DOT CDL Physical Requirements

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Department of Transportation Physical Requirements as outlined at www.fmcsa.dot.gov

Fed Reg 391.41

• No loss of foot, leg hand or arm.

• No impairment of hand or finger that interferes
  with power grasping or no impairment of arm, foot, leg that interferes with
  the ability to perform normal tasks of driving a motor vehicle.

• No history of diabetes that requires insulin for
  control.

• No current diagnosis of myocardial infarction,
  angina, pectoris, coronary insufficiency, thrombosis, or other cardio-vascular
  disease known to be accompanied by syncope, dyspnea, collapse or congestive
  heart failure.

• No history or diagnosis of respiratory
  dysfunction likely to interfere with the ability to control a motor vehicle.

• No current diagnosis of high blood pressure
  likely to interfere with driving a motor vehicle. (159/89 maximum)

• 
  No history or current diagnosis of rheumatic,
  orthopedic, muscular, neuromuscular, or vascular disease that interferes with
  the ability to control and operate a motor vehicle.

• No history or current diagnosis of epilepsy or
  any other condition that is likely to cause loss of consciousness.

• No mental, nervous, organic or functional
  disease of psychiatric disorder likely to interfere with operating a motor
  vehicle.

• Distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each
  eye, field of vision of at least 70 degrees and the ability to perceive red,
  yellow, green and amber.

• Ability to perceive a forced whisper in the
  better ear at no less than five feet, with or without use of a hearing aid.

• No use of a Schedule I drug, amphetamine,
  narcotic or any other habit forming drug.

• No current clinical diagnosis of alcoholism.

DOTJobHistory.com Commercial Drivers On-Line Access to their Employment History

DOTjobhistory has introduced a service that allows professional drivers to obtain a copy of their past five years’ employers according to Federal Government Department of Treasury records. The past employers are reported even if the employer is not listed on the “DAC Report,” is not a trucking company or has gone out of business.

The report lists employer name, address and earnings from each employer by year. Drivers must authorize the release of their information and results are typically available for review the same or next business day. Drivers may only obtain their own information and the information belongs to them—it is not provided to any other entity.

Commercial drivers are required by law to list past employers when applying for commercial driving jobs and these past employers are checked by prospective employers. An inaccurate employment application—such as a missing employer—can be the difference in getting a driving job.

The fee for the service is a one-time charge of $109 and, if authorized by the driver, includes the state Motor Vehicle Report (driving record), USIS “DAC Report,” Infraction/Misdemeanor/Felony Record Scan and Social Security Number/Identity Authentication Report—the information obtained by potential employers. DOTJobHistory also provides on-line tools at no additional charge that allows drivers to dispute information on their record. Using DOTJobHistory partners, drivers may share their driving record, “DAC Report” employment history and other information with potential employers on-line if they are seeking immediate employment.

“If drivers are looking for a new job, we allow them to quickly obtain their information, review it for accuracy and then use it to get the job they want,” said Derek Hinton, President of DOTJobHistory. “Even when a driver obtains his “DAC Report,” various employers are usually missing. The goal of this service is to empower proactive drivers so that they can prove experience and accurately complete job applications so they recoup their investment—and more—within the first weeks of employment.”

The service is tax deductible as a business expense and drivers can register for the service at www.dotjobhistory.com.

For more information contact DOTJobHistory.

CURRENT STATUS Truckers CDL PROGRAM

Over 8 million drivers have passed the knowledge and skills tests and obtained a CDL. Approximately 11 percent of these CDL drivers have been disqualified at least once during the period of April 1992 through June 1996.

Building on the success of the CDL program, the FMCSA is exploring ways to enhance and improve the effectiveness of the CDL program. Some of the current enhancements and future enhancements being considered include:

Current:

• Driver Data Exchange With Canada and Mexico.
• CDL Judicial Outreach Project (JOP).

Future:

• Graduated Commercial Licenses.
• Third Party CDL Knowledge Testing.
• Merging Medical Fitness Determination Into CDL Process.
• Simulator Validation for Training & Testing.

Cdl Disqualifications

• For conviction while driving a CMV , drivers must be disqualified and lose their privilege to drive for 60 to 120 days:
• Two or more serious traffic violations within a 3-year period. These include excessive speeding, reckless driving, improper or erratic lane changes, following the vehicle ahead too closely, and traffic offenses in connection with fatal traffic accidents 90 days to 5 years.
• One or more violations of an out-of-service order within a 10-year period.1 Year
• Driving under the influence of a controlled substance or alcohol; or
• Leaving the scene of an accident; or Using a CMV to commit a felony.3 Years:
• Any of the 1-year offenses while operating a CMV that is placarded for hazardous materials. Life
• Second offense of any of the 1-year or 3-year offenses; or Using a CMV to commit a felony involving manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing controlled substances.
• States have the option to reduce certain lifetime disqualifications to a minimum disqualification period of 10 years if the driver completes a driver rehabilitation program approved by the State.
• If a CDL holder is disqualified from operating a CMV, the State may issue him/her a license to operate non-CMVs. Drivers who are disqualified from operating a CMV can not be issued a “conditional” or “hardship” CDL or any other type of limited driving privileges to continue driving a CMV.
• For disqualification purposes, convictions for out-of-state violations will be treated the same as convictions for violations that are committed in the home State. The CDLIS will ensure that convictions a driver receives outside his or her home State are transmitted to the home State so that the disqualifications can be applied.

Truck driver Employer Notifications

Within 30 days of a conviction for any traffic violation, except parking, a driver must notify his/her employer, regardless of the nature of the violation or the type of vehicle which was driven at the time.

If a driver’s license is suspended, revoked, canceled, or if he/she is disqualified from driving, his/her employer must be notified. The notification must be made by the end of the next business day following receipt of the notice of the suspension, revocation, cancellation, lost privilege or disqualification.

Employers may not knowingly use a driver who has more than one license or whose license is suspended, revoked or canceled, or is disqualified from driving. Violation of this requirement may result in civil or criminal penalties.

BAC Standards for cdl truck driver’s

The FHWA has also established 0.04% as the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level at or above which a CMV driver is deemed to be driving under the influence of alcohol and subject to the disqualification sanctions in the Act. States maintain a BAC level between .08% and .10% for non-CMV drivers.

Commercial Driver’s License Information System

States must be connected to the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) and the National Driver Register (NDR) in order to exchange information about CMV drivers, traffic convictions, and disqualifications. A State must use both the CDLIS and NDR to check a driver’s record, and the CDLIS to make certain that the applicant does not already have a CDL. Members of the enforcement community seeking access to CDLIS data should visit the FMCSA Technical Support Web site. Carriers needing CDLIS data should seek a commercial company that provides a clearinghouse service for this information, or contact the driver’s State of licensure.

Truck driver who violates the CDL requirements

The Federal penalty to a driver who violates the CDL requirements is a civil penalty of up to $2,500 or, in aggravated cases, criminal penalties of up to $5,000 in fines and/or up to 90 days in prison. An employer is also subject to a penalty of up to $10,000, if he or she knowingly uses a driver to operate a CMV without a valid CD

Commercial drivers Other Requirements

There are a variety of other requirements related to this legislation which affect the commercial drivers, their employing motor carriers and the States.

CDL knowledge and skills testing Waiver Provisions

All active duty military drivers were waived from the CDL requirements by the Federal Highway Administrator. A State, at its discretion, may waive firefighters, emergency response vehicle drivers, farmers and drivers removing snow and ice in small communities from the CDL requirements, subject to certain conditions.

In addition, a State may also waive the CDL knowledge and skills testing requirements for seasonal drivers in farm-related service industries and may waive certain knowledge and skills testing requirements for drivers in remote areas of Alaska. The drivers are issued restricted CDLs. A State can also waive the CDL hazardous materials endorsement test requirements for part-time drivers working for the pyrotechnics industry, subject to certain conditions.

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