When they make changes to the Farmers on the road that dont have to have anything this is why they are just messing with truck Ind.
 
alvan said:
The way i look at it i just renewed my CDL last year and have not received anything about this so i dont have to renew for 3 year and then i will make that decesion if going to get physical or not. When they make changes to the Farmers on the road that dont have to have anything this is why they are just messing with truck Ind.
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I just got a letter in the mail yesterday about it from DMV
 
I agree that some changes should be made BUT just dont like the ideal that have to get physical just to hold a CDL. Worked hard for it dont use it at this time but might have to fall back on it some day.You just wonder how many drivers are out on the road with out one whitch is not good.Seen were they were going to try to make farmers have CDL and physical cards to opperate any machinery on the road but Ohio said they would not oner that law. I have halled grain for a freind and was nothing to gross 96,000 out of the field and just think you have farmers doing this everyday with no cdl and physicals. Just not right.
 
What was the problem with just signing the waiver that stated "If you do drive, you will have a physical card"? That seemed to work fine. I know people that had to sign it to renew their cdl but, weren't driving at the time. Then if they went back to driving, they got the physical...pretty simple, I thought. Now they want you to have the physical no matter what, right?
 
That would work sounds like another money rackett to me. Guess will have to wait for my letter from BMV and see what they say.
 
I got a letter in the mail from the DOT about this too. It reads like you have to go down and show them your card asap but you don't. I
went to ncdot.gov/dmv as the letter suggest..It said we don't need to do anything until renewal time??????under the frequently asked questions section
 
Alvan, you will receive your letter in the mail very soon and you won't have the ability to wait. The letter explains your only option to you.
 
This is a short segment taken from the original news story as it appeared on the news wire. It seems that Bird is right however, if your renewal date is later than 1/30/14 , you will have to go apply for a duplicate no later than that date.

"Also on that date, those applying or renewing CDLs under the non-excepted interstate category must provide their DMV with an original or copy of their medical examiner’s certificate. Current CDL holders under this category must self-certify and provide the medical examiner’s certificate to their DMV by Jan. 30, 2014."
 
Yep!!,,check'd on it today..Has to be done before Jan 30,2012..My physical is due in Feb.So I believe I will do it in Jan to save a trip.Did talk to someone today who has already gone & said there was no charge.UMMM..So you have to remember when you get physical then you have to go to the dmv now..Uggg.O'h well gota work..
 
Let's see, let's say you get a 5 year CDL, and then you get a Haz-Mat endorsement, and you have to confirm your medical card too. You have to get your haz-mat redone every two years and now your medical card done every two years also and surely they will all fall on different dates...lol It appears that someone really dropped the ball on this legislation.
 
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