New FMCSA Final Rule: Frequently Asked Questions
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From: The desk of Dr. Mike Tigges Certified DOT Medical Examiner
DOT Physicals New FMCSA Final Rule: Frequently Asked Questions The FMCSA has published a new final rule- The following is strongly recommended- Please pass on to your drivers.
Medical examiners will now need to begin using new forms as part of the Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule, and the changes to the forms will have an impact on truck drivers. What follows are several changes the rule will bring. Drivers May Want to Get in 30-45 Days Early As part of the new form, if a medical examiner is unable to make a final determination on a driver and needs more information, such as a sleep test or information from the driver’s physician, he or she could mark the form “determination pending.” That would give the driver 45 days to submit the necessary information to the examiner or time for the examiner to request the needed information if a safety letter is required for a previous history of heart disease, diabetes etc. If the driver has a current and valid medical examiner’s certificate (MEC), he or she may continue to operate under that MEC during the 45-day period. However, if the MEC were to expire either before or during that timeframe, the driver would no longer be qualified. “It is tough to recommend drivers go in 45 days early for an exam, but that may be what drivers need to do in order to continue driving until they submit all of the necessary information or they will want to ensure they bring in everything they need when they go in for an exam,” If the requested information is not provided in the allotted 45 days, a new examination will be required in order for the driver to obtain a med card.
Drivers May Need Multiple Exams In the past, medical examiners could update or extend exam forms for a certain period, then file them without doing a complete new exam, but that is no longer the case. “Let’s say a driver has hypertension. Today a lot of examiners would issue an extension on the medical card for 30 days, then have the driver come back to show his blood pressure has gone down or has been treated. When the driver comes back they’d sign off on the blood pressure being down and issue a card for one year,” “Now they can’t do that. They’ll have to complete a whole new exam.” Another reason Drivers May Want to get in 30-45 Days Early This is partly due to the way the forms are transmitted. “Once you submit a form, you can’t go in and change it again,” again Drivers May Want to Get in 30-45 Days Early. As always we are here to help, if you, your company or drivers have any questions please give us a call.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Tigges DC, NRCME Same Day DOT Physicals Drug & Alcohol Testing 529 Hartsville Pike Gallatin, TN 37066 PH: 615-452-1575
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
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.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated