Medications

The way it works is this - anything that can impair your driving a commercial vehicle is either off limits or needs a treating physician's explination and proof that it won't.

The drug you take I took, it can impair your driving skills because it is a muscle relaxant, I am no lightweight when it comes to these drugs and it did affect me. Besides the Pharma company that developed it, it has a package warning not to drive when taking, the FDA backs that.

The company is right, this can be a huge liability because of the possibility of litigation if there isn't at least a CYA moment by the company. This is why the TREATING physician needs to write up the information and qualify you to drive using it, the doc that wrote the script sometimes isn't the treating physician. A lot of insurance companies will not allow drivers using it to be able to drive because of the risks involved.

Now you don't have to take my word for it, the drug insert or package information is online and it isn't the WebMD version but a very long document to look at.

 

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The rules and regulations are quite clear, you’re just having a hard time understanding them.

The drug you’re taking is a liability for the company. So years later they decided it’s too much of a risk and are tightening up their act.

Dr’s performing DOT physicals ( for most it’s just a side gig with little rewards) have the right to decide what if any drugs they’re willing to allow..Heck, they could deny the certificate over Tylenol PM if they wanted to.

Every situation like yours is a risk for the company and the Dr. My wife was going to get certified to do the physicals but her colleagues warned her not to do it..reasons given were that Truck drivers in general don’t have the best of health and will lie just to get the certification.

If you’re stuck taking that medication with no alternative then just let them lay you off..take the summer off and relax.

Or just find another job..

Good luck

 

it is legal, that's part of the problem. The company has the right and obligation to limit drivers who could be - not are - unsafe. The entire industry has become a mess because of the drivers who lied about their health and this is what we have.

 

New regime, new rules and, most likely, new insurance carrier looking to tighten up how their insured operates as part of offering the coverage.

What may have been is now different and may not be simply the company covering butt; they may have been in a position where this is the only insurance carrier they can afford at this time. The margin between profit and bankrupt can be very narrow in trucking.

 

Thanks for letting us know.

 

You may have helped others in a similar situation.