Peer reviews of certified medical examiners inform truckers on U.S. DOT physicals

July 13, 2022

Ryan Witkowski

|

While keeping your truck maintained and up to regulation is important, it’s just one part of a driver’s job. Keeping your commercial driver’s license in compliance is equally important. Part of that task is maintaining a U.S. DOT physical.

The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration requires drivers to obtain a physical exam every 24 months. In some cases where a medical condition warrants monitoring – such as high blood pressure – a physical may be required more frequently.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association wants all truckers to be informed and prepared to navigate their U.S. DOT physical. On its website, the Association offers a guide to help drivers know what to expect – and what to avoid – when it comes to their physical. This includes information on the ins and outs of the appointment itself, what types of documentation you need to bring, when to seek a second opinion, and more.

In May 2014, FMCSA began requiring drivers to obtain their U.S. DOT physical from a certified medical examiner listed on the national registry. According to the agency’s website, the registry was designed to “improve safety by achieving high-quality medical exams that are consistent with federal regulations and guidelines.”

Because of this, many drivers cannot obtain a physical from their primary care doctor and must go blindly into finding one listed on the national registry. OOIDA feels that drivers should have a chance to make a more informed decision when choosing a doctor to visit.

As a service to its members, the Association offers reviews of certified medical examiners across the U.S. The reviews are submitted by members and contain a wealth of information on each certified medical examiner, including truck parking information. Lewie Pugh, OOIDA executive vice president, encourages members to share their experiences.

“It’s sort of a fellow-trucker-to-fellow-trucker kind of rating system. And that’s what we count on,” Pugh told Land Line Now. “I encourage you, if you have a good person or a bad person who’s giving you a physical, that you get on there and let other people know. If you know a good doctor, or you know a really bad doctor, let’s get it in there to help guys make wise and intelligent decisions.”

Dale Watkins, manager of OOIDA’s Business Services Department, shared a personal example of how U.S. DOT physicals can go wrong and emphasized the importance of drivers sharing their experiences.

My personal experience with my doctor, he was getting some mixed information that was told to him that was regulation. It was not regulation,” Watkins told Land Line Now. “This is a good thing to kind of go through and separate these certified medical examiners into the ones who have good information and the ones who have bad information.”

For drivers searching for a certified medical examiner in their area to perform a DOT physical, both Pugh and Watkins recommend Team CME. Through their website, they connect drivers to a nationwide network of DOT medical examiners.

Additionally, many of the certified medical examiners in the Team CME network offer discounts to OOIDA members. Pugh says that the Association’s relationship with the company has been mutually beneficial.

“They’re not into trickery or any of the horror stories that we hear and see here at OOIDA,” he said. “And if there ever is a problem with a Team CME doctor, a lot of times we can help get that problem resolved here at OOIDA.” LL