Diabetes and needles ??

With all due respect stuntdad, in the opinion of this old retired federal DOT official, the posts here were not intended to place "blocks" in your way. We're merely stating the facts. We respect the fact that you wish to provide for your family, and earn an honest living.

But the rules were placed there by a government entity whose only job is to provide for the safety of people, not only the driving public, but yours as well. What would go through your mind if (and we're not saying you would, but if) while driving you passed out and injured or killed someone including just yourself in a single vehicle incident? What would your family do if you were convicted of a criminal offense as that result and went to prison because you passed out, not to mention the civil litigation for the injuries/deaths where the attorney from 800-lawyers filed the civil litigation against you, the motor carrier for whom you worked, and their insurance company? Could you afford to lay out literally millions of dollars in an event such as that? These may be "blocks" in your opinion, but they are there simply to protect people no different than a safety belt in your car.

The Commonwealth of PA has some very strange rules Re. civil litigation. Here's one example: I distinctly remember a case around 2000/2001 where a jury in the Bucks County area (it happened down by the river and the old baseball park) ruled against a truck driver that was driving at 3 or 4 in the A.M., and a drunk rear-ended the trailer killing the drunk. The jury ruled in favor of the estate of the drunk. The jury ruled that if the truck wouldn't have been on the road at that time the accident/incident wouldn't have transpired.

Here's another one albeit a criminal one that I have photos of on a CD: Around 2002 or 3 truck driver who lived in South Carolina was going West on I-90 just East of Erie in a snow storm hit a state police car that was parked over the top of a hill and mostly parked in the driving lane, and couldn't be seen until the driver crested the hill. The truck driver hit the car. There was a trainee officer in the car. Upon impact the back of the cops head impacted with the shotgun rack ( a rack not dissimilar than what we used to have in our trucks when I grew up on the farm). It ripped out half of the trainees brain killing him. The impact of the truck didn't kill the officer, the gun rack did. In fact expert witness testimony at the drivers' criminal trial clearly indicated the trainee would still be alive if not for the gun rack. Within 48-hours after the incident all those gun racks were removed from the cars. The police union had been after the commonwealth for about 5-years to remove them because of this specific danger. The truck driver was convicted of 2'nd degree murder & spent 9-years in state prison. He was 34 years old. He lost his CDL for life, not to mention that he became mentally incompetent thinking about it and committed suicide with a .38 calibre revolver. He left a wife and 3 children all under the age of 15. In the civil litigation filed by the widow, the motor carrier and driver lost to the tune of 18 million.

We don't wish to see a motor carrier placed permanently out of service for violating the rules simply because that company respected your integrity and gave you a chance. But as a former federal agent I have done that. We don't wish to see you issued criminal charges for your failure to disclose your insulin dependency. I have also had the misfortune of doing that as well but it was my job and I have never felt so bad in my life when I did things like that.

Have we been attempting to discourage you? Yes, probably so. But we know a little bit more about the industry than you. I have been involved in the transportation industry since 1962. I was flying aircraft off 2 carriers in Vietnam around the time you were born. I think that gives me the right to offer what most people here think is good information. Must you heed that information?.....not at all. But what we are suggesting is that you consider all the ramifications of your actions many of which you don't even know about, and surely haven't even thought about.

But you don't need to listen to us. Instead, why don't you have your wife, mother, father, or your closest relative read all these posts, starting with yours. Ask them what they think assuming you have more respect for them than you do of our good intentions and knowledge.

Those rules for insulin dependency were placed there in the 1970's. Why were they specifically placed there? I don't know. But what I do know is that every rule in the book regarding driving a commercial motor vehicle was placed there because something bad transpired involving a commercial driver that killed or maimed someone.

 

There are medical cards at truck stops that guys fill out all the time. That's all good until you get in a jam or have an inspector that is sharper than you. Falsifying records or reports by itself is a huge fine in my State. lts alot of zero's at the end of the citation. Or if your involved in a serious wreck and we audit your carrier and obtain all driver qualification files very easy to see fradulent documents. Real easy to request a subpeona from your "alleged doctor" and see what records they have on you. Or discover there is no such doctor out there , as there must be a doctor's medial license number on the card. Then you may also meet the criteria of Manslaughter if you kill someone in a wreck and you were not suppose to be out on the road. Then you have the civil liability, the penalties from FMCSA or you State Agency that conducts Compliance Reviews. Here's a hint, FMCSA has looked into and wants to implement having controlled numbers, like our citations, on the medical cards and only have certified Doctors that FMCSA has on a list to give out Medicals. As an inspector we will be able to access a database, much like the license and registration databases we use daily, to verify your medical. Can't imagine how many tickets we will write for lying idiots then. You need to get your waiver through FMCSA and do it the right way. It will be cheaper in the long run and your rear end may be covered a little better than doing whatever you want to.

 

Getting the insulin waiver has been a hassle in Decatur, Il for my husband Dr.'s don't seem to want to take responsibility to sign the application. Anyone know of any Dr.'s in Il. that are familiar with this waiver for Diabetes?

 

I just send all of my paperwork in for my waiver and am waiting for the decision from the FMCSA. I'm hoping to come back to driving a CMV OTR or local..All I want to do is make a living so I can provide for my family again.

 

I only have to take pills 2x a day & they are concerned! Look for other work unless you are an "immigrant"! I can't get hired due to this!

 

Why are they concerned with you only taking pills 2x a day? Is it because your A1C is high or your blood reading are up and down ? I've put alot of time and money into this not to continue with it. I started with diet and then pills and then insulin...My first doctor didn't do the right test and said I was a type 2 but I'am a type 1..I've been on a insulin pump now for 4 years. I found that it's helped out a heck of alot.

 

Good for you!!!!!!!!!! I wish you success.

From a retired federal DOT official

 

Thank You psanderson!!!! I'm hoping that I can find someone that might take me on again...Been awhile but it's just like riding a bike....But with some rule changes...

 

Thank You psanderson!!!! I'm hoping that I can find someone that might take me on again driving for them...Been awhile but it's just like riding a bike....But with some rule changes...