Cdl Or Dot Physical

Hello I'm a 33 year male looking to become a driver. i was wondering should i get a passing dot physical or go to school for the cdl first?

Montana wouldn't allow you to even take the permit test without a valid med card, so you may not even have the option.

Find a good chiropractor that does DOT screenings. They are usually cheaper and don't try to find any excuse to hit you with a short card [3 months]. Also, you sleep like a puppy when they ask you, you DO NOT snore, and despite being in your 30s, you feel like you are 18. Do not volunteer ANY information to them that they do not have to know. Obviously be honest, but this isn't a routine visit to get a complimentary lollipop from your buddy Dr. Kevorkian.

While chiropractors are less likely to do it, many of these urgent care doctors will force you to do sleep studies and other things that cost a boatload of time and money to deal with. I just told a story in another post about how a quack nurse made a mistake and has me in a holding pattern with my DOT card despite both my doctor AND the doctor at primary health giving me the all clear.

Also, keep in mind that depending on who you eventually hire on with, they may require you to take a new DOT physical [they usually pay for it] if their company policy demands it.

Remember the phrase, doctors are in the medical "practice" hahaha Had kind of a similar incident with CRST and the clinic they sent me to for a random....The female DR tells me I have Sugar issues from urine test. To go home, return tomorrow & retest, nothing else!....I had a clogged tear duct in my left eye for awhile, she says "Oh you have a sty?" I said NO it's a clogged tear duct duhh Made me think "hmmm and she is a DR?? and don't know the difference?

She was going to give me a 3 month card. I didn't go back to only fail a retest duhhh. So I went to my original clinic near home to test. Used them twice before, no issues, so same thing NO issues in urine test. Thing is they BOTH use the same damn urine test strips, out of the same branded bottles (I notice small details in everything). I got a 1 year card because of my barely over BP (141)

Safety wouldn't accept my 2nd opinion, saying I was doctor shopping pffft. I told safety maybe they need to read the FMSCA rules on what doctor shopping is ! So this was during mid covid so dr appts were hard to get. My Dm kept bugging me at home when I was going to handle this problem? Told him was trying to get it fixed when possible to see a doctor. Eventually I got fed up, and told him to forget it, I'm done, and quitting. I had a LOT of cash saved and didn't need to work, took a 5 month break.

Then got hired on with Legends and they used the same clinic "chain" CRST did, and I passed their exam just fine. Drove for them 4 months until my social security kicked in and done....

Point is seeing a 2nd doctor is NOT considered "Dr shopping" per FMSCA, it's when you see more than that until you find 1 that will pass anyone!

Forgot also, after my 2nd opinion and med card I went back out on the road with my co driver. We were nearing Tennesee to drop a load, when our DM called a month later. Said I was to NOT drive, and they'd get me home somehow. I said ok fine why don't I just ride along, NOT drive, and get home that way.

Nope he put me in a hotel, couldn't get me a rental car etc. I checked out, and back in 2 more times as told, waiting for them to fix it over the weekend. Nothing gets handled by the weekend dummies in dispatch.....Monday comes,our DMs @ work, FINALLY he listens to my idea and has my co driver pick me up and I ride along 4-5 days to get home.