Expiring medical card

you might want to rethink that idea.

no current med card. no valid cdl. plain and simple as that. and if your cdl isn't current. and you apply for companies. they pull your record and they a SUSPENDED LICENSE. and your mvr probaly won't say why. so you might as well not even think about applying cuz you'd just be wasting your time.

 

this attaching your medical card to your license is new so I wouldn't see that most companies wouldn't understand that
a bigger problem might be how long since you have used your CDL
on many companies websites under qualifications
it states 6 months in last year or 1 year in last 3 tears
this is all insurance company driven

 

I think that covers it all. There is a difference between a cancellation and a suspension. It appears not to be a big problem in OR to let it cancel. You have 3 years to fix it without re-testing.

• I understand my CDL may be cancelled if I do not provide DMV with a valid medical certificate (medical card). How can I avoid this cancellation?
  
  You can either submit a copy of a valid medical certificate to DMV or surrender your commercial driving privileges at a DMV office. There is no fee to issue a replacement license, without commercial privileges, if you are downgrading because you do not meet the medical standards for holding a CDL. If you elect to surrender your CDL, you will need to provide the information shown in the following link: Oregon DMV Replacing a Driver License or Permit. http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/driverid/licensereplace.aspx

• If I receive notice that my CDL is going to be cancelled because DMV has not received a valid medical certificate (medical card), how much time do I have to submit a new certificate?
  The CDL cancellation will be effective 30 days after the notice is mailed. However, once your medical certificate expires, you may not legally operate a commercial motor vehicle

• If my CDL is cancelled for not maintaining a current medical certificate (medical card) with DMV, do I have to retake all tests to get a CDL again?
  
  You will have three years from the cancellation date or three years from the date you drop your CDL, whichever is earliest, to get another CDL without testing

• Can I operate a non-commercial motor vehicle if my CDL has been cancelled for failure to submit a copy of my medical certificate (medical card)?
  
  Yes, as long as your non-commercial privileges are not expired, revoked, suspended or cancelled under a separate action. Keep in mind, however, that Oregon law (ORS 809.500) requires you to return suspended, revoked or cancelled licenses to DMV and you could be cited for failure to do so. If you operate a CMV while your CDL is cancelled, you could be cited for operating a vehicle without driving privileges

• The letter I received indicated that I could fax a copy of my medical certificate (medical card) to DMV. What is the fax number?
  
  If necessary, you may fax a legible copy of your medical certificate to 503-945-5329. However, unless your CDL is in danger of cancellation, DMV suggests you mail a copy of your certificate to:
  DMV Driver Safety
  CDL Medical Certification
  1905 Lana Ave NE
  Salem, OR 97314
  
  Medical Examiner's Certificate are often two-sided or have two parts. Ensure you submit a copy that is complete and legible. If it is not complete and legible, return to your examiner to have another certificate completed before submitting it to DMV. If the original expiration date is retained and unexpired, a new examination should not be necessary.
  
  If there is any chance that we may not be able to read the license number on the medical card, DMV recommends you either include a copy of the front of your CDL or write your name and license number legibly somewhere on the fax. If any of the information on the certificate is unreadable, DMV will request that you mail a copy.

• Can I e-mail a copy of my medical certificate (medical card) to DMV?
  
  Yes, it must be a copy in .jpg or .pdf format. Please add your name and driver license number to the e-mail, if not completely legible on the copied medical certificate. The e-mail address is: DSMEC@odot.state.or.us

• I don’t currently drive a CMV. Will I have to maintain a valid medical certificate (medical card) at DMV to continue holding my CDL?
  
  Yes, on January 30, 2012, DMV began collecting medical certificates from CDL holders and monitoring expiration dates. No later than January 30, 2014, DMV must be monitoring the medical certificate expiration dates of all CDL holders
  
  Added: States started at will implementing the new program. By 1/30/14 all must comply. OR just happen to start early.

 

This whole program is new, depending on how you look at it. It's been on trucking companies' radars for about a year.
The federal government decided it would be great if drivers didn't have to carry medical cards anymore, and came up with the idea of tying the current medical to the drivers license, since all states now have access to all other states CDL databases, as well as the Federal database.
So, this program is going to take several years to implement, and it goes in stages. And, just to complicate things, there are several details that have been left to the states to decide, so each will be different.
Right now, you have to send your valid Medical Examiners' Certificate (what I call the MedCert) to whatever state agency handles your licenses (DMV, Sec. of State, DPS, etc.). Most will let you fax it in, some will let you scan and email it in. I don't know if any are requiring you to walk it in, but some might.
I do know that if your MedCert has ALREADY EXPIRED, you have to walk it in personally, no matter what. You only get to fax or email it if your MedCert is STILL CURRENT.
They will put that into their records, and your CDL is good. If your MedCert expires, your CDL gets downgraded to a standard operators license (no CDL vehicles, but you can still drive your personal non-commercial vehicle.)
Then, you have to get a new physical exam, and take the new MedCert into the state in order to reinstate your CDL. Some states give you 7 days grace period, some 30, some 90. Most will charge you to reinstate, but most will not require retesting. (SOME WILL!). Many states are still deciding exactly how they'll handle this. I've heard that some states are considering requiring a NEW WRITTEN EXAM to reinstate your CDL, which is ludicrous, but this is the LAW we're talking about... it's probably not SUPPOSED to make sense.

Every state has to have this system firmly in place by Jan 1, 2014. (6 mos from now). At that time, they'll begin transmitting their new CDL database WITH the new Medical Cert data to the Feds.
(which they've been doing for some time, just not with the medical info yet)

At SOME POINT, the medical examiners will begin transmitting the MedCert info directly to the state, so you won't have to, but that's probably another year and a half away, Jan 1, 2015, I believe.
That's my understanding of the system as it is today. YMMV from state to state.

Oh, and I might be wrong about any of this.
I don't think I am, but I might.

 

Yes , it varies state to state . KY sent me a notice of suspension the day before my card expired . I had already renewed it . They accepted a faxed copy and faxed back a reinstatement of my CDL

 

I know in Texas if you don't provide the medical card they downgrade your license and then you have to retest as though you never had a CDL.

 

I haven't heard of any state requiring a new road test, but many (if not all) are planning to require the written test in order to get your CDL back.

 

I had two periods with an expired med card. Cdl was valid the entire time. I just didn't drive during that period...or have to renew my license, which i know would have caused me to lose cdl. Maybe it's texas that's different. Maybe its combining card and license together. Dunno..

Edit...just read the post above. All the new junk starting last year is what was throwing m e off. :-/