Do I need a DOT Medical Card?

A common question is:

When do I need a DOT Medical Card? or Who needs a DOT Medical Card?
The obvious answer is for people who have and maintain a commercial driver's license (CDL). But there are other situations where a DOT medical card is required, even when a CDL is not.


From the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):
Medical certification in accordance with FMCSA physical qualification standards is required when the driver is operating a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce that:

• Has a combined gross vehicle weight or weight rating of 10,0001 lbs. or more.
• Is designed or used to transport 9-15 passengers (including the driver) for compensation.
• Is designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers (including the driver) whether for compensation or not.
• Transports hazardous materials in quantities that require placarding under the hazardous materials regulations.
• When a driver returns from an illness or injury that interferes with driving ability, the driver must undergo a medical examination even if the medical examiner's certificate has not expired.

The medical examiner is responsible for certifying only drivers who meet the physical qualification standards. Certification cannot exceed 2 years, and at the discretion of the FMCSA medical examiner, may be less than 2 years. The Federal Vision and Diabetes Exemption Programs require annual medical certification.

The medical examiner's certificate expires at midnight of the day, month, and year written on the certificate. There is no grace period on the expiration. The driver must be re-examined and recertified to continue to drive legally.

Other DOT medical card (CDL physical exam) requirements are posted as follows:

• DOT medical card: Blood Pressure
• DOT medical card: Vision
• CDL Hearing Requirements

Need a DOT Medical Card in Portland? Call us at (503) 774-3778 to schedule your physical exam.  We're often able to accommodate walk-ins.

CDL Hearing Requirements

What are the hearing requirements for a CDL physical exam?


The short answer is:

• Candidates must first perceive a forced whispered voice from a distance of at least 5 ft., with or without hearing aid, OR
• have an average hearing loss in the better ear < 40 dB

DOT regulations further describe this as follows:
§391.41(b)(11)
A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person:
First perceives a forced whispered voice in the better ear at not less than 5 feet with or without the use of a hearing aid, or, if tested by use of an audiometric device, does not have an average hearing loss in the better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid when the audiometric device is calibrated to American National Standard (formerly ADA Standard) Z24.5-1951.
Since the prescribed standard under the FMCSRs is the American Standards Association (ANSI), it may be necessary to convert the audiometric results from the ISO standard to the ANSI standard. Instructions are included on the Medical Examination report form.
If an individual meets the criteria by using a hearing aid, the driver must wear that hearing aid and have it in operation at all times while driving. Also, the driver must be in possession of a spare power source for the hearing aid.

What is a forced whisper test?
For the whispered voice test, the individual should be stationed at least 5 feet from the examiner with the ear being tested turned toward the examiner. The other ear is covered. Using the breath which remains after a normal expiration, the examiner whispers words or random numbers such as 66, 18, 23, etc. The examiner should not use only sibilants (s sounding materials). The opposite ear should be tested in the same manner. If the individual fails the whispered voice test, the audiometric test should be administered.
If an individual meets the criteria by the use of a hearing aid, the following statement must appear on the Medical Examiner's Certificate "Qualified only when wearing a hearing aid."
(See Hearing Disorders and Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers at: http://www/fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/medrports.htm)

Other DOT medical card (CDL physical exam) requirements are posted as follows:

• DOT medical card: Blood Pressure
• DOT medical card: Vision
• Do I need a DOT Medical Card?

Call Manual Medicine & Rehab today, and come in for your medical card.

DOT Medical Card - Vision Requirements

DOT medical cards requires testing of major body systems... including vision.

In short, DOT medical card requirements for vision are:

• 20/40 vision in each eye, tested separately on a Snellen chart.  This requirement can be met with, or without corrective lenses (glasses, contact lenses).
• At least 70° peripheral vision on both sides.
• Be able to recognize the traffic colors of green, amber, and red

These requirements are listed under §391.41(b)(10):
A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person:
Has distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye with or without corrective lenses or visual acuity separately corrected to 20/40 (Snellen) or better with corrective lenses, distant binocular acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen) in both eyes with or without corrective lenses, field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal meridian in each eye, and the ability to recognize the colors of traffic signals and devices showing standard red, green, and amber.
The term "ability to recognize the colors of" is interpreted to mean if a person can recognize and distinguish among traffic control signals and devices showing standard red, green and amber, he or she meets the minimum standard, even though he or she may have some type of color perception deficiency. If certain color perception tests are administered, (such as Ishihara, Pseudoisochromatic, Yarn) and doubtful findings are discovered, a controlled test using signal red, green and amber may be employed to determine the driver's ability to recognize these colors.
Contact lenses are permissible if there is sufficient evidence to indicate that the driver has good tolerance and is well adapted to their use. Use of a contact lens in one eye for distance visual acuity and another lens in the other eye for near vision is not acceptable, nor telescopic lenses acceptable for the driving of commercial motor vehicles.
If an individual meets the criteria by the use of glasses or contact lenses, the following statement shall appear on the Medical Examiner's Certificate: "Qualified only if wearing corrective lenses."
CMV drivers who do not meet the Federal vision standard may call (202) 366-1790 for an application for a vision exemption.

Other DOT medical card (CDL physical exam) requirements are posted as follows:

• DOT medical card: Blood Pressure
• DOT medical card: Hearing
• Do I need a DOT Medical Card?

Portland Weather Hazards

For the most part, Portland weather is predictable. Often it rains. But once in a while, weather like we're getting now comes along and causes havoc on the city - traffic accidents. So if you've been in a crash, come talk to us. At Manual Medicine & Rehabilitation, we almost exclusively treat auto injuries. Our passion is helping you get better. If you're heading out and want to check road conditions, try these links to make life easier - and safer: ODOT Traffic Cameras Traffic Cams Portland

DOT Drug Test - Randomly selected more than once per year?

Ocassionally questions regarding DOT drug testing procedures comes up. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) such as:

• Why did I get selected for random drug testing MORE THAN ONCE this year?
• I already got selected for random DOT drug tests.  I know other people didn't get picked...
• Am I more likely to get picked for random drug tests if my name begins with the letter...
• Is the boss singling me out? I just did a random last month?
• Joe, never gets tested? I don’t think this thing is random at all!

The Department of Transportation (DOT) drug testing policies are well outlined in 49 CFR Part 40, but to clarify the answer:

"EVERYONE in the pool must have an equal chance of being selected and tested in EACH selection period."

"The reality is that in a truly random selection process, a high probability exists that some employees will be selected several times while others may never be selected.
"Why? Because after each selection, the employee’s name is returned to the same pool, and he or she becomes just as likely as anyone else to be selected next time."

So while it may feel like you were singled out, it's just the random selection process working like it should. At Manual Medicine & Rehabilitation Chiropractic clinic in Portland OR, we use computer software to randomize the process for our DOT Drug consortium. More answers about the requirements can be found here.

DOT Physical Exam : Blood Pressure

Manual Medicine & Rehabilitation is a chiropractic clinic offering a wide variety of services.  Walk in DOT Physical Exams are often available at Manual Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Many ask about the medical requirements for CDL physicals. The most prohibitive requirement for commercial truck drivers getting DOT Physical Medical cards is high blood pressure (hypertension).

Below are the FMCSA's blood pressure requirements for first time exams, and recertification.


Other DOT medical card (CDL physical exam) requirements are posted as follows:

• DOT medical card: Vision
• DOT medical card: Hearing
• Do I need a DOT Medical Card?

 Call today, and come in for your medical card.

New Changes to DOT Drug Testing - Portland OR

For those of you in the transportation industry, including truck drivers, trucking company owner/operators the following information may be important for you:

As of October 1st, 2010, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has new mandatory guidelines that will be affecting future drug testing as per 49 CFR Part 40.

• MDMA (Ecstasy) and 6-Acetylmorphine (Heroin) will become required screens in the DOT drug testing panels.  This is in addition to the THC (Marijuana), COC (Cocaine), PCP, OPI, and AMP (Amphetamines).
• Initial screening and confirmation cutoff levels for cocaine and amphetamines will be lowered (i.e. testing is more stringent).

New Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Forms will be implemented as well.  If you have any questions regarding these changes, or DOT drug and alcohol testing please contact us at our Portland chiropractic clinic.  Information also available at: http://www.dot.gov/ost/dapc/

Manual Medicine & Rehabilitation PC offers DOT drug and alcohol consortium services for the transportation industry.  We also provide walk-in DOT medical exams for CDL driver's licenses.  503-774-3778.