Question about DOT physicals

[richard2717]

Ok I have been a class B CDL holder since 96' and have gotten the required dot physical every 2 years as required. As some of you know my hearing crapped out on me around 2010 so I went to hearing doctors for tests, spent thousands on hearing aids all to no avail. My old doctor has been very easy on me in regards to my card but he retired a few months ago. I own my own sign shop and part of that is I need to be able to drive my truck legally. I had planned to get rid of my CDL anyway when my license comes up for renewal in Dec but my dot card expires next month.(have not really used the class b since 2000 but kept just in case. All my trucks are under 26k)

My question is this, does anyone know if there might be some kind of exemption I can get for my hearing loss to still be able to qualify to drive my truck? I have already made an appointment with the new doc to discuss but just seeing if anyone here may know of anything even before I go in. I really do not see what the issue is driving while deaf. If anything I am more aware of my surroundings since I can't hear the sirens and horns. Since I am deaf my other senses have become enhanced and a lot of times I will feel something wrong with the truck before my employee hears it. Being deaf does not prohibit me from driving 10k lb and under either since no card is required. Even with my K3500 dually I will no longer be allowed to drive it with my 16k gooseneck and bobcat without the card bc it is 26k combined gross.

Thanks
Richard

[old Rusty C10]

there are a lot of shady doctors out there who will for a fee give you the card I know of one OTR driver on insulin who still has a valid card

[mongocanfly]

I dont condone it but rusty's right ,lots of shady dot drs. out there....I also know several diabetic truck drivers....
Hard to believe they'd knock you out for hearing loss..but that's the dot for you....theres much more dangerous things going on that they need to worry about..

[richard2717]

Well I did not consider my doc shady but he was a bit lax with the hearing test. He still did full evaluation on my health to make sure I was not endangering anyone needlessly. I would think it would be rather easy to fool the dot cop if you got your card with another issue like the insulin (unless it obviously was the cause of the encounter) it is pretty hard to fake being able to hear if you get stopped for a roadside inspection (which happens quite often here in MD) I am hoping someone might know of a legal avenue for me to pursue in order to not fail a roadside.

[Stocker]

I don't have the answer but I am reminded of a couple things.

A guy I used to work with was totally blind in one eye from a childhood accident. He held a California CDL. No idea if he had to jump through any hoops to get it.

For my hearing test, my doc used to turn aside and whisper "What day is it?" One time I answered in a whisper and she couldn't hear what I said. She said it just isn't right for the patient to have better hearing than the doctor. We had a good laugh about it though.

One more while we're discussing hearing. Years ago at my wife's first hearing aid appt & test, we were in the waiting room. The receptionist called my wife's name but she was just looking around the room and didn't hear anything. We all laughed, at least they knew for sure why we were there!

[richard2717]

I guess I should clarify that I am not totally deaf per se but i have severe tinnitus (ringing of the ears) that i just simply can't hear over. I can still hear base tones like engines starting and such but the ringing is 24/7. The best way to describe it (for those of us old enough to remember) at the end of the day when the tv stations signed off for the night and the colored screen came up with that tone, Crank that tone up to what a mouse would sound like at the decibals of a blender in use. I turn 50 at the end of this year and never thought I would be dealing with this at what I consider a young age (we can still dream huh?) I own my own business doing the only thing I have ever done since high school and that business is what I depend on to support my family. Without my card I cant provide for my family any longer, which I have a real problem with. I downsized my operation from 25 people down to 2 others and myself several years back and I just do not want to have to depend on someone else that does not see this as a lifeline like I do. If I should end up having to shut down, who in their right mind would hire a 50 yo deaf guy that they will most likely see as a liability? Sorry to ramble but it just has me VERY concerned that I may end up in a bad situation over a pc of paper that has no bearing on my actual ability to drive. Eventually I suppose I will find a way to survive this like always but man it just adds way too much un-needed stress.

[Steeveedee]

I've seen deaf people driving cars, but I guess it's different for commercial driving. Would it be worth it to have your helper(s) drive?

[61_FL_Apache]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

there are a lot of shady doctors out there who will for a fee give you the card I know of one OTR driver on insulin who still has a valid card

sad but true.

[powerdriver]

I understand part of of this , Like you my ears ring . Some days worse than others . Certain frequencies are simply gone . Had a driver complain about a belt squall . 3 times in the shop and I thought she was crazy . Last time a manager said what it making that squealing noise . I knew I was in trouble ... Chasing air leaks in air brake bus is done with help or by feel and spray bubbles .

And I thought that straight piped Detroit was so cool years ago ... So far I have gotten by the test but I know a day is coming when I'll be in your boat .

Have you noticed hearing is one disability that most people get upset about ?

[68Timber]

I just surrendered my CDL but for other reasons, but have dealt with hearing loss and tinnitus a long time. I'll ask the dumb question, what's the largest trailer you can pull without a CDL, and would that meet your needs?

I'm sure you've thought of that already, I don't mean to be Capt. Obvious but someone usually does.

Is there a way to contact your previous Dr. and see if he can make the right referral for you?

I hope you get a good resolution.

[yuccales]

My doctors "forced whisper at 5 feet" sounded like my dad yelling at me for leaving out his tools. I think he is the one hard of hearing! OP, hope you get it all worked out.

[Boog]

At my last physical the dr got in my face and with a scowl on her face told me "YOU'RE DIABETIC"!!! I said WHOOOOA! I've never been before. She was like scolding me for it. She is NOT my dr so who is she to talk to me that way, ya know? We got to the hearing test and I failed. I asked what she actually said. She whispered "dog and cat". I said lady, I could hear the air coming out of your mouth but cannot make out the words. And besides that what truck driver can hear a whisper in the cab of a big diesel truck anyway??? It's a ridiculous hearing test.
It's just crazy that you have to have a cdl and health card to operate a commercial motor vehicle but you can own a huge motor coach with diesel and air brakes with a class d and no card for personal use.
Having my class a was merely a convenience for me in the last 10 years so to drive a rig when I needed or wanted to. I wasn't going to be putting up with the likes of her every 3 months ever again so I just let my CDL run out.
Richard I am sorry you are in that predicament. Is it possible to have one of the two employees do all the heavy truck driving from here forward? Maybe cover the cost to have one get his cdl?

[mongocanfly]

and under my farm tag i can pull 30k without a cdl...crazy

[Steeveedee]

Well, there you go, Richard! Buy a plot of land, cover it with sand and say you're farming glass!

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by Boog

At my last physical the dr got in my face and with a scowl on her face told me "YOU'RE DIABETIC"!!! I said WHOOOOA! I've never been before. She was like scolding me for it. She is NOT my dr so who is she to talk to me that way, ya know? We got to the hearing test and I failed. I asked what she actually said. She whispered "dog and cat". I said lady, I could hear the air coming out of your mouth but cannot make out the words. And besides that what truck driver can hear a whisper in the cab of a big diesel truck anyway??? It's a ridiculous hearing test.
It's just crazy that you have to have a cdl and health card to operate a commercial motor vehicle but you can own a huge motor coach with diesel and air brakes with a class d and no card for personal use.
Having my class a was merely a convenience for me in the last 10 years so to drive a rig when I needed or wanted to. I wasn't going to be putting up with the likes of her every 3 months ever again so I just let my CDL run out.
Richard I am sorry you are in that predicament. Is it possible to have one of the two employees do all the heavy truck driving from here forward? Maybe cover the cost to have one get his cdl?

That is a big issue I have. Other than my hearing I am medically fit to drive but yet I can't drive my 24k lb bucket truck to the job because of my hearing. On the flip side. my grandfather could be out in his classs A pusher pulling an enclosed trailer 24' long and does not need any type of checkup. I have said it before that CDL and DOT are BS money scheme. If it was all done for safety, the rules would be the same across the board. An example of this I have had 1st hand experience with, DOT showed up to my shop some years back for a random paperwork inspection. I had just purchased a 99 international 4700 with air brakes that had an 8 ton boom for doing my heavy sign lifting, it was a factory 25999 GVW rating truck. I also at the time had an 88 F800 auger truck with air brakes but was 33k lb. I need CDL license with air endorsement to drive the 88 ford but just a regular car license with no air endorsement for the new crane. I asked the dot cop why that was. He said because the 99 crane was 26k and under it did not fall under regulations so I was exempt from complying with them. I told him right then that meant the entire set of rules was meant as a govt money making scam and had nothing to do with safety. He got flustered and mad and tried to deflect but I went on to tell him that if it was all about safety any air brake vehicle should require that endorsement no matter the weight. It was my understanding that air brakes require semi constant adjusting that the driver must know how to do and do correctly so the weight should not matter. If my air brakes fail on my 26k lb truck that truck will kill you just as quick as the 33k lb truck. He had no answer other than "thats the law" same thing with the new crane certification license, I have been operating cranes since 1988 of various smaller types. Most have been in the 2-4k lb range until I bought the 8 ton boom. With the new regs I have to spend thousands of dollars to get certified to run my own truck that I have been operating safely for the past 15 years without any issue because the truck will pick up over 2k lbs. I refused to do it and sold the truck. Now instead of having a nice heavy duty truck that will handle anything I do safely, I am back to my old sign crane that is rated at 2k lb but will go 80 feet. Mosh stopped me on a jobsite bc they thought something was wrong. After playing their game for several hours of down time, they agreed that I was in compliance and nothing happened. I figured since they wasted my time I would let them know how I felt about their new crane law and that it was just another govt money making scheme. He then went on the spiel about how it is all about the safety & I stopped him right there and called bull s*** on him. I told him I just sold my 8 ton that had 65 ft of boom because I was not taking another money hit on something that was not needed. I kept my 2k lb crane that goes 80 ft because it was exempt from the regs and I got to keep the money I earned instead of having a legal mafia saying I had to give it to them. I told him that the regs were bogus and was all about the money. If it was about safety ALL cranes no matter how big or small would have been included. I asked him what he would feel safer working near or underneath an 8ton boom with a 500lb skid rigged up on it or my sign crane out 70 ft with the same skid. Both scenerios would be legal lifts on the load charts but my sign crane looks more like it has a 20' great white shark getting reeled in by my grandsons paw patrol fresh water rod. In either instance that 500lb skid would kill anyone it fell on so why the exemption. No answer. It is all about the money and power.

As far as getting others to drive, I have no plans to hire on anyone, Been there done that have enough of them t shirts. The one guy I have is strictly in the office doing artwork and answering phones and is 70. My other guy just turned 60 and he does most of the driving anyway BUT there are days when we need 2 trucks. I do not have enough work going on (by choice) to justify hiring someone else that I can't afford to be here 40 hours a week.

I know how it sounds..... i want I want I want, but I gave up the headaches of a large shop and the 30k a week payroll for a reason and have no intentions of going back to it.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

I just surrendered my CDL but for other reasons, but have dealt with hearing loss and tinnitus a long time. I'll ask the dumb question, what's the largest trailer you can pull without a CDL, and would that meet your needs?

I'm sure you've thought of that already, I don't mean to be Capt. Obvious but someone usually does.

Is there a way to contact your previous Dr. and see if he can make the right referral for you?

I hope you get a good resolution.

In MD I would not be able to pull a trailer at all. Anything 10001 gross single or combined requires the card.

I have had a couple referrals over the last 3 years and they all lead to Baltimore county Med center in towson that is apparently the best whe nit comes to hearing loss. I have contacted them twice now and because I have no insurance they don't even want to talk to me. I have tried to explain to them that what I want is an initial consultation just to talk with them to see what options I may have, if any and that I was fully prepared to pay for the visit. Still have yet to get that worked out. They told me in the last email I had with them that they did not discuss particulars thru email and that the initial talk would need to be done by phone. I told them if I could talk to them by phone I would not need their damn services

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

and under my farm tag i can pull 30k without a cdl...crazy

yea you farmers get all the breaks

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by powerdriver

I understand part of of this , Like you my ears ring . Some days worse than others . Certain frequencies are simply gone . Had a driver complain about a belt squall . 3 times in the shop and I thought she was crazy . Last time a manager said what it making that squealing noise . I knew I was in trouble ... Chasing air leaks in air brake bus is done with help or by feel and spray bubbles .

And I thought that straight piped Detroit was so cool years ago ... So far I have gotten by the test but I know a day is coming when I'll be in your boat .

Have you noticed hearing is one disability that most people get upset about ?

Trust me it is not a fun situation to be in when you have others that depend on you.

Your last sentence is spot on. I just walk away from most people now. I am upfront that I can't hear what they are saying and they act all offended that they have to keep repeating, or they will try to pull me in closer to hollar in my ear. I just tell em to email or text me now, don't get worked up like I did a few years back. I realize most people don't have to deal with stuff like this so I try not to take offence to it. I just tell them if they persist that hey, you only have to deal with it for the time we are together, I deal with it 24/7/365

[whitedog76]

I’ve held a class B since 95 and a class A since 98. Luckily I’ve never had any medical issues when I get my DOT physical. Anyhow, I hauled petroleum products for a number of years. I had a co-worker that was legally deaf. He had to wear a hearing aide when he drove. So, I would check with the DMV to see what the law actually states before I did anything.

[Bimus]

With hearing and a CDL you need 40% in one ear .
One of my ears is not very good at all not really worth having the other is 85%
so I'm still good to go.

['63GENIII]

Im not a truck driver by any means. Pickups are it for me.

I did a quick Google search of "ADA Exemptions for Class B DOT License" and a bunch of stuff came up. Not sure what it takes to get an exemption or if you'd even want to raise a red flag for it but they did list exemptions for Hearing, Diabetes and a few others. I will try and find it again and post the link.

I think if you can still do your job safely, there's no way that anyone should be able to take it away from you.

Like you, Ive had Tinnitus for a while now. It sucks, though mine tends to come and go I think. If I'm busy or really engaged in what I'm doing, I don't notice it as much. If Im trying to relax, it turns up to 11. Like you, it seems as though Im much more alert - my surroundings, vibrations, spacial awareness ect.

Ill try and find that link

[68Timber]

How often do you need a driver? Would a part-time person meet your needs? How large an area do you cover? Every OTR driver dreams of getting off the road. Most of them you don't want to deal with though. Your target is an Owner-operator that wants to retire but still needs a little income. Still, it's almost guaranteed to be a lather-rinse-repeat process to keep a driver hired. There are plenty of older owner-operators out there looking for something part time and local to keep at least some money coming in. Local to them means 250-mi range? That's where I would be looking. Referrals are your friend.

['63GENIII]

Just realized this is a Fed program and does not grant a waiver to individual states. Maybe your state has a similar program?? Either way, best of luck. Tinnitus is a drag

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...N8XC9jR_RSdNHo

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by '63GENIII

Just realized this is a Fed program and does not grant a waiver to individual states. Maybe your state has a similar program?? Either way, best of luck. Tinnitus is a drag

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...N8XC9jR_RSdNHo

Thanks so much for this link. I am interstate so it at least gives me some hope. I am going to follow up on that and will post back when I find out anything.

['63GENIII]

Originally Posted by richard2717

Thanks so much for this link. I am interstate spit at least gives me some hope. I am going to follow up on that and will post back when I find out anything.

Hey, right on. Hope there is an easy answer and solution to keep you on the road.

If MD is anything like CA, you can get an exemption for near anything as long as it means you're still generating money for the state!

Best of luck Richard