Medical Long Form

Right, very similar, but I wasn't sure...so I didn't want to assume. Thanks for the heads up.

Yep, our licenses are heading that way too, with the recent addition of the "enhanced" license allowing crossing of the borders. Soon that license will have everything in it...shades of big brother.

I hear you regards those inspectors. What's the old saying, better to let them think you're stupid than to open your mouth and prove it? I taught that DOT officer when he said he was going to Level 1 me, and I asked him if he wanted me to start the engine or not. He looked puzzled at me... I figured he didn't realize that's how you test the ABS trailer system/light on start up.

 

I did look up and check out the equivalency points you mentioned. They were right in front of my face.
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=391.41

Interesting points that I noted is there is a mention of waivers in that your Provinces can give you a waiver/variance for driving in them, but if you go outside of it, you have to meet the National Safety Code, otherwise you can't drive in the US, but it doesn't say if you can drive between provinces with that waiver/variance. In the US, if you get a waiver/variance in a state, you can drive in the US (provided you carry proof of that variance), but you can't drive in Canada with that waiver/variance. Can you drive all of Canada with a waiver/variance from your province?

I suspect as we've been discussing that the need for the Long Form physical may go away, since it's being present I think was an attempt by States/Federals to safeguard against drivers/companies allowing unqualified drivers to drive with "doctored" certificates. The CDLIS database entries putting us on par with Canada's national system is just another way irresponsible people/carriers have subjected the rest of us to more draconian safeguards for the general populace and to further the "international" ability to move between borders, freely, of which I'm not an advocate, at least not inter-country.

In your points above, you mention a 2 year physical, and the possible question of "quality" varying. Do you have the same 1 year restriction/waiver for High Blood Pressure, meaning you get a physical every year, or is that considered a waiver that prevents you from driving in the US? Also, the "quality" issue is being addressed here, as part of the CDLIS database being used in 2014 as the standard holder of physical certification records requires that physicians be licensed/approved as part of a National Registry:

--http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu...rulemakings/notices/NRCME-Public-Meeting.aspx

Interestingly I came across this in the interpretations of foreign physicals:

--http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu...mcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=391.43&guidence=Y

So I suspect someone already tried to get certified there under your point of the "quality" to come back here and get their license.

 

I am not familiar with medical waivers as it is not something I have personally dealt with, however... after doing a little reading, it appears that a National Safety Code (NSC) medical waiver is intended to allow interprovincial CMV driving by an individual that does not meet the requirements of NSC Standard 6: Medical Standards for Drivers, but can otherwise still be considered a candidate for a (certain) commercial-class license.

Waiver- Generally a waiver permits a driver to hold a certain class of drivers license despite the fact that he/she may not meet the required medical/vision standards. The standards are "waived" provided the driver meets other prescribed conditions.

(http://www.ccmta.ca/english/pdf/medical_standards_aug_2011.pdf Appendix 1, pg. 11-12)

The above is pretty light on detail, but, again, that would be due to the fact that licensing is regulated provincially. I am sure there is more detailed information in the provincial statutes. FYI, here is a link to an Alberta Medical Examination for Motor Vehicle Operators: http://www.southreg.ca/forms/medical.pdf

Insofar as your question regarding "High Blood Pressure", the limits are referenced in Standard 6 (pg. 18 ). I think the following statement addresses your question:
"Hypertension, other than uncontrollable malignant hypertension, is not in itself a contraindication to operating any type of motor vehicle, but associated complications such as damage to heart, eyes, kidneys and brain may well preclude safe driving."

I also found an older correspondence (that I have not vetted):
"Hypertension is no longer a disqualifier for trans-border driving, although from a medical point of view a hypertensive driver should be clinically assessed for fitness to drive."
http://www.drivercheck.ca/letters/medicalletter2.pdf

For clarity, the NSC only applies to drivers of a carrier that is an interprovincial operator; if the carrier operates intraprovincially only, then none of the NSC standards apply, although that particular province may have adopted the same standards. In that respect, it appears to be very similar to the U.S. system.

My statement re: "quality", reflects the fact that, like just about anywhere that I am familiar with, a driver can "doctor shop" in order to produce a medical exam that favours them to a greater degree if they feel that is the only way they are going to get a "pass". In my experience, fees and comprehensiveness of the exam vary widely. Obviously doctors, like drivers, vary in competence and I know that a doctor of considerable experience is going to be able to ferret out some obvious false statements by a driver based on measurements and physical condition. There are a number of questions on the medical form however that can really only be adequately answered with some knowledge of the patient's long-term history and/or the honesty of the same. It would be naive to think that there isn't a certain percentage of drivers who shouldn't be driving, but have found a "sympathetic" doctor. Just a guess, but I suspect that some of the parking-lot medical exam facilities I have seen in the U.S don't have the most rigorous standards either.

As far as doctor qualifications go, I am not aware of a national registry of doctors qualified to perform driver medical exams, nor am I aware of any intention to establish the same. Up here, almost all doctors are essentially provincial employees (due to the way our medical system functions). I suspect the requirement regarding foreign physicals is as much for continuity and the ability to more easily confirm details as anything. I do know that the standards between the U.S. and Canada with respect to medical education are very close; there are a number of doctors from both countries that are educated in one and work in the other... and not necessarily their country of birth/original citizenship. For example, my sister-in-law is an anesthesiologist and she did the majority of her education here and did some of her internship there, but is immediately employable in either country. Cross-border doctor and nurse poaching has been a long standing practise between our two countries.

 

Thanks for these links. Made for interesting reading, and I agree, it looks like the physical requirements are similar, though at first I was a little thrown by the metric measurement references when reading the acceptable numbers of variance.


Indeed, though it is worded somewhat different, because of your system, it looks like they will shorten a physical's duration to keep check on medical conditions like High Blood pressure, similar to ours. But that begs the question, if they shorten the time, does that make the license invalid as ours will be if we don't get the re-evaluation? ie. High Blood Pressure must be checked annually for DOT Physical to make sure it's maintained so an annual DOT physical is required.

Indeed, I was referencing the doctor shopping aspect, I was not meaning to malign the profession there.

The move here, however, is to counter, as you point out, the "sympathetic" doctor, by requiring medical professionals to be trained to understand the "rigors" of the profession and basically sign statements that they will apply the standards unerringly. Thus, the family doctor, parking lot doctor won't be able to do the physical anymore without being certified and listed in the National Registry. Too many problem physicals and they can hone in immediately on a doctor and maybe even go after "his" license.

Good talk.

 

In my 25 years and 3 million miles of driving I've been asked many times for my long form the law or not. Had I have not had it I would have recieved a citation. Even though that citation wouldn't have been legit I would either have had to just pay the fine or go to court where I undoubtly would of won but at what cost in time and money. The point is it's a simple form that should be kept with you in the truck. As far as what's on the long form ,my current long form has everything that's on the card including everything you need to know. In fact all long forms I've had did. As far as companies who won't give you your long form because they paid for the physical they have no legal right to with hold your personal medical info. Most carriers have you sign a paper agreeing to pay them for physical and drug screen costs out of your last check if you leave before a certain amount of time anyway. Regardless it's your personal medical info and it is yours period. Bottom line is just because something isn't required by law or regulation doesn't mean you shouldn't do it any way. Again like I said law enforcement officials are human they interpet things through their own eyes like everyone else. Yes you see the law correctly but the next official may not. Final word instead of argueing about the actual rules just carry the long form and CYA!

 

just buy long form in ts forge it there you go problem solved

 

Never heard of HAVING by FEDERAL or STATE LAW that you had to carry the long form with you..

 

No it's not the law but I have been asked for it by the DOT just the same. Because I had it in my briefcase I saved myself a lot of grief. The fact is when your engaged in an inspection or traffic stop the one with the badge and gun is the law during that time whether they're right or wrong. They are in charge period! Either way all this argueing is mute now that the DOT physical and CDL are going to be intergrated.

 

Still not sure how that's supposed to work. Med card is good for two years max, yet my CDL is good through 2016. Is the med card going to 6 years or the CDL dropping to two years? Cause that would be irritating as hell.

 

That's the physical. It gets done every two years, if you don't need more frequent physicals. What this means, is every time you get your physical, whether it's one year or two, you then take it to the DMV office and have it attached to your current license. If you don't, your license is suspended/revoked.... so if your license is good for 6 years (Texas?) then you'll need to submit your physical 3 (2-year certs) times during it's life, twice more, till 2016.