This is nuts!
 

Little known fact in the trucking industry... For decades and until recently, pilots who also held a commercial drivers license which required a medical certificate, were able to forgo the traditional "truck driver" DOT medical exam and simply use their, current/valid FAA medical. This also permitted use of any class of FAA medical. This is no longer the case. Further the DOT has lowered the bar on who can administer a truck driver DOT medical. And my AME is not certified to offer these trucker medicals! So basically the same DOT is saying that my AME is not qualified and I can fly an airplane with a more extensive medical exam though it cannot be used to drive a truck!

Follow the money, that's where you'll find the answers.

It really is nuts and makes me angry what the DOT did on this. I lost my class-A CDL due to this. Up to about 2007 you did not even need a medical to drive a truck for what a 100 years of American trucking history, then they started not only making it unlawful to drive a truck without a current medical, they rescinded every CDL not supported by a current medical. That would be the same as the FAA rescinding a pilot's tickets because they let their aviation medical lapse. It makes me angry even thinking about it, it was total nonsense. If I wanted to drive again (I don't, but) I would have to start trucking school over to get my CDL back.

Yep, sad/bad deal. Now need to have two medicals...This has got to be more than dysfunctional or an oversight, me thinks politics... As long as I can recall interstate truckers did require a medical, while some states didn't, providing the travel was confined to intrastate (within trip originating state and state licensed in) Regardless, it's still nuts!

What about the NAFTA waiver? Do Canadian or Mexican truck drivers need a medical?

Just saw something on that too; apparently they worked out some reciprocity deal...

More automotive excellence, this time brought to you by the CA DMV Drivers Handbook: "You will give a thumbprint, or fingerprint if you have no thumbs" Does everyone really need to know this? Do people without thumbs just figure they cannot drive because they don't have thumbs? I recently saw an article about a company pilot who has no hands; I sure hope he knows about this...

I had to get one in 1996. $35, piece of cake, easiest medical ever, renew every 4 years.

Whoop-tie doo.


Maybe it was the Hazardous Materials or School Bus endorsements. Things changed a lot after September, 2011.






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Follow the litigation. Most likely the DOT and government have been sued and had to put in the new requirements.

Curious, do you know where the old rule was written that permitted the use of the FAA medical?

I was looking for it today JNB. I have definitely seen it in black and white, and from and official source. It has been awhile since; though with a little more time, maybe tomorrow, I'll hopefully dig it up. Few years ago I even educated a big trucking school on this; they doubted it initially, but then were able to confirm it. I'll find it!