Company DOT physical

Perhaps, ive always wondered what it was like inside a telephone exchange. Its AT&T that operates the landlines in Kentucky, it was bell south before 2006.
My experience with their telephone technicians is that they seem knowledgeable and know what they are doing. The network is definitely old.. I was told by the telephone tech that the cabinet that serves my street has been in service since the 70's (the reason why I can't get DSL). Im not the only one with it though, theirs 4 other people on my street that have a PSTN line. (Mainly because the cell phone service is lousy here.)

This is what the FMCSA told me when I called them to ask about this. Strange thing too is that the FMCSA also told me that it was still legal for me to drive on my old physical.. there again though, that was also before I realized that Swift failed me on my physical.
I will probably proceed with the Jrayl route, but ill bring the mental evaluation with me in case they decide to do a another physical. I also went back to the same Psychologist and took a test, 16pf I believe its called. So, ill take the results of that test with me too, as the test results can't be disputed legally according to the Psychologist.

No, I dont have any of that.. just ADHD. What is funny though, is that I had no issue with getting a 2 year card; and I told the examiner the same thing I did swift. But swift decides that they want me to jump through unnecessary hoops in the name of "being legal". (FMCSA has told me that Swift was having me do more than necessary for legality.)

 

ADHD is not a disqualifying condition, neither is taking stimulants in treatment of it. Even stimulants that are not allowed for other drivers.

It is called out in two sections in the examiners handbook.

FMCSA Medical Examiner Handbook

The "Central Nervous System Stimulant Therapy" section covers and explicitly points out that ADHD is not a disqualifying condition.
The "Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" section will put in the requirements.

I am guessing that they saw you had a 2 year, which those sections do not allow for, and figured it was possible you were hiding something and that he needed to dig in deeper. What are the hoops? Most likely it is just a medical release form to your doctor to make sure you don't suffer from the listed disqualifiers.

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is a descriptive manual and thus unless you can convince a ME that you are safe and considered safety with your doctor they will often want to talk to them directly. If next time you print out those two sections of the examiners handbook and bring a copy of your doctors medical release form, ready to fill out and fax to your doctor they will feel a lot more comfortable and they will probably feel comfortable enough without contacting your doctor.

The nice thing about it being called out explicitly as a "non-disqualifying condition" is that if you meet the recommendations in the examiners handbook you are probably good to go....the downside is that you will need to meet the requirements in the examiners handbook.

 

Some of those are amphetamine based meds. They redone a bunch of meds on DQ list within last few years.

 

dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate, and pemoline and other CNS stimulants are covered in the examiners guide that I provided a link to above.

Amphetamine based meds are allowed for drivers with ADHD if they meet the requirements.

 

I used to take methylphenidate to treat my ADHD until 5 years ago. The medical examiner gave me some paperwork for a doctor to fill out regarding my ADHD. I chose a specific Psychologist, because I have seen this one before; and I knew that a Psychologist would be the most qualified to evaluate me mentally. However, Swift's medical examiner rejected the paperwork from my Psychologist; stating that she wanted me to go see a Psychiatrist instead. (Theres two things wrong with this.. first of all; she didn't specify a type of practice to go to to fill out her paperwork. 2nd of all, a Psychiatrist mainly prescribes medication for a disability.. having him attempt a mental evaluation would be a opinion at best.)
I still have the evaluation paperwork that she rejected, I would show it but it has too much personal information on it.

 

@Chinatown will know

 

I said I would provide an update, so here it is. I'm on the end of week 2 Now for training. So it doesnt look like I'll need to do another physical until my current one expires. So far my impression of Jrayl is good. (Minus their no smoking in truck policy, but that's a discussion for a different thread.)

 

I will council being VERY careful with these 2nd physicals. If a medical examiner actually states this driver is NOT medically qualified to drive, AND this has been transmitted to the FMCSA you can't just get another physical. I know of several people right now that are having problems with this in regard to sleep apnea. If a ME disqualifies a driver and that physical is in the FMCSA database, you can be charged with doctor shopping and have that 2nd physical taken out IF you have not reported this information to that 2nd ME. Nothing wrong with a 2nd opinion, just make sure that 2nd ME knows about that first physical. Most MEs will not override another ME without a good reason. This is why some drivers can't get physicals. In some situations, the FMCSA has been known to hold a physical that overrides until evidence is provided to them that all is well. Back on the subject of one ME overriding another. If a ME does, and a driver goes on to have a medical issue while driving that ME takes on severe liability and can be sued.

 

What cancels the still valid physical if the next one is failed or for a 4 month? Does the PA send it in or do I have to take it to the DMV myself?