Failed DOT Med Cert for whisper test

As I age, I lose more of my hearing, the last few times at my visit for my DOT card, when she does the whisper test(she’s behind me and whispers 2 different words, one for each side) I turn around and say to her, whisper more clearly. So she does and I figure out the words. They use the same words every time.

 

That's why I wore soft foam ear plugs almost every day of the 28 years I spent driving trucks. Once your hearing is gone, it's gone. Hearing is a requirement of the CDL. EVERY time I've brought this topic up it just devolved into a different argument about whether current trucks are quieter than older trucks. That is true, but it is 100% irrelevant to losing your hearing. The rate one is losing hearing changes based on how loud your environment is, but losing your hearing over time is almost as certain as needing glasses eventually.

In trucking you are in the noisy environment all day every day. The EPA/OSHA requires hearing protection if the employee is in a "noisy environment" above a certain level of noise for 8 hours or more. So even if someone's brand new premium truck is only half as loud as their prior truck you are hearing that noise all day, every day which is 24 hours. Not wearing ear plugs is like a welder not wearing goggles, you can get away with it for a while, but you won't get away with it forever. Since my earplugs blocked out MOST of the engine and wind noise, I could hear emergency vehicle sirens, the radio, and often left them inserted when talking to customers, since they are accustomed to dealing with drivers that are nearly deaf, before the industry was filled with non-English speakers.

These were my daily driver ear plugs until I retired. You can insert them until they touch your brain or just enough to keep birds from nesting in your ears. They have a noise reduction rating above 30dB because you can insert them deep and leave them there. No other ear plugs are half as comfortable to wear except the soft silicone blobs used to keep water out of your ear canal. Those are more expensive and essentially one-time use. These will last days.
https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Slim-Soft-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B005YUW7A2

 

Ha….. I did the opposite, I’ve always had a high power amplified system in my cars and semi trucks. Now I’m paying for it.

 

If you can get a letter from your specialist that you pass the required “whisper test” and can hear at the required level. Your dot doc will probably accept it and move on since liability gets transferred to the specialist.

I understand what you’re talking about with it being subjective. I have bad hearing loss in my right ear..too many years in construction with power tools.. Left ear is perfect hearing and the Chiropractor cuts me some slack. Once he retires I’m probably going to get nit picked out of the industry.

Worst case scenario..just apply for a waiver/exemption through the fmcsa.

“The Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) allows drivers operating commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce to apply to the Agency for an exemption from the hearing standard at 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.”

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/medical/d...(DOT,Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

 

Tell that to my lonestar lol. I have a DB meter and it averages around 100-130 DB in the cab 140 on rough roads at speed. I actully wear a pair of noise canceling headphones most days. I can hear sirens and such fine. But it reduces the level by around 30ish. Still uncomfortable but not painful. Though i lost a lot of hearing in the oilfield. Even with earplugs and earmuffs. Standing next to equipment that vibrates your bones and eyeballs for hours and hours and hours takes a toll. When i was tested ive lost about 50% of my low range and 20% of my high range hearing already. Lets not make it worse.

 

What did you say ???? I can't hear you....sorry I had too....

 

I threw away some of my hearing working at the airport parking business jets, going to rock concerts, dabbling with stereo equipment. I just don't want to lose the rest and hear nothing but my tinnitus (high-pitch ringing) for the rest of my life.

 

Man, 140dB is insane. I think the old airliners in the 1960s made 120dB on takeoff. Yeah the active noise-cancelling gear is like magic. The problem for driving is cops are going to freak out if they see you wearing them behind the wheel but they cannot see foam earplugs, even my purple plugs, inserted deep enough to help. If I worked nights I would totally wear ANC headphones when driving. I'm retired so I use A headphones to block out neighboring dogs or V-8s on the street.