Maybe this has been discussed and I just missed it, but I'm just making sure everyone is aware of the new CDL medical certification requirments thanks to our beloved Department of Homeland Security. As of Jan 30, 2014, anyone who holds a valid CDL that requires a medical card, is renewing a CDL, or is applying for a new CDL must submit the "self certification" form to your state drivers license agency (SDLA). Failure to submit this form will make your current CDL invalid, or you will not be able to renew your CDL. There has been a sixty day grace period to the cutoff date, so the new date to submit the info is 3/31/14. http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/cdl/faqs.aspx
You must be reading my mail......... Just got that letter tonight. Just another I to dot and T to cross. :Banghead:Banghead
Amazing ain't it barklee. Our benevolent Federal Govt makes these change to the law, and it's like it's poof, it's out there and we all know about it. Right, unh huh. And then they have this cutoff date, like we should already have had this done as we (magically) knew this was coming. Right. :dizzy
I did my self cert the first of Jan, my letter came in Dec 2013 with the words of if you don't respond your Class A and all driving is invalid.
Wow I never got anything about this. Thanks for the heads up! I got my renewal and it says nothing about this? I also renewed my medical card last year and nothing then either. Is something different in CA?
I did mine and then the retirement deal , seems like ours came around months ago in Missouri . Don't forget to take some cash with you , It wasn't much but there was a fee involved .
I have tried to figure out what the deal is in CA and not gotten anywhere, the best I could come up with is that the CA green card (medical) already included all the relevant information in it so no new self cert was required in CA but I am far from certain about this....
From what I have seen so far that's correct but still not 100%
I just got hit with this. They shut me down for ten days while they process my physical. 5 days to go. what gets me is I already have to go through physicals yearly to maintain a merchant marine license. Homeland security is over that as well. so it looks like 2 different physicals a year till I let one of them go. I guess it would make to much sense to combine 2 files for the gov't to figure it out.
I got my notification from the state of Maine when I renewed in 2012, just over 2 years ago. I am pretty sure it is a state by state thing as to when they start the notifications, but I believe they are coming up to the deadline that the feds put in place, so a lot of states are trying to catch up. Also, there was no extra fee at that time, just my regular renewal fee. George
I got the same letter two weeks ago - your CDL will be suspended on March 31, 2014 for not self certifying. I didn't know anything about this new regulation either, as I hadn't received anything saying I needed to do this. The letter had some rather threatening language saying your CDL will be suspended and you can request a hearing to get it reinstated - great that's just what I wanted to hear. To add insult to injury they added that "A need for a CDL is not a valid argument". So I went to the state DMV website and "self certified" myself and then had 10 days to fax or mail a copy of my current medical card to the DMV. In a panic I went searching for my medical card as I couldn't remember the last time I had a physical. I haven't driven a vehicle that requires a CDL in several years so that is something that slips. Luckily I had a DOT physical last year and I have another year on the card. I scanned a copy, sent it to the DMV website and mailed a hard copy just to be sure. To put it nicely, I had many choice words for the Federal gov't and State DOT while this went on. The fact they made a new rule and didn't communicate it to CDL drivers in a timely manner just blows my mind, after all they have all my information..:cool2
This is only the first step. It may have been delayed because they can't get their act togather but the next step is that only certain certified Doctors will be able to do the DOT exam and they will have to electronically file the results directly from the doc's office to the DOT. My doctor gave me this information last fall. He had already filed to be considered for being a qualifying examiner but as of a month ago he still had not heard back from the State of Minnesota. It was supposed to start this spring. More BS and I'm sure more money. Edit: last fall 2 weeks before my birthday I got a letter from DMV that my license would be reduced to a class 3 if I did not file a new medical card by my birthday with the DMV.
I thought it was a scam at first. They already have all the information, why do they need me to submit it again?
I did not know anything about it, until my empoyer told me. I drive a school bus part time, so they keep up with the latest requirements. I told several friends, who had no idea and had heard nothing about this either. A well kept secret I guess??? It seems that fewer and fewer Dr's are offering to do DOT physicals here now, due to all the govt. regulations they have to deal with.
I was notified a year and half ago but then the state said wait for six months till they got it straightened out. Notified last May that there were two classifications. If you drive inside the state you could say you have the physical and carry the card with you. If there was a chance you cross state lines you had to be on file and carry the card. I certified in May and my physical expired in June. Got another physical and went down to the office and did the process all over again. Three weeks later I got a notice that said I wasn't complying and was suspended. A week later another notice in the mail said I was OK and they made the mistake. No apology though. God help us, the government is winning.
Bingo! And one thing is certain, when you're dealing with government and federal govt regulations, especially DOT, everything is as clear as mud. :yup
Thanks Willie looked at GA and it says proposed. logged on any way and they say that my self cert. is already on file where I had my last dot checkup in 2012. ga was the only state that sayed proposed?? Hope they got it all straight with the other states, spend as much time in tn and al as I do in ga. Thanks again for the heads up as hadn't heard a word about it.
Still can't figure out for sure about CA? I think nothing changed for us.
Like I said previously Desertwheeler, when it comes to DOT regulations, it's always as clear as mud.
Not just the DOT! Anything gov't lol.
I sent mine in last fall via fax, every thing ok. My med card expired in jan, got a reminder in dec. But forgot about it, had to run to two differt medical centers for new phisical, first wasn't certified doctor to dot phisical in Pa. Then I took paperwork in to Pa drivers license center and they gave me back a print out that it was recieved and I was good to go,
I got lucky and had to get a new CDL this year. I bet I had to read that damn paper 3 times to figure out the nothing changed other then it was one more paper I had to fill out.