CDL license

[kenny thomas]

As many of you that have followed me in the past topics know i have driven a lot of miles in the last few years. Several hundred thousand miles. Never a wreck, never a speeding ticket or ticket of any kind except for 1 overweight in a fuel truck.
Well today i went for my DOT physical for my health card. Guess what, they failed me. My dr had not sent them my A1C for the last 6 months, i didnt have a CPAP breathing report, and the worst was i failed their hearing test. I had ordered hearing aids but they hadn't arrived yet but i was told i had 25 days to get all straight. They kept my current health card even though it wasn't out until November 14th. I got the reports needed but waiting on hearing aids now. The hearing dr said i am above whats required.
I can read the children book and speak redneck english but guess the hearing is the bad part. I have 2 part time jobs that require CDL so i have to pass. Out of work for now though.
Oh well, just venting. Anyone else had any problems lately getting the physical?
Oh my copay for hearing aids was $1658.
While trying to pay to order them, since it was over $1,000, it locked my debit card.

 

[1982vett]

As many of you that have followed me in the past topics know i have driven a lot of miles in the last few years. Several hundred thousand miles. Never a wreck, never a speeding ticket or ticket of any kind except for 1 overweight in a fuel truck.
Well today i went for my DOT physical for my health card. Guess what, they failed me. My dr had not sent them my A1C for the last 6 months, i didnt have a CPAP breathing report, and the worst was i failed their hearing test. I had ordered hearing aids but they hadn't arrived yet but i was told i had 25 days to get all straight. They kept my current health card even though it wasn't out until November 14th. I got the reports needed but waiting on hearing aids now. The hearing dr said i am above whats required.
I can read the children book and speak redneck english but guess the hearing is the bad part. I have 2 part time jobs that require CDL so i have to pass. Out of work for now though.
Oh well, just venting. Anyone else had any problems lately getting the physical?
Oh my copay for hearing aids was $1658.
While trying to pay to order them, since it was over $1,000, it locked my debit card.

The copay on the set I bought 3 1/2 years ago was $1710. They never did do me any good. All they managed to do was amplify the noises around me. Still couldn't clearly understand my wife talking to me while sitting right to me but I could hear every little tic and tap of the keyboard when the technician was making adjustments to the programing of them. Finally quit trying to use them after 4 months.

They going to make us Texans start proving we can drive once we turn 70 or something.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I just renewed mine and did the physical end of September. Quick and painless, but I'm also a healthy 38yo who's only restriction is glasses.

Got it before all the new hoops were put in place so hate to let go of it now even though I don't need it anymore.

 

[sstterry]

As many of you that have followed me in the past topics know i have driven a lot of miles in the last few years. Several hundred thousand miles. Never a wreck, never a speeding ticket or ticket of any kind except for 1 overweight in a fuel truck.
Well today i went for my DOT physical for my health card. Guess what, they failed me. My dr had not sent them my A1C for the last 6 months, i didnt have a CPAP breathing report, and the worst was i failed their hearing test. I had ordered hearing aids but they hadn't arrived yet but i was told i had 25 days to get all straight. They kept my current health card even though it wasn't out until November 14th. I got the reports needed but waiting on hearing aids now. The hearing dr said i am above whats required.
I can read the children book and speak redneck english but guess the hearing is the bad part. I have 2 part time jobs that require CDL so i have to pass. Out of work for now though.
Oh well, just venting. Anyone else had any problems lately getting the physical?
Oh my copay for hearing aids was $1658.
While trying to pay to order them, since it was over $1,000, it locked my debit card.

You can buy hearing aids over the counter now. You might want to check on something cheaper and see if they work.

 

[CowboyRam]

You have to be careful with some of those hearing aids you can buy over the internet. We had bought several pairs for mom, and she still could not hear. We then took her to a hearing doctor and spent a mint load of money, she could hear, but at that point she was suffering from some demencia, and I'm not sure she always had them turned on. She also thought she could wear them for four hours and then had to charge them for four hours. We were never able to convince her that was not the case and she could wear them all day and then just charge them at night.

 

[kenny thomas]

You can buy hearing aids over the counter now. You might want to check on something cheaper and see if they work.

I checked on several over the counter brands and all of them said for mild to moderate hearing loss. Mine tested moderate to severe so i went with the higher ones.

 

[moses388]

For hearing aids - Is anyone using the hearing aid feature on Apple AirPods Pro 3 or Pro 2?

 

[ClinchValley86]

I just renewed mine and did the physical end of September. Quick and painless, but I'm also a healthy 38yo who's only restriction is glasses.

Got it before all the new hoops were put in place so hate to let go of it now even though I don't need it anymore.

Wish I had gotten mine before all the hoops.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Wish I had gotten mine before all the hoops.

Yeah now you have to go to school to get it. No more learning to drive and passing the tests.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Yeah now you have to go to school to get it. No more learning to drive and passing the tests.

Beyond ridiculous...

 

[jltrent]

My son is a teacher and he got his bus driving license mostly because he coached three sports and could drive to the events instead of having a hard time getting a driver. He was half the summer getting it. He had to observe 25 trips, drive 25 trips and then pass all the test (the trips were with other drivers trying to get theirs and the instructor). Then he moved to another local state, and they would not recognize it, and he said not again.

On the hearing do you need perfect hearing to drive. That sound discriminatory. Recon a good lawyer would help. Kenny, I have ridden with you several times you could have made a killing as a OTR truck driver. My wife is a better driver than me.

 

[kenny thomas]

My son is a teacher and a couple years ago he got his bus driving license mostly because he coached three sports and could drive to the activities instead of having a hard time getting a driver. He was half the summer getting it. He had to observe 25 trips, drive 25 trips and then pass all the test (the trips were with other drivers trying to get theirs and the instructor). Then he moved to another local state, and they would not recognize it, and he said not again.

On the hearing do you need perfect hearing to drive. That sound discriminatory. Recon a good lawyer would help.

I stopped at my hearing dr yesterday afternoon and she said that how i was denied was not correct. She stated that i had electronic tests the week before and although i do have hearing loss that she would pass me. But i had already ordered hearing aids so im just gonna wait a few days i guess.
The biggest issue is i use the snowplow trucks for the State Highway Department and they chose where i get my physical and the drug test and won't honor anywhere else doing it.
It's very discouraging to know i failed and see some of the other drivers in this area.

 

[farmerjan]

@kenny thomas ... does your VDOT use contractors with their own trucks? If one has an extra truck, you can go to work for them, they have to prove you have a CDL, but you do not have to get tested by the "vdot approved" dr... you wouldn't be driving the vdot truck.
Around here they cannot get enough trucks/drivers for the snow routes.... The new vdot rules are making it so a couple of them will lose their jobs here... has to do with the diabetes... one is on a pump/shot, and used to be they could drive within the state, but could not go "interstate"... now they are saying if it is not "pill controlled" they cannot drive anything for vdot... one guy has less than 2 years to retirement.... been there for nearly all his life....diabetic all his life.... Yet they cannot keep enough help now...

 

[kenny thomas]

I could drive for a contractor but i work a lot of nights that the contractor doesn't. I can also use a farm tractor with a snow plow without a CDL.
It bothers me that the rules are all supposed to be the same for the CDL physical but they arent.

 

[farmerjan]

I could drive for a contractor but i work a lot of nights that the contractor doesn't. I can also use a farm tractor with a snow plow without a CDL.
It bothers me that the rules are all supposed to be the same for the CDL physical but they arent.

I agree... they have changed the rules for vdot... and they are getting stupider and stupider...