Class A CDL

Hypothetical question, as I am healthy at this point. What medical conditions can get your Class A CDL pulled?

they have never pulled mine and i haven't been able to get a medical card for 10yrs

Varies by state.

In IN, the lack of a valid CDL medical does not result in the loss of CDL but, of course, one is not permitted to drive commercially without one.

Dean

Pretty sure that BP beyond a given reading is one reason. Maybe epilepsy?

The CDL and the medical certificate are actually two different documents, both of which are required to drive commercially interstate. (Some states will allow inTRAstate operation without the Federal [DOT] certificate and have their own rules as to what is allowable medically, so as already mentioned, state laws vary).

There are only a few absolute disqualifiers for a DOT card: use of insulin, history of seizures, visual acuity uncorrectable to at least 20/40 in the weaker eye, hypertension above specific limits, and the use of certain medications. Part 391 has all the details, see the attached link.

[Disclaimer: although I am a registered DOT Medical Examiner, this post is not medical advice. Consult your own physician]
Part 391 medical requirements

In Oregon, a current medical card is required whether you're driving or not. The card needs to be sent to DMV but even if you're driving you don't need to carry the card with you as long as there's one on record with DMV. If you don't have a current card at DMV they pull your CDL.

If you're on blood pressure medicine, a new Medical card is required annually instead of every two years. Some of the things I can think of offhand are high blood pressure, impaired hearing or vision which are probably the most common ones.

The most likely problem currently seems to be a large neck. A large neck size makes you suspect for sleep apnea, and driving tired. This leads to testing, which can easily lead to mandatory use of a CPAP. The CPAP can keep you from sleeping but you have to use it because it is being monitored on line. A friend finally quit his job due to being unable to sleep.

I wonder if they haven't backed off on
this a bit. Two years ago, I was
borderline of having to have the
testing. This time it was never even
mentioned.

I agree that I could never sleep with
that contraption. If they are really
concerned with how well truck drivers
sleep, one of the "experts" should
spend a night in a tin can at a truck
stop.

As DrCharles says there are only a few reasons to totally disqualify a driver.
The list for more frequent monitoring (getting a physical every year instead of 2 years) is much longer.

If they are really concerned with how well truck drivers sleep

They would do something with hours of service to where a driver is not working during the day one day and then working over night the next day.

Went for my physical 6 or 7 years ago they said my blood pressure was borderline too high. Ask me to wait 4 hours then come back. Learned not to drink coffee or soft drinks before I go. Evidentally it makes my blood pressure go up. Along with all the other stuff that I was dealing with then.

My brother has to see a doctor every two years, the doctors have to get in on the money that police, and the like are making off of people with CDL's. I have been taking medication for over 35 years now that "may cause drowsiness, or dizziness", but it "suddenly" became a concern something like 10 years ago so no more CDL for me. With the way local cities, counties, etc figured out that commercial vehicles are really good for "revenue enhancement", and since there are so many "gray areas" in DOT laws from state to state I'm glad I don't have a CDL anymore.

Mine goes up second I walk into a doctor's office. The last time I went to get mine the nurse practitioner was a real piece of work that started by wanting me to completely undress and put on a hospital gown. I flat out refused and told her no one else has ever had a problem feeling under my shirt or asking me to drop my.pants for the hernia check.

She then made me go back to see the doctor I had just left an hour before to get a note saying the injury to the end of my left index finger wasn't going to effect my ability to drive. What pure BS.

I told her my BP was going to be a bit high due to having White Coat Syndrome, and that it would be good if I hadn't been left sitting around so long. In fact it was steady going up the longer I was there.

When I left to get her the note, the assistant said she'd take my BP the minute I got back. Within a minute a handful of mineutes of my return she did, and it was fine. So, I was left to sit for another 20 minutes before the NP came and took it for herself. By this time it had already headed back up....So she decides to let me set longer to see if it would go back down. By this time I was so tired, disgusted, and I guess plain out mad at the way she was doing me that it did ext what I told her it was going to do, and continued to climb.

She gave me a 3 month card and told me to see a doctor...about something I already know about....and come back to see hem again.

99.9999999% of my driving is instate, my truck is only a 26,000 GVW even though it's tagged for 33,000 and I rarely ever pull a trailer, so I'd rather take my chances rather than go back to see them, and have a stroke when they send my.otherwise normal BP through the roof. Like I have said for years, I avoid doctors to stay healthy...

By the way, the fee at the place I had been using had gone from $70 to $130 after the Fed's made it harder for the providers to get on their approved list.

That alone tells me that it's far more about the money than it is safety. Especially when a 90 year old man with sleep apnea, high BP, a hernia, on dozen different medications, and with any number of other issues, can drive one of those huge motor homes, coast to coast, towing a trailer or vehicle, with no special license.....because it's an RV, not a commercial vehicle.

I'm a red neck . Does that factor in?OL

i had mine pulled for not good enough vision, even though id been driving everyday with no issues, same with hearing, and borderline diabetics, in other words, getting old, its a shame, in 35 years of driving ive been involved in one accident, not my fault, and i get pulled off the road while they let cdl mill kids on, who cant get a truck out of the parking lot without running over something with the trailer

Diabetes for me in MS.

I hav been insulin dependent all my life and used to just have a letter from my dr that I was in control. With the new rules, I spent 6 months getting all of the paper work sent to DC and seeing my endrocrinologist 4 times a year and eye dr once. Plus paper work 4 times a year. But a mini stroke put an end to that. Maybe another dr would have more forgiving. My other two drs plus heart and nurosurgen released me. I had enough for my age, so I dropped the CDL. I now have a J50 in IL.