New DOT Physical Requirements?

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by kc8vje, Mar 18, 2007.

Do you think the DOT should have a more strict physical??

  1. *

    Yes

    21.6%
  2. *

    No

    72.4%
  3. *

    Who Cares

    7.5%
  1. mycorky

    mycorky Light Load Member

    107
    27
    Aug 31, 2006
    Illinois
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    And Make 4 Wheel Drivers Take Physicals And Refresher Courses On Each Renewal Of Their Licenses....then The Roads Would Be Safer!!!
     
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  3. sleepinbeauty

    sleepinbeauty Light Load Member

    54
    7
    Feb 18, 2007
    in a world all my own
    0
    You have a point there..what I should have said, was once one is grossly obese,or even borderline, there should be laws in place from the dot to keep us safe from big Bubba / Bertha's health risks.
     
  4. heyns57

    heyns57 Road Train Member

    2,209
    1,011
    Dec 30, 2006
    near Kalamazoo Speedway
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    Although not related directly to physical exam criteria, another change is working its way through the bureaucracy. Eventually, only DOT approved doctors will be authorized to give DOT physicals. The results of the physical will be electronically filed with the state DMV. CDLs will be issued only to drivers with a current physical on file, etc. Drivers will not use their primary care physician by providing them with the forms.
     
  5. SafetyBabe

    SafetyBabe Bobtail Member

    22
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    Jan 23, 2007
    Homestead
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    On the same note, many companies prohibit personal doctors to be used to obtain a medical card. Not that a Concentra doctor would be better equipped but a personal doctor with long ties with the driver might compromise the result and might not be familiar with the DOT regulations. Personally, I am concerned over the amount of doctors that will be on the approved list and the requirements that a doctor needs to fulfill to be part of such list. Something like this will probably make obtaining appointments harder and more expensive.:O_o_1PIRATES26: I like the idea of having them file it with the DMV.
     
  6. buck and a half

    buck and a half Mr. Miles & Miles with Many Smiles

    775
    57
    Aug 11, 2006
    madison,me
    0
    I am 6 2 and 324 to 360,depending on part of year,vans or flatbeds,i am in better shape and health than skinnier friends of mine that are drivers and are 15 to 20 yrs younger,I eat buffets and Eat alot of chicken and fish,blood pressure is fine etc. I also have seen those bigger folks driving trucks,they need to work like all of us,i have seen nurses and drs that smoke,I don't,some are fat,i have seem emts smoke and are fat,I have seen policemen that can just about run that smoke,my point is,we truck drivers are scrutinized to the fullest now,plus drug checked,alcohol checked,almost none of the other occupations are tested,walmart tests and that is a good thing,if they pass a new dot physical,I will personally spend 2 hrs a day on my long break,talking to everybody that will listen,why everybody should be tested like we already are. We all need to work,the obese folks are working alot harder just to walk,never mind work,i stand up for all of them,if they were on welfare,we wouldn't want that,so why not let them work a job they enjoy.Sometimes we start talking about things like this,it opens a can of worms and ends up being twisted around and hurts families in the end. Lets thank god they work"""""
     
  7. MGASSEL

    MGASSEL Road Train Member

    1,301
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    Mar 27, 2007
    Co
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    I too am a little heavy I am aprox 230 aprox 5'8 I am in school now and have a part time job untill I get going in trucking.
    My job is delivering newspapers door to door the person that did my dot physical said your big I told her he;; I walk about 10 miles a day and no weight loss ever.
    I eat only adverage meals but still nothing I have no health problems to speak of the thing that concerns me is that we bigger people may get discrimated against just for being heavy if the post was true.
    I have a two year and I did not go to a family doc I went to a person that only does dot physicals.
     
  8. rockee

    rockee Road Train Member

    1,393
    673
    Apr 17, 2007
    Pacific Northwest
    0
    I had an exam a week and a half ago and the doc measured my neck and when I asked she said that it had to do with sleep apnea and that in the near future it would be required as part of the exam. In Feb when I had to renew my card (with a different examiner) it was just the same ol stuff
     
  9. wackywoodie

    wackywoodie Bobtail Member

    28
    0
    May 14, 2007
    Pekin, Il
    0
    Ok so DOT wants to do BMI, yes the BMI calculator is accurate, but at the same time it does not take in to account people that have more body mass (bodybuilders, or people with large frams) this I know for a fact the us army has been looking at changing thier BMI requirements, according to the army I'm over weight, and yes that's true but in no sence am I obease I am still fit (I can pass the apft), except for the fact that I smoke. at 5' 10" a 27 yearold is to only weigh 185 lbs. I myself have big legs and because of that the BMI is not right, the BMI tapes the neck, and the waist, that with the weight and height and age, and then give you the BMI. Now yes I do think that they should test for poor circulation and sleep apnia, because both can cause problems and both can kill (not just the driver but the others on the road.
     
  10. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

    10,311
    5,253
    Jan 1, 2007
    NASA HQ
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    Yeah, but the military uses the tape test. Someone with a big neck can tape out and still make weight. Look around at the truckstops. You will see drivers and you have to wonder how do they squeeze that belly behind the steering wheel.:biggrin_2556: That is what will hang a lot of drivers. What the concern is obese drivers on BP meds that don't get any excercise stroking out at 70 mph grossing 80,000 lbs.
     
  11. Brickman

    Brickman Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    WY
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    I agree BMI does not take into account different frames and body build. Its a one size fits all, and that is not real life.

    I'm 5'8" with a big frame and yet BMI sez I should be down around 160 for normal weight. I have not been that lite since early teens. 170 to 175 is where I feel good. I'm over that now, working to get down.
     
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