Hi All I'm Blind In One Eye And Interested In Getting My CDL Under The New Rules.
Topic 34149 | Page 1
Hello Joe! I’m not the most knowledgeable driver here about the eyesight restrictions. But there is one of the moderators, Old School, who has only one eye working, if I’m not mistaken. He has commented extensively about his vision struggles and how he overcame the obstacle. You could search through his comments, but I’m sure he will address this issue with you when he has time.
From what I know, you should be able to get a CDL-A and eventually land a job. Look at getting company sponsored training because you will be pre-screened for your vision limitation by the company you train with and then have a job with them if you successfully complete their training program.
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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.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Do these new rules make me eligible for a CDL whatever class it might be to drive interstate even with vision on only one eye?
This is a real victory for the folks with monocular vision. You can get a CDL and an interstate driving job now. They have been allowing one eyed drivers to drive intrastate for many years now, but they were also keeping data on these drivers. After 25 years they determined one eyed drivers were no more dangerous than two eyed drivers. That is how this new ruling came about. It was simply based on data they had been studying for a quarter of a century.
what's the likelihood I'd be able to find an employer after getting a CDL? Would the fact I only have vision on one eye effect me being able to find employment?
You may already know some of this, but I will just share it anyway so others can learn about it. There is a form that you will need to download from the FMCSA's website that you take to your eye doctor. The doctor fills it out and you take it with you to your D.O.T. physical. You tell the medical examiner that you are qualifying under the "Alternate Vision Standard." That is how it works. It is relatively easy to accomplish. You will get a one year med card, and it looks just like anybody else's card. You must go through the eye exam annually and get that form filled out each year when you are renewing your med card. Remember that most companies when hiring you will require a new med card. You need to be prepared for that with a current exam and alternate vision form when you go to the medical examiner.
It should not affect your ability to get hired. You get the same med card everyone else gets. You have just got that one year limitation just like so many others have for being on blood pressure meds. Your card is no different, and you will not be treated differently by employers. They will not even know you have monocular vision unless they dig into the weeds of your long form from the medical examiner, and they typically just don't take the time to do that.
The state of the economy and the trucking industry in general will be more of a hurdle to get over than your vision problem. Good luck, and if you have more questions, feel free to ask. If you need a link to get that form I will look it up and post it for you.
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.
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?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Intrastate:
The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.
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
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Hi all I'm new here and just was reading up on the new vision standards for CDL drivers with vision in one eye. I'm almost blind in my right eye but my left eye is 20/30 and if I wear my glasses it's 20/25 distant acuity.
I'm encouraged y this new rule change as I've always wanted to drive trucks OTR. Do these new rules make me eligible for a CDL whatever class it might be to drive interstate even with vision on only one eye?
Also assuming it does what's the likelihood I'd be able to find an employer after getting a CDL? Would the fact I only have vision on one eye effect me being able to find employment? I've had a regular driver's license for years now and have never had any issues. I understand a tractor trailer is a whole different animal of course.
Sorry for so many questions but I'm new to this CDL drivers stuff. Thanks for any advice on this.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).