Potential new driver has a class date

Oh man, that is funny as hell. I just sat here laughing at that comforter for a solid minute. I'm still laughing. It's awesome though. You and your wife have reached the ultimate compromise. Maybe you could get into marriage counseling! Although I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall during those Browns/Steelers games...

Legends sounds great. Beers it is! Been reading your thread on your experience with Millis training in Trenton. Great information. For instance taking the test in Wisconsin versus Ohio, paying for the test (didn't know that-not a big deal though). But most of all, I am really excited and pleased to hear that the excellent interaction I've had with Peggi pre-training continues once you get out on the road. It just seems like from everything I read, Millis is pretty much unparalleled in terms of companies that train and take on new drivers.

Thanks again for all the info and the willingness to spend a little time.

 

Dude! It's incredible. People would buy that just to hang it on a wall. I'd love to have it for my rec room or man cave just to see what kind of conversation it drums up. While I'm not sure we will ever see peace on earth, you have made something that has brings peace and laughter to an otherwise very depressed Browns fan.

I salute you!!!

 

There sure is a hell of a lot of information out there about trucking. The challenge has been sifting through it all and sorting out that bad from the good. For me, the whole tone and quality of the information coming out of the Millis forums and YouTube always seemed to stand out.

All I know is the more I watch these videos on backing the more I start to poop my pants. Today I got off an exit in my city---it's a street I know and while the exit didn't indicate it, the road was closed. Right off of the exit. With my Toyota--no problem. If I'd been in a truck- disaster. Made me think...

Look forward to seeing you down there in Trenton on the the 25th.

 

I obtained my first ever DOT medical certificate. It was fairly painless. First thing I did was get online and Google search terms like "DOT physical Ohio," "DOT Medical Certificate near me," and "DOT Medical Certificate for CLP"---etc... I had no idea where to go. I finally decided on a CVS Minute Clinic up the street from where I live. Not that I'm endorsing CVS or suggesting that everyone will have the same good experience I had, but here's how it worked out for me----

I had never been to a CVS Minute Clinic. I checked it out online, confirmed my CVS had a DOT certified medical examiner at my location and called the store. Even though the website indicated that these Minute Clinics take walk-ins, I'm glad I called because the DOT certified examiner at my location only works certain days. It just so happened that this CVS location's medical examiner was working the day I called so I headed up to the CVS store and within an hour of arriving, I walked out with my two-year certificate! Frankly, I was surprised by just how speedy and professional it was.

If you go to one of these CVS Minute Clinics, it is unlikely that you will be examined by a doctor. In my case, I was examined by a physician's assistant. She was great! She was very knowledgeable and outlined in advance what tests she would be performing. I'm 44, so right smack in the heart of middle age, so I think she was trying to prepare me for the reality that I might have high blood pressure or high sugar levels, or something else disqualifying.

She explained that if my blood pressure was under 140/90 that she could issue a full two-year certificate so long as everything else went ok. Fortunately, I was good (118/84 thank you very much---I'm not dead yet!) Not bad for 44. If your blood pressure is 140-159/90-99, your two-year certificate becomes a 1-year certificate. If it is 160-179/100-109, then she said that in such an event she could only issue a 3-month certificate, which is essentially designed to give a CDL candidate or driver the opportunity to lower their blood pressure in order to obtain the one-year or two-year certificate. If it's over 179/109 by the way, then you're disqualified.

Also, keep in mind, whatever company you are going to drive for could very well have their own standards. In other words, I have to assume that a private company might have a policy that is MORE restrictive than DOT (but not less restrictive). If you know you have high blood pressure, I would highly recommend getting it under control prior to walking into the medical examiner's office blind. And if you are in my age bracket and you haven't had your blood pressure checked in a while, I'd check it before I walked into that office and get an idea of where you are at and if you have a problem before a medical examiner identifies it for you.

Be prepared to spend most of your time filling out the "DOT long form,"---or as the United States Department of Transportation prefers to call it, the "Medical Examination Report Form for Commercial Driver Certification, DOT Form MCSA-5875." The form primarily concerns your medical history and any current medical conditions and medications. It's about 7 pages, 5 of which the driver/applicant essentially fills out. Her questions to me basically came right off the form. I would recommend taking a look at the form before you go in. Just about any medical condition you can think of is covered and if you state you have had just about any of the listed medical conditions in the past you will be required to provide the details of that condition and further elaborate---in writing---on a federal form. I assume lying on this form is probably a very bad thing---like federal offense kind of bad. Here's the official government link to a PDF of the form.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmc...Medical Examination Report Form MCSA-5875.pdf

In addition to the questions, filling out the form and taking your blood pressure, the examiner will have you piss in a cup and will do a urine test to determine your sugar levels as an indicator of pre-diabetes. Obviously, you will also be tested for full blown diabetes. The urine test also looks for several other issues including Kidney disease among others. She explained exactly what she was looking for and was very upfront about that. At least at the CVS Minute Clinic, the urine test consisted of the physician's assistant literally dipping a test strip in the urine bottle right there in front of meand testing it just like you test a swimming pool! She just held the test strip up to a color chart, went through the various conditions she was testing for and told me, "Congratulations. No problems." It was almost over but not ready to bust out the champagne yet...

The final series of tests started with a vision test that wasn't much different than the one you get at the BMV when you renew your "civilian" license. You'll also be tested for color vision. The color test isn't very extensive. It focuses on the colors you need to be able to distinguish to operate a commercial motor vehicle. While I'm not color blind, I had previously in my life taken a FAA vision test for my Third Class Medical when I was taking flying lessons. The FAA test was worse---for whatever that comparison is worth. Your hearing will be tested, probably using the "whisper test." She stood about 5 feet away, whispered something, and I repeated back what she said.

If you research these DOT medical exams online you will hear about some drivers talking about having to crawl around on the floor or crouch down and walk around like a duck, but the standard DOT physical does NOT include these elements. Some companies pay a third party to conduct the DOT physical along with other occupational related testing and/or a drug testing. For my purposes, Millis requires only the basic DOT physical prior to starting school. You will most likely not have to waddle around like a duck, get naked, or be subject to a full cavity search or anything too horrid. I assume new potential drivers would talk to their recruiters about their particular companies. Millis's recruiting department was helpful and told me exactly what I needed to do, but I would recommend taking some initiative and preparing a bit for it, especially if like a fine whiskey, you've been aging in the barrel for 44 years.

Honestly, it had the feel of a basic yearly physical with the added benefit of a lengthy federal form. Once the examination was complete, the physician's assistant filled out two certificates for me, a pocket sized one, and one that was a full page. She also provided me with the entire long form, which the Ohio BMV requires you to present when you test for your temporary permit (CLP). She then registered me in a federal commercial driver's database and did it online right in front of me so that I could see everything was done.

That's it in a nutshell. Oh, the exam cost $108.00. If you are heading to school with Millis, that expense is on you. I can't speak for the other companies obviously, but it makes sense and I suppose you would foot the medical exam bill with any company. I wouldn't really expect Millis foot the bill for determining if I'm medically qualified to work for them when I haven't even started school yet. In other words, they have no idea whether I'm going to be a super trucker or a super loser. Part of this whole hiring process is obviously about proving yourself a bit and demonstrating your ability to navigate through some minor federal bureaucracy prior to Millis allowing you to navigate one of their 80,000-pound trucks down the road.

So, I'm going to continue to study for my written tests some this weekend and will head to the BMV Tuesday armed with my newly minted medical certificate, hot off the presses, thanks to the CVS Minute Clinic. Hope this helps someone.

 

See, I should have called you first. It looked like you had a pretty crappy week though, so didn't want to bother you. Thanks, Man.