Passed!!!!
Topic 13423 | Page 2
In 2007 I drove for Schwans delivering food door to door. It was not a cdl job but the company required the DOT physical. I was put on bp meds to pass the physical for my medical card. Because of being on bp meds, I only got a one year card. This is not new, they have been doing this for years. It's because they want to monitor you more closely to make sure you are under control. No big deal. My meds have Changed twice since then but I've been on the current meds for the past 2-3 years, so I have a history and am not sweating the physical. I'll just have to renew my card every year. My past experience is that the company will MAKE SURE that you have the opportunity to retake the physical when it is needed.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Also keep in mind - even when your BP is controlled by medication - DO NOT SMOKE OR DRINK CAFFEINE (coffee, mountain dew, etc.), salty foods, etc., the morning of your physical. Combined with the stress of worrying about the physical (white coat fever), it'll spike your pressure.
I barely passed my renewal 3 years ago - had to get on meds - got a 1 year card. Lost 60 pounds, and a year later, got a 2 year card without meds.
My weight is back up a little - as is my BP - so I'm back on the BP meds. If you NEED BP MEDS and are prescribed them - DO CONTINUE TO TAKE THEM. The long-term-effects of hypertension can really screw you up down the road.
Rick
Hypertension:
Abnormally high blood pressure.
We have some great info on blood pressure in our wiki pages:
~ Blood Pressure & DOT Physical
~ Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Guidelines & Advice
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Hypertension:
Abnormally high blood pressure.
Yep I passed my DOT today I'm good for a year! I hope that's okay with Swift I had to chill for a while to get my BP down so I could pass. Now my next step is to watch 5 hours worth of videos! That's on tonights agenda!
Phillip:
I went thru a process to get my BP down for the DOT Physical. Garlic & fish oil pills. I went to my regular Dr right before the physical. My BP was so good, my Dr tried to take me off my BP pill. Oh no, I have to pass my DOT Physical & then trucking school.
My BP barely passed the physical. I got my card for a year also. I was way too happy that I passed!!! Still taking fish oil & garlic pills. Stay strong
Karen
Yep the fish oil and garlic thing really helps me as well. It also helps with increasing your good cholesterol. That reminds me, I need to place an online order with Costco tonight. I'm running low. LOL!
JJ
Uh oh Jim, we can't run on low on that!!!
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
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Every time you start a new trucking job you are required to have a new physical done. Doesn't matter if you just did one last week. Any time you get hired on at a trucking company expect to go through the physical again. Each company will have their own physician of choice and they may very well be more stringent than the D.O.T. requires, they have that prerogative.