Medical Card Question

Topic 8229 | Page 1

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Greenhorn Trucker's Comment
member avatar

Currently I am working towards a CDL B for a local job, however if that falls through I am planning on go for the CDL A and OTR. This brings me to an interesting question of sorts; since I now have an intrastate medical card can I transfer it into a non-intrastate card or no? I just got the card today and completely forgot to ask, and I have not been able to find anything in my search attempts. My hope is that I can go back to the place that issued the card and say that I made an error and they will just reissue a new card, however I have a feeling it will not be this easy (because it never is). Any help would be great on this front.

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.

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.

Intrastate:

The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.

Brett Aquila's Comment
member avatar

I didn't know there was such a thing as an intrastate card versus an interstate card. But anytime you change jobs in trucking you have to get a new DOT physical according to Federal Law. So if you do change jobs you'll be getting another physical anyhow.

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.

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.

Greenhorn Trucker's Comment
member avatar

I didn't know there was such a thing as an intrastate card versus an interstate card. But anytime you change jobs in trucking you have to get a new DOT physical according to Federal Law. So if you do change jobs you'll be getting another physical anyhow.

Currently I do not have the job but I need the medical card in order to get my training permit, or so the SOS of Michigan near me is making me do. So as long as I do not get the job and just transfer to a CDL school or company testing program, say like Prime or Swift, then my card should be fine for those purposes, provided I can get it switched from intrastate. I will give the issuer of the card a call and see what can be done. I do find it odd that if you have a DOT medical card that is still valid that you would have to get another if you change jobs, it kind of defeats the point of them having a date on them for renewal.

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.

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.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Robert B. (The Dragon) ye's Comment
member avatar

I have to scratch my head on this one a bit like Brett is doing. A DOT physical is a federal form not a state form so I'm a bit confuzzled at you having an intrastate card.

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.

Intrastate:

The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.

Brett Aquila's Comment
member avatar
I do find it odd that if you have a DOT medical card that is still valid that you would have to get another if you change jobs, it kind of defeats the point of them having a date on them for renewal.

Yeah, the date is looked upon as more of a maximum time between physicals kinda thing. I'm not really sure why they require a new physical every time you change jobs but that's how it's been for many years.

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.

Greenhorn Trucker's Comment
member avatar

I have to scratch my head on this one a bit like Brett is doing. A DOT physical is a federal form not a state form so I'm a bit confuzzled at you having an intrastate card.

The State of Michigan, or so the SOS has told me, will not even issue a training permit unless I have a valid DOT med card, I already took the exam for the permit but was told afterwards that they couldn't issue for this reason. Trying to figure why this does some of the things they do is never advised, in fact talking to a brick wall would make more sense and yield better results LOL. Basically I looked at the person in SOS office like wtf-2.gif .

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.

Intrastate:

The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.

Robert B. (The Dragon) ye's Comment
member avatar
double-quotes-start.png

I have to scratch my head on this one a bit like Brett is doing. A DOT physical is a federal form not a state form so I'm a bit confuzzled at you having an intrastate card.

double-quotes-end.png

The State of Michigan, or so the SOS has told me, will not even issue a training permit unless I have a valid DOT med card, I already took the exam for the permit but was told afterwards that they couldn't issue for this reason. Trying to figure why this does some of the things they do is never advised, in fact talking to a brick wall would make more sense and yield better results LOL. Basically I looked at the person in SOS office like wtf-2.gif .

Maybe their brain hasn't quite thawed out from this previous winter.

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.

Intrastate:

The act of purchasers and sellers transacting business while keeping all transactions in a single state, without crossing state lines to do so.

Slowpoke's Comment
member avatar
double-quotes-start.png

I do find it odd that if you have a DOT medical card that is still valid that you would have to get another if you change jobs, it kind of defeats the point of them having a date on them for renewal.

double-quotes-end.png

Yeah, the date is looked upon as more of a maximum time between physicals kinda thing. I'm not really sure why they require a new physical every time you change jobs but that's how it's been for many years.

Since self certification I believe a new DOT is not required now.... I've been running on a self certified DOT card from a previous employer at Fed Ex Ground for 6+ months now. A few companies around here also actually require a driver to have a valid DOT card prior to employment.

http://dotphysicaldoctor.com/faq/fmcsa-regulations/#transferrable

Is the DOT medical card transferrable or do I have to get a new one when I start a new job?

A DOT medical card is valid nationwide and can be used by any company so you don’t have to get a new one. However… There are companies that have a policy in place that states they want you to have the physical exam done by their own examiner. They can require you to take a new physical exam, if is company policy. They also usually will pay for the exam if they require it.

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

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.

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.
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