Hey im trying to get my CDL in NY. Unfortunately in NY you need a medical certificate to pretty much drive a CMV at all. Bad news is that my vision is shot. 20/25 in one eye and 20/600 in the other. I called the vision waiver program and was told that i needed 3 years of driving experience to even get the waiver. Now on the forms seems to imply experience driving CMVs. So am i SOL or can i apply for the vision exemption with 3 years of non-CDL driving experience? I read that someone in a similar thread posted that "I think you fall under monocular vision since you can see good out of one eye corrected. That qualifies for the exemption. But the bad part is you have to had your CDL for the three years prior or driven a non-CDL commercial vehicle for the three years prior. That's the hurdle which might disqualify you from the exemption." Also after doing some digging on google i found out that the FMCSA is planning on eliminating or reducing the driving experience requirement. I have a spotless driving record and IMO feel that if you are able to drive a car safely with poor but adapted to vision, you should be able to drive a CMV safely as well.
vision waiver
Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by I95runner, Jan 17, 2014.
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\some states like AL.let mono. cular persons drive inside AL. others also, it can be done.
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Why can't you just get glasses to correct the 20/600 eye, so no waiver would be needed?
Am I missing something here? -
Even with correction it would still be in the triple digits due to a retinal detachment
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In the mean time, BE EXTREMELY SUPER CAUTIOUS WITH YOUR GOOD EYE. Also, learn all you can about nutritional supplements for your eyes as Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Bilberry, Lutein, along with other nutritional supplements that can potentially help to either improve or maintain good eye health. A reputable health food store can help you in this area, along with a good alternative health practitioner.
God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!Last edited: Jan 17, 2014
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Not 100% legal, but you could get contacts to correct the bad eye and not tell the examiner. At least every time I got a CDL, the examiner did not inspect my eye to insure i wasn't wearing corrective lenses.
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I guess I get to be the first bad guy.
This is one case where I'm all for the restriction and wish it was even stronger. You're effectively blind in one eye with no periphial vision to that side. With a properly set up truck this may not be a problem most of the time. The rest of the time is what I'm concerned about.
Many trucks, including mine have mirrors set pretty far back on the doors. To see out both sides with one eye closed I have to turn my head quite a ways to either side. So what happens the day you wake up with a stiff neck? Or maybe get something in your good eye? Sometimes you have to accept your physical limits. I wanted to fly jets when I was younger but my depth perception disqualified me.snowwy, Northern Lights and born&raisedintheusa Thank this. -
God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A. -
I also am of the opinion that sometimes it is just better to seek another line of employment.
If this were the last job left on earth, i could see a waiver, but there are just too many other lines of work that you could try that don't require the the medical exemption.
Good luck on your attempt at employment. -
They don't test depth perception during a driving test. It wasn't until I was 19 doing a flight physical that it was discovered. The only time it's an issue driving is backing in poor lighting but I carry lamps to mark where I need to be if I'm having problems.
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