Attach my physical to my license?

Indiana needs more people in the state. Sometimes there are almost 6 inches of interstate highway not occupied by a dufus tailgating another dufus at highway speeds and everyone in the left lane on a cellphone.

 

The delay we are discussing is a delay of the requirement for the Medical Examiners to upload the info rather than you having to take your med card to the DMV. Swift and your employer are not part of the equation and have no say at all.

 

CDL's have Current and Valid Medical DOT cards attached to them. In my state that process is easily done by presenting to the DMV (Revenuer to you dear neighbors) a valid current recent DOT long form and a signing of a written affidavit under oath to the state that you are now a valid Tier One Driver with CDL and Medical intending to go Interstate and INTRASTATE commerce with no restrictions.

That was linked to CDL's a few years ago. The one exception was under our then new grandfathered rules for existing CDL holders like myself who DO NOT qualify medically to drive at all OTR or anything. The Revenuer explained to us this way. This is a sworn affidavit that has to be signed at renewal of CDL A for what they called TIER TWO which says I can continue to possess that CDL A in my pocket and it's endorsements and so forth WITHOUT a medical card.

The 4 purposes under which that license may be used, one example would be hauling dead bodies with a 18 wheeler out of a disaster earthquake hit area or nuclear attack somewhere in the USA as explained to me. And it will be legal for me to touch a 18 wheeler for that purpose without a medical at any time.

Many states have other Tiers, some involving farm work or other very specific uses of 18 wheelers. With or without medical cards.

Again bottom line, someone made a change a few years ago creating a situation now where your CDL IS tied TO YOUR CURRENT and VALID medical DOT Exams that are recent time period. If you do not possess one, you cannot participate (Or work) in Interstate or Intrastate commerce. Until you go to your DMV and sort that out. Either with a fresh valid DOT medical exam or a signing of your state's equivalent of my Tier Two paper. (Which will put you out of work OTR etc)

Essentially when a trucker who possess a CDL is no longer able medically to pass a long form DOT Exam and get a valid medical to go get tied to the current CDL, by definition you are disabled medically in some way from OTR work.

I am speaking plainly for myself under my own experiences. One of the most common problems Ive had to fight for all my life literally with orientation companies and their doctors is to pass the hearing part of the DOT exam and get that long form so we can get started OTR that week. I am one of what I think of very few deaf people who ran or run a 18 wheeler OTR today or before in the past since the mid 80's when deaf people with hearing aids began to be allowed to get Class A for trucking. (*Long story) I am probably one of 5 of these from the Maryland area who touched big rigs using hearing aids or being deaf. It is not that common. (Or wanted in those days.)

Go to the DMV and get this sorted quickly. Your CDL depends on this. If you do not have a valid medical and do not sign the right papers to your state, you probably will have that CDL taken away from you and reduced to a car license. This is not a scare tactic. It's a new world out there now. (I turned mine in a few years ago to make life a little bit easier for myself as a medical patient and it's not worth for me to take a big truck into say a nuked DC to get bodies. I wont do it.)

In the end, I mourn these new times we live in. It';s really invasive to way too many truckers in my mind to have to fight and scratch for a chance to earn a dollar out there. Makes me sick sometimes what hoops and tricks one must do to get and keep a trucking job which is not that difficult. It would be easier to hire onto a fast food place and spout, would you like fries with that sir? instead.