Do medical examiners automatically send your info to the FMCSA?

Still here. I broke a small bone in my ankle a few days ago. That foot is in one of those special boots, and I can't put any weight on it.

It really is stupid that the DOT/FMCSA is allowing those states to do this. If it were up to me, I would stop all MCSAP funding until they complied. This also happened with RealID.

 

That’s been a big point of confusion lately. A lot of people are assuming it’s handled automatically now, but it doesn’t always go through like it should. Probably a good idea to verify it got submitted so it doesn’t come back to bite you.

 

Once the ME enters the information into the FMCSA database, the data is digital and uploaded to the CDLIS. Unless you are in one of the states @brian991219 mentioned, it should actually be automatic. If that info is not on the CDLIS it means the ME did not place the information or did not do it accurately. This is why it is CRITICAL to make sure all of your data on that long form is correct and legible. My daughter will place a slash across the vertical part of the number 7 and across the number 0. Actually, I know several drivers who will download the long form and enter the data using a PDF editor. Then print it and bring it with them.

Again. Except for those states that are not currently compliant, the system is digital and 100% computerized. ME > FMCSA> CDLIS> State DMV.

I am 100% out of the loop and not current on any of this. However, as I last understood it, once the state became compliant, there was no way for a driver to bypass any of this and do it themselves. Unless you get a letter from your state DMV warning you, I would not worry about it.

I'm sure @brian991219 will weigh in on this if I am wrong.

 

I'm not going to call your advice bad, just make a comment about how much it sucks a driver has to do this kind of (REDACTED) just to make sure they stay legal.

 

I highly recommend contacting the closest regional FMCSA office or Service Center and asking about this practice. I am not an attorney, and I am not going to give legal advice. You can also do this via email >>> [email protected]

 

Correct. Part of the updated process was to cut down on fraud from drivers forging medical certificates, therefore, in all but the five states that are not yet compliant, a driver does not have the option to upload or provide to the driver's license agency directly, their medical certificate. That said, there have been plenty of instances where the information is uploaded incorrectly form the medical examiner or there is a discrepancy in the CDLIS and SDLA computers communicating correctly that has resulted in a driver being downgraded for no good reason.

It is a best practice, and an inexpensive one at that, for a driver to order a full copy of their driver's license history 15 days after every medical certificate update to verify the correct information is on their record. Their employer is also required to do this, as they are legally only allowed to accept the paper certificate for 15 days after it is issued, but a driver should never depend on their employer to verify something as important as the validity of their CDL. Remember, it is you that will get the violation, and in some states it can be a serious criminal offense if you are caught driving a CDL required vehicle without a valid CDL. Also, it is a FMCSA serious traffic violation, as in 383.51, meaning it can be a disqualifying offense if you have other serious violations on your record.

When you order your record, do not just use the state portal to verify validity, actually order a full copy of your abstract. This way you can verify the medical information matches the current certificate and also check for any other misplaced violations on your history. DMV clerks are human and make mistakes, so it is possible, rare buy possible, that someone else's information ends up on your MVR history. This is why you always want to check your own history, independent of your employer doing so, as a way to prevent surprises.