Trucking school Physical exam

Eye test is looking for BASIC visual ability. I think you need 20-40 or better. And they test for colorblindness.

Company physicals are a little more strict on new-hire than on subsequent DOT medial exams after you are hired.

The 3 things that get many drivers jammed up are
1. neck size/BMI, because that may trigger a sleep test to detect sleep apnea. If you are obviously "a person of size' then almost ANYTHING you say or do will confirm to the office worker in scrubs you need a sleep test and CPAP until you prove otherwise.
2. Blood sugar test. As long as you are not on daily insulin injection, and I think they now allow some of that, you can get a DOT medical card. That's to say, if you have diabetes and keep it controlled with pills, you can probably get/keep your medical card. In the past, as soon as you were put on insulin injections, you lost your card.
3. Blood pressure. If you can keep your BP under 140/90 you can still get a 2 years medical card.Once you admit using BP medication or your BP is routinely over 140/90 you are likely getting a 1 year medical card. There is very little reason, besides convenience of only getting examined every 2 years versus 1 year, to worry a 1 year card will hurt your job prospects. Health issues aside, a driver with a 1 year card is just as hire able as a driver with a 2 year medical card. There may be some highly specialized driving I'm not aware of where they only hire drivers with 2 year cards, but in 25 years I haven't heard of it.

 

Here's some photos of Stevens Trucking Company:
Job Opportunities — Stevens Trucking
https://www.stevenstrucking.com/job-opportunities

 

I have never blood pressure tested in the 140 range. I test in the 130 range, stage 1 hypotension and get a 1 year card from it. But I do not think my BP is normally in that range, I think it's 120 range normally, but I do not test myself on my own time. Usually when I go for check ups and dental visits they have told me in the past my BP is fine.

 

Well i got bp tested today at 125. So thats better. I should have a 2 year card coming.

But I am STILL waiting for the doctor! Over an hour now to finish this up sitting in the doc room wearing their blue britches. At the Concentra.

 

Concentra is the worst place to get a physical.
One time Concentra said my BP was too high. I sat there for awhile and another person came in the room and asked if my physical is complete. I said, no, BP machine cuff is too small, so I'm waiting. (I made that up about the cuff being too small). The person tested me with a larger cuff and I passed, so she told me I'm ok, to wait in the waiting room. Place seems disorganized, so it's better to not reveal anything about yourself. Anything you reveal will be used as a club to beat you over the head with and fail you.

 

Concentra on 98 in Lakeland, FL doesn’t have a scale. They ask you your height and weight. As far as BMI goes, the ball is in your court

 

Well I had to wait a long time for the doctor to finalize my medical card. But at least I got a 2-year card now. Maybe it's just because my other physicals were taken at my terminal.

I didn't eat or drink anything before my physical. Not even water. I stayed standing the whole time I waited in the lobby and I made sure to take a lot of deep breaths per @WesternPlains suggestion in a thread he made.

One or all of the above helped and I don't have to mess with that again until 2022.