Changes coming to the DOT physical....

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by chalupa, Dec 21, 2016.

  1. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    The self-driving truck will probably be good and self driving cars because if you did not know something like 30,000 people die in traffic accidents every year. Everyone says they are a great driver but someone is not very good. If we can save 20,000+ live a year don't you think that would be a good thing ?
     
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  3. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    That's why they would send someone to a sleep doctor and the sleep doctor could determine if someone has sleep apnea. Remember a sleep test has two parts. The first one is to see if you even have sleep apnea. If you don't then your good to go.
     
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  4. Accidental Trucker

    Accidental Trucker Road Train Member

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    @Brandt, with all due respect, you didn't answer the question. The rules are based on BMI, which is a chart with no scientific validity, and an arbitrary neck size measurement.

    Why am I required to see a specialist, spend MY very hard earned money, and my very precious time, based on capricious and arbitrary charts and numbers.

    The proposed rules are written such that essentially every driver over the age limit will be required to have a sleep study.

    I'm glad OOIDA is all over this, because this is the poster child for government regulation run amok.
     
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  5. Midnightrider909

    Midnightrider909 Road Train Member

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    I haven't heard about any special government programs that will pay for your sleep study. Also insurance companies don't want to pay for it but they have no problem making a poor driver kick in the money for it.
     
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  6. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

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    My whole point was to give you a heads up on a speeding freight train coming to your front door. There is time to react . This will not go away either. It's a safety issue pushed by the anti trucking groups so even if the issues are ducked in 18...they will be along soon just like speed limiters .

    I personally don't see where this is going. Crash history shows clearly the truck driver is not at fault over 80% of the time . If I had to guess then I would lean towards several high profile crashes like Walmart and Fedex constantly in the ditch.

    You cannot sit in the seat all day for 11 hours and then eat TS food and expect to be healthy any more than you can work a steady 65 to 70 a week. Throw in smoking and you get the idea.....it's just not healthy.

    And we do this for what ; $1000 to $1500 a week? I've asked myself "why" 1000 times over lol......( before I left industry )
     
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  7. Midnightrider909

    Midnightrider909 Road Train Member

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    How is putting three million people out of work a good thing? And you really think these autonomous vehicles are going to have a perfect record and not get hacked or get software glitches and kill people just like human drivers do? The push for these vehicles is not for safety it is for profit.
     
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  8. Brandt

    Brandt Road Train Member

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    The answer is because the doctors that recommend stuff to the FMCA. That Dr John guy was always on satellite radio talking about it. He and the other doctors think it's a problem that is not looked being treated. The problem is people say they feel fine or don't know or don't want to know. Maybe they do feel fine and nothing is wrong. People have to stop the doctors that keep recommending this to the FMCA. So who has the correct answers OOIDA or Doctors who in theory are looking out for the drivers health. Because we are not doctors we may not have or see the their side.

    If people have proof that it's a bad thing and not worth checking they should post it so we can all see. If it's just a money scam then people should have some proof. Like a doctor that can say why is all fake. Like others said I bet it more comes down to money. Nobody wants to spend their money for a test that provides they don't have sleep apnea when no other job have the same requirements other then airlines.
     
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  9. dca

    dca Road Train Member

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    autonomous trucks and minimum wage will take care of that. excluding freight that requires humans to move
     
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  10. Dr.Lou

    Dr.Lou Light Load Member

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    Hmmm
    Looking at some of the porkers in the business, I am amazed they pass any physical. You all know what I am talking about. Not sure how they even climb into the cab let alone the trailer.

    In Nevada, if your medical card expires, your entire license is suspended, not just commercial privileges.
     
  11. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    That's part of the issue I have with the FMCSA rules and new regulations, they slammed the door on the driver pretty hard when they let their physical lapse, here they don't suspend it, the just revoke it and to get it back, you have to go through the entire process again, from test taking to a road test.

    What should be changed in the regulations is the stop the states from revoking it and suspend the cdl portion with no retesting of any sort, pay an administration fee and that's that.
     
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