CDL drivers

[Fivestring63]

 Has anyone else got a form from Homeland Security saying your medical card is about to expire and have to

get a new one and send it to them with a form?

 

  Well, I got my new medical card but don't know which line to check on the form. Stuff about interstate and intrastate.

I don't currently need my CDL, just doing this to keep it.

[Oh Shoot]

 Has anyone else got a form from Homeland Security saying your medical card is about to expire and have to

get a new one and send it to them with a form?

 

  Well, I got my new medical card but don't know which line to check on the form. Stuff about interstate and intrastate.

I don't currently need my CDL, just doing this to keep it.

 

Intrastate means you drive only in the state. Interstate means you cross state lines. If that's the question.

 

Has something in the law changed? Meaning, you never before had to have current medical card just to keep CDL, only have to have one when you renew it, or of course if actually driving a vehicle that requires CDL.   Guess I'll find out too, my med expires this summer.

 

- OS

Edited February 12, 2015 by Oh Shoot

[deadeye111]

_{I live in Missouri but was able to suspend my CDL Class A license at the DOR where we renew the license.  I can still drive on the license just can't get paid.  I wanted to retain it but didn't want to pay for a medical as I didn't intend to drive anything that required the CDL.}

Edited February 12, 2015 by deadeye111

[Oh Shoot]

_{I live in Missouri but was able to suspend my CDL Class A license at the DOR where we renew the license.  I can still drive on the license just can't get paid.  I wanted to retain it but didn't want to pay for a medical as I didn't intend to drive anything that required the CDL.}

 

Never heard of "suspending" one, unless DOT suspended you for infractions.  It's my understanding that if you want to drive a Class A (or B) vehicle period, you have to have current medical card, but maybe I'm been wrong about that all this time.

 

- OS

[deadeye111]

Never heard of "suspending" one, unless DOT suspended you for infractions.  It's my understanding that if you want to drive a Class A (or B) vehicle period, you have to have current medical card, but maybe I'm been wrong about that all this time.

 

- OS

It is permitted here in Missouri... Don't know why it would be different in Tennessee.  Call the office where you renew the license and ask.  I was going to have to downscale to a class E similar to the old chauffers license here. Maybe suspending is not the correct term.  More like retaining it but not allowed to use it for pay.  To start driving for pay I will have to get medical and take it to the DOR and be restored more or less.

Edited February 12, 2015 by deadeye111

[Bad_Bowtie]

Haven't gotten a letter here, but I drive for a government agency so I'm exempt from having the medical card luckily. Thought about getting the med card in case I wanted to moonlight on the side but never have. Edited February 12, 2015 by Bad_Bowtie

[Fivestring63]

Yes, Oh Shoot, there was some law changes. My last medical card I got from work even though I haven't driven a commercial vehicle in a long time.

 

 Now it has to be from a certified doctor. If you don't have a medical card, they will take your CDL now and issue you a Class D even of you don't drive a Commercial vehicle now.

 

 Before, I went for a long time without a medical card and kept my CDL. I wasn't driving then though.

 

 I was just curious if anyone knew which line to check on that form.

Edited February 12, 2015 by fivestring63

[raildog]

I'm a CDL driver and my brother is a state trooper he sad check the top box that covers you for everything the reason they do tis is a new law on the federal level

[Fivestring63]

  That's good to know Raildog. If anything was to happen at my current work, I want to be covered to drive anywhere.

[Oh Shoot]

Well, that's all rather distressing. Guess I might just drop back to regular license if that's the case. Haven't needed it in 10 years, didn't even need it the last three years of my final gig with FedEx, as just did step van. Just thought I'd keep it, cause like ya never know, ya know?

 

Renewed mine summer of '13, so medical card will expire this summer.

 

As far as the "certified doctor", hasn't it always been that you had to go to one that was certified to do the DOT test anyway? They're the only ones who stock the cards. :)

 

- OS

Edited February 12, 2015 by Oh Shoot

[No_0ne]

Nope, the new law requires a different certification, I hear many Docs who formerly did DOT medicals have dropped out due to the new hoops to jump through to get and retain certification under the current requirements.  Just had my medical re-up done in early January - word of caution, I had mine done about 3 weeks early due to an upcoming surgery, now the next renewal is also due 3 weeks earlier than the normal date, as the exam is only good for 1 calendar year from the previous renewal ...

[willis68]

I just went through that crap, I had a Class A with a few endorsements that I have not used for around 20 years, I just wanted to keep it current but after all the new crap about it, I just let it go 

[TripleDigitRide]

Yep! Between the background checks for Hazmat endorsements and the ever-increasing medical card restrictions, being a truck driver is quickly turning into a giant pain in the ***.

[Ugly]

I don't have my CDL but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express!

 

I do spend a lot of time on the road though and have heard snippets of drivers calling in to satellite talk radio. The one topic that caught my ear was the BMI requirement and what that will do to the pool of drivers.

 

This guy has another interesting thought too.

 

"Truck driving jobs will now be considered for those interested, by more certain types of criteria.  One of them being the Body Mass Index or BMI.   We told you it was coming and it has arrived.  Prime, Inc. shows the new BMI rule for new hire on their site for their qualifications.   If your BMI is over 39, then you can forget about driving for Prime.   This is just the beginning.   Just for fun, check to see how your BMI would hold up?  Isn’t this great?"

 

And this thought.

 

"Furthermore, I want to reiterate that more “changes” will be coming to the trucking industry.  How far away it is, I will not determine, but it’s coming . . . when we open the Mexico border and allow thousands of their trucks to run across America, watch as a wide-spread deduction of truck driver wages will eventually take hold.   Trucking companies will sooner or later be able to save millions of dollars in wages, by dropping the American driver at .38 CPM and more, and grab hold of these in-coming drivers from across the border who would think they were in Heaven earning .22 cents per mile!"

 

http://askthetrucker.com/truckers-to-shape-up-or-ship-out/

[raildog]

Yea the BMI thing has to do with sleep apnea if you BMI is over 35 you have to fill out a form to see if you need to do a sleep study which is determined by your answers my brother in law got hung on that last year the doc would not give him his med card till he did the sleep study and passed it the DOT requires new med card every 2 years my company makes use do it every January and there is a lot more than what the law requires to it takes about 4 hours

[101]

Check box for option number 1.

[NextExit]

Just checked my BMI on the CDC website.  I'm supposed to weigh 136-184.  136??? :rofl:  OK... should I acquire AIDS??  Only the government could come up with this crap.  I work with a guy that weighs more than me but he's into weightlifting.   Guess I should tell him he's on the path to death according to the CDC.

[hardknox00001]

The BMI thing is a carry over from the aviation world.  That is something they started over there in the last year or so.

[10-Ring]

I have a CDLish related question and instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd throw it in here as I'm sure there are people that will look at this thread and be able to answer.  It's time to start a new chapter in my life.  I have a little money saved up, I got laid off from my job and I'm losing my house in a divorce.  I have no debt.  I was thinking about starting some kind of light trucking company.  I say light because I would just use my pickup.  I've looked over the Uship.com webpage and played around enough to think that I could stay in loads.  What I have going for me here is that if I don't make a bunch of money right off that's okay, I just need to pay for fuel and basic expenses, I have savings and I don't have any overhead right now.  So what I would like to do is use my pickup to deliver loads, I have a 6 1/2x12' utility trailer now and I'm thinking about upgrading to an enclosed trailer as well.  Big question is what licenses would I need for interstate work?  According to TDOTs website I do not need a CDL.  However I read somewhere amongst my research that I need to register my trailer with US DOT to pull it out of the state?  I'm also at a loss as to whether or not I need an MC number?  I think this might be a good opportunity for me right now but I'm trying to do it the right and legal way to avoid trouble down the road.

[TripleDigitRide]

9

I have a CDLish related question and instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd throw it in here as I'm sure there are people that will look at this thread and be able to answer. It's time to start a new chapter in my life. I have a little money saved up, I got laid off from my job and I'm losing my house in a divorce. I have no debt. I was thinking about starting some kind of light trucking company. I say light because I would just use my pickup. I've looked over the Uship.com webpage and played around enough to think that I could stay in loads. What I have going for me here is that if I don't make a bunch of money right off that's okay, I just need to pay for fuel and basic expenses, I have savings and I don't have any overhead right now. So what I would like to do is use my pickup to deliver loads, I have a 6 1/2x12' utility trailer now and I'm thinking about upgrading to an enclosed trailer as well. Big question is what licenses would I need for interstate work? According to TDOTs website I do not need a CDL. However I read somewhere amongst my research that I need to register my trailer with US DOT to pull it out of the state? I'm also at a loss as to whether or not I need an MC number? I think this might be a good opportunity for me right now but I'm trying to do it the right and legal way to avoid trouble down the road.

If you plan on operating under your own authority, you will need an MC, FF, or MX number in addition to your DOT number. If you lease your truck on with an existing company, you will operate under and use their MC number.

The type of drivers license will be determined by the weight you will be hauling. Based on the equipment you mentioned, you'll possibly get by with a regular DL. The DL requirements usually boil down to the GCVW.

You will need semi licence plate for your trailer, assuming you be going out of state.

Before you get too deep, check into the cost necessary insurance. It won't be cheap. Edited February 19, 2015 by TripleDigitRide

[TripleDigitRide]

Also, Tennessee is one of several states that require you get a state DOT in addition to the federal DOT number.

[10-Ring]

Thank you TDR, it seems that the information that I was looking for is not readily available in laymans terms.  I was not aware that I need a TN DOT number as well, thanks for giving me the heads up on that.  I will check into the insurance issue as well. 

[TripleDigitRide]

No problem. There are many variables. A lot depends on the equipment you plan on using, where you plan on hauling to and from, the gross weight, type of cargo, etc.

Give these folks a call. They can walk you through the process.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/contact-us

[JWC]

Just checked my BMI on the CDC website. I'm supposed to weigh 136-184. 136??? :rofl: OK... should I acquire AIDS?? Only the government could come up with this crap. I work with a guy that weighs more than me but he's into weightlifting. Guess I should tell him he's on the path to death according to the CDC.

My "optimal" weight according to BMI is 145. I am built just like my dad was. When cancer got him down to 145 I noted to my wife that's what BMI says I should weigh. He looked like a skeleton. And I could never achieve that with anything other than an illness. BMI is the stupidest crock of sheet I've ever seen.

[Dane]

Thank you TDR, it seems that the information that I was looking for is not readily available in laymans terms. I was not aware that I need a TN DOT number as well, thanks for giving me the heads up on that. I will check into the insurance issue as well.

You may want to look into a class a/57 license (I think that is the right number). Basically it is a cdl for folks driving a pick up or similiar. It will cover you for hauling a trailer rated at higher than 10k.