When it comes to keeping up to date on the necessary documentation for driving a truck, getting a DOT physical has always been a little bit of a stressful time for me. Luckily, knowing what you need to do ahead of time and what you need to get your DOT medical card can make it a lot easier to get the certification you need to get back on the road.
A DOT medical card is proof that you took a DOT physical examination. This certification is needed to legally drive a commercial vehicle under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
I’ve been through the DOT physical, so I can give you a good idea of what you’ll have to deal with and how to get through the exam and back on the road. Read on to learn more about what a DOT medical card consists of and how to get yours.
Who Needs a DOT Physical for Employment?
I have to get a DOT physical to drive my truck because I operate my truck on interstate routes and I end up running loads that are over ten thousand pounds.
Here are a few other circumstances where you might need a DOT physical for a trucking job:
- You an interstate motor vehicle with over 10,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight, or gross combination weight rating
- You operate a vehicle that is designed to carry more than eight people
- You’re responsible for transporting hazardous materials
Learning that you have to get a DOT physical for employment can be stressful, I get it. But having an idea of what to expect can take a lot of the stress out of things.
Preparation for a DOT Physical
I understand that getting a physical for work is a little bit scary, especially if you haven’t had to do it before. The first time I had to get a physical for a DOT medical card, I wasn’t sure how things would work. Luckily, the process is pretty straightforward. The first thing you’ll need to know is what to bring to your medical exam.
What to Bring to a DOT Physical
I think the easiest way to make a DOT physical less stressful is to make sure you have everything you need to complete your paperwork.
Here’s a list of the things you should have with you for your DOT physical to get your DOT medical card:
- Driver’s license or valid photo ID: In most cases, your driver’s license is the best choice for your ID verification, but a passport is also acceptable.
- Eyeglasses/contact lenses: If you have vision correction, you should bring it with you to your exam. Getting an eye exam report is also a good idea.
- Hearing aid: I don’t have a hearing aid and you might not either, but if you do wear one, you should bring it with you to your DOT physical exam.
- List of medications: To pass a DOT physical, the examining doctor will need to know exactly what kind of drugs you’re prescribed to take and how much you’re taking. This will also help prevent you from getting a false positive urinalysis.
Medical release letter: If you have pre-existing injuries or some other medical condition that might make it hard for you to qualify for a DOT medical card, a medical release opinion letter from your doctor can help your qualification.
My suggestion is that you keep all of these materials together in a large manila envelope or folder to make things easier on yourself. That way, you won’t have to worry about accidentally forgetting a piece of paperwork before your DOT exam.
What Does the DOT Cover?
So now you have your paperwork together and you’re ready to take the physical exam for your DOT medical card. What exactly will you be covering when you go in?
Here’s the rundown of topics that you’ll be addressing when you get your DOT physical:
- Vision: When you’re driving, being able to see on the road is an important part of transporting cargo safety. The doctor will check out your vision as part of your physical and may ask to see your eye exam report if you brought a recent one.
- Hearing: Along with being able to see other cars on the interstate, your ability to hear emergency vehicles or other hazards is an important part of trucking too. The DOT physician will do a basic hearing test to make sure that you don’t have any issues with your ears.
Blood pressure: In my opinion, getting your blood pressure checked at the DOT physical is the easiest part of the process. Dangerously high or low blood pressure can make you a threat behind the wheel if you have a medical emergency though, so this short test is a serious one. - Urinalysis: You might be wondering if you have to get drug tested for a trucking job, and the answer is absolutely. Drinking plenty of water prior to your exam can make this part of the test much easier, especially if you have a shy bladder.
- Physical Examination: The longest part of the DOT physical exam is – you guessed it – the physical itself. During the physical the DOT physician will check your lungs, throat, abdomen, genitals, neurology, and muscular/skeletal systems. The doctor will also go over your medical history.
As you can see, none of these things is really that difficult or outside of a routine annual physical you’d do with your regular doctor. I think as long as you can make sure you’re ready for a urinalysis drug test and you have your required paperwork in order, you’ll already be ahead of the game.
DOT Medical Exams Are No Big Deal
Confession time: As somebody who used to put off annual physicals as often as possible, I still think it’s a little bit of a hassle getting a DOT physical. Nobody necessarily wants to go to the doctor for a head-to-toes examination.
However, I also think you should look at it in a practical way. A DOT physical can alert you to any hidden medical issues you might have, and the whole point of the DOT medical card is to make sure everybody on the road stays safe, including me and you!