Got this far and now my chance to go to Roehl , is gone.

Sorry, your argument fails to hold water for three reasons:

A.) The government has determined a list of what qualifies someone as healthy to drive. The person who started this thread is having hiccups with the process because the doctor is unwilling to sign off on her because he believes it will come back to bite him in the ###. I don't see anything concerning her competency to handle the vehicle in that statement, simply that the doctor is more interested in himself than his patients.

B.) There is a big difference between flying under the radar about medical issues and having a doctor sign off on them. I absolutely agree that if that driver was under the radar about it that its on his neck about what happened. Chances are a doctor might have even been able to do something about his problem.

C.) You're right, when I'm towing a load I have other driver's lives in my hands, conversely, however, they have my life in their hands as well, and there are people out there driving cars, pickups, vans, etc. on standard licenses that have horrendous vision, have all sorts of heart and breathing problems, have spasm problems, have just about any sort of medical problem you can imagine, and if you think that a car or pickup can't kill you because you're in a big truck you're dead wrong. See what happens if they take out your steer tire or axle at 70 miles per hour. It won't be pretty. So, if we are to accept your argument that anyone on the road needs be in top physical condition, then any person, whether driving a truck or a car, with the slightest physical (or mental) condition that could alter their ability to control that vehicle must be taken off the road.

I know driver's who are deaf in one or the other ear, driver's who, without corrective lenses, are #### near blind, have joint problems, have weight problems, have heart or breathing problems, I know driver's who are missing parts of their body (from fingers to an eye) and I can assure you, just because you have a certain physical challenge does not mean you can't competently handle a truck. But, what's the important factor here? The doctors felt that they were physically capable of handling a CMV and they signed off. This woman's doctor is being a stubborn and paranoid physician when it's been months upon months upon months since she last had to use a painkiller for her knee.

If she can manage her knee without painkillers I say she's fine to drive a truck.

Competency and ability has to do with a lot more than how good your joints are...

 

The facts of the case are that her doctor refuses to sign off because Morphine might be detected in her system with a hair test, and that this would come back to bite him if there was an incident. According to her, her knee is fine and no longer an issue. Had she not confessed to taking morphine for her knee a year ago, she would have been in training with Roehl by now. But since she confessed morphine usage, they wanted clearance in writing from her doctor, which he won't do.

These "just be totally honest" confessionals constrain applicants unneccessesarily.
You're dealing with HR policy wonks hired to enforce restrictions that lawyers impose.

When the application asks, "Have you ever consumed illegal narcotics of any kind?" or other compromising questions, you don't want to say "Yeah, I used to smoke a lot of weed and snorted heroin a coupla times, but that was 10 years ago." ...Cause you think the company will really appreciate your heart-felt honesty and all.

Had the O/P done her research into hair follicle testing she would have known to not confess to using Morphine at one time. But she was ignorant of the facts, and chose to divulge it. Now the company MUST follow through to legally CYA, and this makes her Egyption Dr. all paranoid - - meanwhile she's stuck in neutral looking for a way to proceed with her career.

 

Something ur not telling us? lol

 

Stop taking the meds and maybe go to a different doctor to get released. Then just find a carrier that does not do hair folicle testing. Most do not anyway. Morphine is usually out of your system in a few days and you should be able to pass a urine test. Your chances with Roehl may not be so good but there are thousands of other good companies out there to drive for.

 

A case similar to the one I first mentioned happened about 150 miles from where I live. Not a trucker, but a four wheeler in a nissan xterra. He was advised by his doctor that his heart condition made it unsafe for him to operate any machinary, but because of the way the laws are written in this state, nobody could yank his license. He had a heart attack behind the wheel and killed a little league coach sitting in his truck at a stop light. That driver of the xterra survived and now the family of the coach want him put on trial. At last check the district attorney in San Mateo County was considering charges. This #### is serious business out here, and I certainly don't think the rules should be any different for non-commercial drivers...

 

WOW....you folks have really blown this thread out of proportion.

 

I don't understand why the doc would have a problem signing off. I had to go to the ER a few months ago. (ambulance ride from a truck stop, fun stuff) I was given a bag of IV narcotics, yet was signed off to drive LATER THE SAME DAY. I told the ER doc that I was a commercial driver, so he used a narcotic with a very short half life, then later gave me an IV anti-inflammatory that would not interfere with driving to manage my pain for the next few days. Once enough time elapsed that the narcotic was no longer in my system he signed a release so I could go back to driving. If the morphine was taken months ago there is no reason you cannot drive.

Either the doc is being ridiculous, or there is something else at play here. If you still have an active prescription that would definitely be a problem.

 

Alright, but the moment one of your joints hurt I want you to stop driving a truck, after all, you'll no longer be in peak physical condition.