Have had my CDL for over 20 years. Clean driving record. Have a condition called "amblyopia" which causes me to see differently than others. Have been going to an optometrist for years, and both eyes test at 20/20 (together) and my bad eye is 20/40. This is uncorrected - which seems like it would be fine; however, I am not able to take the standard Snellen test (where you stand back from an eye chart and cover one eye, then the other) because I cannot see out of my bad eye like that. The DOT physician I went to to do my physical (company specified doctor) told me I must obtain and exemption from the DOT in Washington DC and gave me about 3 1/2 months to get that. Has anyone had any experience with this process? When I called the office, the only thing they would indicate is that it takes "multiple months." Any insight would be appreciated.
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.
Have had my CDL for over 20 years. Clean driving record. Have a condition called "amblyopia" which causes me to see differently than others. Have been going to an optometrist for years, and both eyes test at 20/20 (together) and my bad eye is 20/40. This is uncorrected - which seems like it would be fine; however, I am not able to take the standard Snellen test (where you stand back from an eye chart and cover one eye, then the other) because I cannot see out of my bad eye like that. The DOT physician I went to to do my physical (company specified doctor) told me I must obtain and exemption from the DOT in Washington DC and gave me about 3 1/2 months to get that. Has anyone had any experience with this process? When I called the office, the only thing they would indicate is that it takes "multiple months." Any insight would be appreciated.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.