Medical Certificates, what a joke!

i was disqualified a few months ago after being in the hospital untill i had proof from the doctor that i had the test and am being treated and being recorded.

a friend had an older machine that did not record and was disqualified for a few days and was given a 90 day temporary and had to get a new cpap machine and it will have to be checked after the 90 day period to make sure he's using it to get full qualification again

i could be wrong on the penndot part disqualification as i didn't recieve a notice from them but i know the doctor said he was required to notify penndot by law . and like i said my friend couldn't get his medical card untill he got proof of cpap usage


maybe your doctor isn't up on the regulation

 

It would be nice if someone could actually show some kind of relationship between sleep apnea, and the rate of preventable accidents. I've heard through Roaddog (Truckin'B_zo, Mark Nemo) that the only relationship that occurs between apnea/CDL/accidents is money to the people doing the regulations.

 

With sleep apnea, you do not get a good nights sleep. Not sleeping is a well document medical problem. I could sleep any time a sat down for a few minutes. Once I was given a C-pap it changed my life. After just a few nights, I felt like a new person.

Mark

 

Granted, and I heard that as well. Don't have that problem, so I can't comment - however, what I have heard is that there is a serious question as to whether all of us should be tested for that crap WITHOUT a valid medical diagnosis.

There does seem to be an incestuous relationship between the medical advisors at CVSA and the CPAP machine manufacturers. Seems like a good way to boost someone's profits at a captive audience's expense. That wouldn't be OUR profits, either.

 

I think Canada has the right idea, why not combine the two? LEO can type in your CDL#, and get your driving record, why not also get your medical card history? For that matter, why not combine the CDL, medical card, and Twic card?
Naaaaah, sounds to sensible.

 

I have had a false med card in the past. But not within the last 15 years.

One of my earlier employers had a box of "pre-signed/signature stamped" medical cards. We just filled out a new one, when the old one expired.

He's still in business, with about 100 trucks. He may still have that box...and the stamp LOL.

 

Agree with your comment about boosting someone's profits;
I have been on a CPAP for a few years now, and don't know about others, but it has REALLY helped me. When I first went for the evaluation, spending a night in their lab with those wires and stuff hooked to me cost $3400 + change. Insurance paid for most of it, but how many could afford that if it was mandatory, and no insurance?
There seems to be a sudden and strong interest in resolving this problem that may not be as big as some would like it to be.
I'd wager there are some well paid lobbyists roaming around lawmakers with dollar bills hanging out of their pockets.

 

He'd be out of business if there was ever an FMCSA audit and they checked the driver files for the physical long forms.

 

Actually, tieing the CDL and med card is already here. Your CDL will be tied to your med card in all 50 states within the next 3 years. That's a government fiat, not a request.

 

Not all of us , just ones with a high Body Mass Index . I think they consider 6 ft. ,210 lbs. needing testing.