ok Thanks for the heads up. I just talked to the guys about a month ago when I built my new trailer. Do we know where to find any info??

 

i'm not going to swear it's fact, but several of the guys here that run large rv's say that anything with air brakes and/or a diesel pusher and you gotta have a cdl.
personally, i think that any motor coach over 30 feet long ought to have a cdl. i've seen way too many folks here driving a 35 foot plus rv that had no business driving anything bigger than a vw beetle. just my thought.
speedrdr

 

I suspect that before jan 1 local dots will have the info. the lady I sent took some notes but not much on light duty as I probably haven't hooked up to my gooseneck in 5 years or more. Even when I'm home and theres a bog or mud drags I haul my sons bogger with my big rig easier and more comfortable with the sleeper.

 

Hey Star. I haven't found anything yet on any new laws other then Hazmat and things of that nature. I went to the official Federal web sight that the current CFR 49 info is at and didn't see anything. I guess to the thing is that states can add to the law which can be a nightmare. Which then I guess it comes down to the state your are from and other states obligations to your states laws. I know when that cop pulled me over in Illinois over my trailer not having a plate or registration on it he didn't seem to happy that he had to let me go. He did let me know that I was from one of those states that needs to change their laws and it was BS.

Has anybody ran into "new" things on their medical card requirements?

 

I dont know about new med card laws. somebody mentioned diabetes earlier but that is not new. I do know if your pu and trailer grosses over 10000 but less than 26001 and you cross a state line you have to have a med card and log book but no cdl.
this has been in effect for 7 or 8 years but I have never heard of anybody enforcing it.
It is funny that ky doesnt require tags as they are the only state that requires me to have there #s on my rigs.

 

Back to the same thing...Commercial(CDL) is for a truck, or whatever that is for hire, selling products and goods...Class "A" is for private/personal use. You do not need a med card or log book for prvate/personal use, even if you cross state lines or drive more than 100 miles.

 

several years ago a friend of mine was the dot assigned to inform the public that if you cross a state line grossing over 10000# you didn't need a cdl but was required to have med and log book.he had one of the meetings at my place I was not trucking at the time it was stressed this was not commercial but I have never heard of this being inforced anywhere.

 

Just had my medical card renewed in California. Took me 6 tries to get past the blood pressure test (you're only supposed to get 3 but they had mercy on me). I've been told that if you have diabetes they will pull your CDL due to the possibility of blacking out behind the wheel if your blood sugar fluctuates. It's getting tougher and tougher on us truckers........as if it wasn't already the most over regulated business in the country.

 

Here is a link that should answer some of the questions asked.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ms...e_207536_7.pdf

 

I have ran into guys saying that lately they have been seeing new things. One thing is the blood pressure limit. They are telling me that if the top number is over 120 that they are getting denied. The diabetes thing has been there in the past but I know a guy now that is having trouble getting his med card now because he is being told that if you have to take anything, pill or shot that it isn't considered "under control". Under control is no meds at all. I have heard that a persons weight is now becoming a real issue. You hear alot of things on CB's.?.?

Are this doctors being more affraid of ending up in court because of accidents.

 

I know guys with diabetes that take pills but want take shots because no liscence with shots. there has always been blood pressure limit not sure what it is though.
You can retake the physical for blood pressure though.It isn't the doctors its the law.

 

I had to hit right around 138-139 on the top number........can't remember exactly what it was and somewhere in the high 80's on the bottom. I had to lie down in a bed for nearly an hour to get down to that point. Don't they realize that most of us truckers live on caffeine and nicotine? Seriously, if it weren't for MJB and Copenhagen I might not be able to stay awake long enough to get the loads where they need to go...........so ya......... I run a little hot on the BP.

 

I don't think weight is a factor. We have several school bus drivers who weigh in at 350+. We have all the medical requirements of the cdl and we have to go every year.

Here is the med requirements for CDL http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...ction_toc=1781

 

the weight thing is the heavier the more apt for diebeties and high blood pressure.

 

They have to get us off the road to make room for all the new guys and foreign drivers.
Besides they have to keep the wreck count up how else could you justify millions of diesel cops so these laws are good for the country more jobs.