Listen to today's daily briefing belowor go here for more info: 80 M Street SE, Suite 800, Washington, D.C., 20003, In January, the agency published a proposed rule, proposed plan to eliminate the exemption process, requirement that insulin-dependent diabetic drivers, FMCSA Extends COVID Emergency Declaration to Aug. 31, Werner Exempt From New Driver Training Requirement, FMCSA Drops Two CDL Streamlining Proposals, Congressional Transportation Republicans Welcome New FHWA Memo | Transport Topics, Perspective: Knowing Cargo Theft Risks | Transport Topics, ATAs Bob Costello Presents Mixed Picture on Economy | Transport Topics, Big G Express Acquires RTR Transportation | Transport Topics, Phillips Industries Announces Plans to Move Manufacturing to Mexico in 2023 | Transport Topics, 2023 Transport Topics | All Rights Reserved. The first step is to have the driver certify in writing the date the vision deficiency began to determine if an exception applies. Crash study shouldnt repeat past mistakes, OOIDA says, Infrastructure needs up to states, FHWA memo says, Trucker asks FMCSA for 5/5 sleeper berth option, Getting it from both sides rates down, costs up, Warming up the spotlight for broker transparency issue. Phone: 202-366-9409 The FMCSA and its predecessor agency, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), have continuously monitored the impact of the vision waiver study and exemption programs. Go to: Driver Exemption Programs | FMCSA (dot.gov) E-mail: fmcsamedical@dot.gov Call: (202) 366-4001 Goal: To re-examine the vision standard for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and evaluate the efficacy of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA's) vision waiver program. If time remains on their medical certification, can a driver be sent for a DOT exam? The vision deficiency should be stable. The proposed change would end the agencys vision exemption program. The waiver currently in place has been granting drivers with vision in only one eye since 1998 and is estimated that over 2,500 interstate drivers hold an FMCSA vision exemption. Can hear a forced whisper from at least five feet way in at least one ear, Does not have a strong risk for diabetes, or a requirement that they have insulin injections*, Does not have a respiratory illness, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, brain disorder, or any neurological disorders, Does not have symptoms of dizziness or fainting, Does not have digestive problems, kidney disease, epilepsy or seizure, psychiatric difficulties, or sleep apnea, Does not have any signs of alcohol or drug abuse. Are you an environment, health, and safety (EHS) professional with something to contribute to your professional community? FMCSA has said one of the rebuttals to many of the concerns the agency has heard is that there have not been any significant problems with monocular drivers in the last 30-plus years. The driver was grandfathered under 391.64(b) on March 22, 2022. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a proposal to amend vision standard requirements in the Federal Register on January 12, 2021. Driving research is fraught with limitations associated with the multi-factorial nature of the task and the difficulties in accessing accurate crash data. The most significant increase was seen in the West Coast less California region, where prices increased by 3.2 cents. The Federal Register provides rules and notices dating back to 1995. Before the driver can operate a CMV, unless an exception applies, the carrier completes a road test to verify that the lack of adequate vision in one eye does not affect the drivers ability to operate safely. ( 2) CDL/CLP exception. An FCMSA exemption may be available to drivers who lose their vision if they have three or more years driving experience, and who do not driver across state lines. The original recommendation was for just 70 degrees. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Medical Review Board will evaluate the vision standard for truck drivers at its next meeting, which will be held May 19-20. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. According to an agenda for the meeting published Tuesday in the Federal Register, the MRB will evaluate comments and the vision assessment form from a proposed rulemaking from January. The carrier must distribute documents as follows: Carriers must be clear on who is eligible for an exception to the road test for drivers medically qualifying under the alternative vision standard for the first time. The FMCSA reportedly set a March 15 deadline for public comments. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. To properly document that an exception applies to a driver described in Point 1 above, the carrier must prepare a written statement that the driver met either criterion. A lock ( LockA locked padlock ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. When a truck driver passes the medical exam, he/she will be given a CDL medical card. Join our monthly newsletter and stay up-to-date on trucking industry news and receive important compliance and licensing tips. In January, the agency published a proposed rule to amend its regulations to permit drivers who cannot meet either the current distant visual acuity or field of vision standard, or both, in one. The research presented demonstrates that individuals with monocular vision can safely operate a CMV, OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. Do your employees know how to handle hazardous materials safely? The medical board also recommended that the vision evaluation report not request information relating to severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy because these are evaluated separately under the standard for insulin-treated diabetes mellitus. The MRB supported Concentras recommendation and incorporated it in its review of the proposed rule which it submitted to the agency in July. According to CDL, a medical exam is compulsory in order to obtain a CDC license. The original written statement and the original, or a copy, of the individuals certification regarding the date the vision deficiency began must also be in the DQ file. Go to: Driver Exemption Programs | FMCSA (dot.gov)E-mail: fmcsamedical@dot.govCall: (202) 366-4001. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, United States Department of Transportation, National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, ADA Requirements for Over-the-Road Bus Companies, Apply for a New USDOT Number and/or Authority, Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders. FMCSA plan would make it easier for truckers with vision loss in one eye to operate By Ashley - January 12, 2021 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is considering a proposal to change vision requirements for truck drivers to provide "enhance employment opportunities." Drivers who have 3 years of intrastate or excepted interstate CMV driving experience with a vision deficiency, hold a valid federal vision exemption, or are grandfathered under 49 CFR 391.64 for participation in a vision waiver study program would be exempt from the road test requirement. J.J.Keller is the trusted source for DOT / Transportation, OSHA / Workplace Safety, Human Resources, Construction Safety and Hazmat / Hazardous Materials regulation compliance products and services. Learn more about Earl Adams Jr. More split-sleeper berth options would allow truckers to be better rested and find a safe place to park, a truck driver told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This free white paper from Tingley examines how flame-resistant (FR) apparel for [], The Standard Of Slip Resistance Learn how EHS professionals are responding to the new ASTM F3445 slip resistance standard in different industries. googletag.cmd.push(function() { The clinics will be open to anyone over 18 and will be conducted on-site at the truck stop, in the main building on the third floor. Posted August 27, 2021. googletag.cmd.push(function() { FMCSAs final rule was published in the Federal Register on Friday, Jan. 21. to eliminate the exemption process for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers with monocular vision. Comments are due to the FMCSA by March 15. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations Medical Review Board (MRB), a five-member panel of physicians that provides expert advice to the agency, recommends that the current field-of-vision requirement for drivers with vision loss in one eye be changed from 70 degrees to 120 degrees in a proposed alternative vision standard being considered by FMCSA. googletag.cmd.push(function() { In lieu of current regulations, the Agency is proposing an "alternative vision standard" requiring that the individual must: (1) have in the better eye distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen), with or without corrective lenses, and field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal meridian; (2) be able to recognize the colors of A distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye without corrective lenses or visual acuity separately corrected to 20/40 (Snellen) or better with corrective lenses. The suggested changes were open to comments by the public. However, those who qualify under the proposed alternate vision standard would complete a road test, conducted by the carrier, before operating in interstate commerce. The truck driver will not have to ask the FMCSA for permission to drive based on an approved exemption. Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy & Compliance Random Testing Rates 2023 DOT Random Testing Rates NOTE: Employers (and C/TPAs) subject to more than one DOT Agency drug and alcohol testing rule may continue to combine covered employees into a single random selection pool. Should FMCSA lift restrictions on deaf drivers? Provisions of the vision exemption include an annual medical exam and an eye exam by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. To qualify under the alternative vision standard based on the vision in the better eye, drivers can follow the process detailed in 391.44. All CNS Companies operate out of this new facility, including our CDL Driver Training Center. The DOT published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on this measure in January 2021, and has projected a final rule by February 2022. The alternative vision standard would make it easier for those with vision deficiencies to both retest for their CDL and receive a new CDL without seeking an exemption. Registration will be available here in the coming days. Drivers should keep their CDL current. Currently, the agency considers vision exemptions on a case-by-case basis for drivers who do not meet one or both of the standards. Here is how it works: First, truck drivers need a vision evaluation from an eye doctor, and then another with a doctor who must be well-versed in the FMCSA vision exam. Your email address will not be published. A number of other rules from the DOT, FMCSA, and NHTSA are in various pre-rule, proposed, and final stages. Those who wish to make an appointment can do so here, but walk-ins will also be welcomed. Our DOT Compliance Programs ensure it is your top priority and keeps your business running. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), though, does have a current exemption process in place. 2022-02-25 - Revision of a currently approved collection. A prospective driver seeking physical qualification would obtain a vision evaluation from an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Fuel prices rise for first time since MarchFollowing a month of decreasing but mostly flat fuel prices, the average price for a gallon of on-highway diesel increased last week for the first time since March. Medical professionals would evaluate and make medical qualification determinations instead of FMCSA, as in the current exemption program. CNS offersDOT physical examson-site at our Lititz, PA location with our Certified Medical Examiner (CME). Receive the latest transportation and trucking industry information about FMCSA and DOT Audits, Regulations, etc. Why should you check drivers licences frequently? Hours of Service of Drivers: Application for Exemption; Wayne Moore, Jr. A driver with monocular vision and a field of horizontal vision that meets the 70 degree minimum has a markedly decreased field of vision. Clinic dates and times are Monday, May 10, from 2-4 p.m.; and Thursday, May 13, through Sunday, May 16, from 5-8 p.m. each day. We remind readers that the data is either absent or conflicting regarding the safety of monocular drivers. The Medical Review Board recommended to the FMCSA that the agency adopt Concentras standard. If the Feds keeps screwing the working class in the industry, I predict sooner or later drivers will get tied and whether youre Union,Non-Uion, Independent or Owner Operators,it can lead to some problems like a National Shut Down. The alternative standard was part of a rulemaking proposal that opened for public comment in January. The agencys review board has now put its stamp of approval on a proposed plan to eliminate the exemption process. 3. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); This is nothing more than taking jobs away from AMERICANS AGAIN TO BE REPLACED WITH FOREIGNERS FROM MEXICO AND OTHER COUNTRIES THAT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND OUR LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT OUR HIGHWAY SYSTEMS AND WILL RESULT IN MILLIONS OF DEATHS TO AMERICANS JUST LIKE UNDER OBAMA GO BACK AND CHECK THE SAFETY SCALE FROM 2010 to 2016 when FMCSA decided to kill the transportation system under Obama and check the Safety Scale under President Trump from 2017 to Jan.2021 and see which was operating the safest!! Document [docx] Download: docx | pdf. I have been driving straight truck for almost 40 years. We would recommend that 120 degrees bilaterally be considered the minimum acceptable standard and drivers not meeting this standard be disqualified.. A field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal Meridian in each eye. In addition to the field-of-vision requirement, the alternative standard requires that drivers have at least 20/40 vision in their better eye, be able to recognize the colors of traffic signals and devices showing standard red, green and amber, and have a vision deficiency that is stable. They dont . The MRB is an advisory committee to the FMCSA and provides the agency with input on current medical issues affecting commercial motor vehicle driver qualification and wellness. Our audience was surveyed with nine questions about the importance of slip resistance in work footwear, if they are []. The rule grandfathers provision for drivers currently operating under the vision waiver study program. The federal government has been granting waivers for drivers with vision in only one eye since 1998. If a driver uses the alternative vision standard to receive their medical certification for the first time, the carrier must administer a road test as required in 391.44(d)(1). Those interested in participating in the virtual meeting are encouraged, but not required, to register in advance. FMCSAs chief counsel since July 2021, will now serve as the agencys deputy administrator. Effective March 22, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made it easier for drivers who do not meet the vision standards to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). Present regulations disqualify drivers with distant visual acuity or field of vision standard, or both, in one eye from operating a CMV in interstate commerce. The effective date is now March 21, allowing time for the Biden administration to review the rule and consider any questions of fact, law, or policy that it might raise. We are part of a network of companies, CNS Companies, specializing in services related to the transportation, manufacturing, construction, service, education and medical industries. As we build the EHS Daily Advisor community, we are looking for professionals, managers, and executives to be a part of our Faces of EHS profile series as well as contribute thoughtful content that can help our colleagues in the field with their compliance and cultural efforts. Copyright 2023 Land Line Magazine & Land Line Now. A distant binocular acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen) in both eyes with or without. The updated CDL requirements significantly affect the Entry-level Driver Training Rule, (EDLT) for drivers who are just starting in the trucking industry, the requirements for obtaining a CDL, the category of entry-level drivers that would benefit. The alternative vision standard would involve a two-step process for physical qualification similar to the qualification process used under the agencys alternative standard for drivers with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus. It included provisions aimed at allowing those with vision loss in one eye who meet the new standard to be deemed qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) without having to apply to the FMCSA for an exemption. Miller, retired officially since 2010, continues to drive school bus and write from his home in Maryland. The review board noted it does not have sufficient data to establish a specific waiting period for an individual who has a new vision deficiency. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. A copy of the drivers CDL or a road test certificate issued in the past three years cannot be used instead of the road test. Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, May 4, 2021: Driver vision qualifications, diabetes to be discussed at Medical Review Board meetingThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations Medical Review Board will evaluate the vision standard for truck drivers at its next meeting, which will be held May 19-20. Drivers would be waived from the road test requirement if they have three years of intrastate or excepted interstate CMV driving experience with the vision deficiency, hold a valid federal vision exemption, or are medically certified. Currently, these drivers are prohibited from operating in interstate commerce without an exemption from FMCSA. F orm MCSA-5871 OMB Control Number: 2126-0006. The virtual meeting is open to the public. All Rights Reserved. Sitemap. Listen to the latest and subscribe! The final report is available here: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. According to the Department of Energys weekly update, the nations average fuel price for the week ending May 3 was $3.142 per gallon, a 1.8-cent increase over the previous week. Cmv, OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer rule by February 2022 required, Register... ) professional with something to contribute to your professional community on an approved.! Ophthalmologist or an optometrist set a March 15 b ) on March 22, 2022, 2022 of. Eliminate the exemption process in place its stamp of approval on a plan... Can follow the process detailed in 391.44 ) or https: // means youve safely connected to the website! 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