What's to stop me from forging a medical card?

You can get a sleep study done for $200 through Aero Flow

 

What paint?

All examiners have to be registered with the feds.. I'm sure your state dot would research validity of examination.

 

That would be good for some folks to note.

 

The bold part is correct, but the card and the DOT physical is another issue.

If the doc is a registered DOT doc, they have an obligation to confirm the card is valid, the company, the state and any law enforcement agent can ask that question without divulging medical information.

See I think you don't understand that the card is a qualifier, subject to confirmation and the dot registered docs know this and have to abide by the regulations.

One of the mitigating issues for the docs are that they are licensed by the feds and they can lose their license to do physicals which may not be a big deal but then every physical they did can be deemed invalid and the drivers are screwed because their signature is on that card and they are the responsible party for that card.

Furthermore I have the right as an employer to confirm that card is valid, it is my responsibility under the FMCSA and US DOT regulations, not to forget all 50 states have the same requirement or use the FMCSA/US DOT regs. SO as part of my process, I or my manager or the background company calls and asks the question if it is valid or not. I require a confirmation of not just the validity of the card but the physical and expiration date too.

If your auditor called your doctor and got an office idiot (I worked in many offices so I know what goes on there), it is possible to hear this. On the other hand if the auditor asked to confirm if your card is valid, then they have to answer. There is no warrant needed.

There is no real privacy laws in effect here, even the company can ask for medical records pertaining to the physical part, we work in an exempt federally regulated industry and the feds made sure that there is this exemption.

 

I can support the idea that the trucker is essentially Public Property. Therefore whatever trucker does or is doing has to be checked so that same is safe to be running around many people who do not know anything about 18 wheelers at all.

Doctors are a strange bunch. Ive gone through about approx 20 plus in the last couple of years before I found one who is so worth keeping up to date with what's going on. That doctor is backed by a bigger doctor in charge of the whole clinic with a formidable payroll etc. He is a very good doctor and is three steps ahead of whatever issue I might bring to him. But we do not communicate well I build on words the way people build buildings. He has no use or time for so many words because he has already decided how it will go and I needed to understand what is going to happen tomorrow. That can get difficult.

In the old days you had a personal doctor who also if you were smart, held FAA Examinination and also DOT examination etc among other things worthy of gaining people who needs these kinds of exams. I think for the most part that has been gone bye bye because perhaps no individual driver should enjoy such a advantage compared to say Concentra clinic stuffed with 200 people whom you will never see again after they get through the form with you.

 

In the old days, the FMCSA didn't require a medical professional to be certified to administer the exam, they changed that to allow the system of paperless records to be in place. To me it is being treated as a pilot but with one big mistake on their part, they allow the states to suspend and later revoke the license if the physical isn't done before the expiration date - one reason why I'm giving up my CDL when my license is renewed, my state will charge me for the suspension of the CDL plus charge me for the entire renewal of the license (which is a joke my costs now is over $145).

 

I always knew the Powers that be will eventually get theirs sorted so that the little person won't have much to go on.

For lack of a better complaint, It's getting to where attempting to improve one's lot in life is becoming sort of illegal.