DOT physicals

Not true, you must self certify, but you don't need to have a card until you pass and are ready for your license.

http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Driver-Services/Commercial-Driver/Pages/Commercial-Driver's-License.aspx

 

True, you can self certify, but unless you are worried about passing the cdl, might as well get it over with as gonna have to do it anyways.

 

Your school will want you to have one unless they give them at the school so you wont have to take off a day of training to go get the card to get your cdl license. Training isnt really long enough as it is to be able to afford taking a day off to go get one.

Do the smart thing and get it over with before you go, unless the school you are going to handles such things. I am getting rdy to go to Roadmaster and they have their own doctor for that. So find out what your school wants, as 3 weeks of training is short enough without taking off a day that cld be better spent getting extra backing and pretrip practice in.

 

Don't let a doctor scam you into a sleep apnea study. I'ts expensive and will delay you by several months in getting your CDL.

 

Do not go to concentra, they are into making money off sleep study's.

 

When you see a local trucker, fuel oil delivery, dump truck driver at a gas station ask them where they got their physical. Chances are they are being sent to a "non anal" facility.

 

REALLY watch out for the sleep apnea scam. Get the doctor/clinic's name and do a good google search. Some of these guys will order a sleep study if you're 10 pounds overweight, even though the regs DO NOT require that. Also, you are allowed to get a second opinion. If the second doc will sign off on your card, you're good.

 

There are several DOT physical threads in these forums. I have tried to add to some of them this. At first the FMCSA did have sleep apnea rules. This is where the guidelines came from. Congress slapped their hands and the FMCSA took them off their website. This is why some of the large clinics have invested in sleep labs and several carriers such as Crete did as well. At some point these guidelines will be back as a FMCSA regulation. This is one reason I tell drivers that are overweight to try to lose the weight. I have an appointment Friday with a physician who I think will schedule me for a sleep study. Not for a DOT physical but just to make sure im OK. Remember your health is the most important thing. I do think the FMCSA is making a mountain out of a mole hill with this sleep apnea thing but I also feel that if you have any sleep related disease it is best to get it diagnosed and treated.

 

If there's one in your area, try a CVS minute clinic, or the Little Clinic inside of Kroegers grocery. Usually very quick and pretty cheap and not a lot of BS