For many years, CDL drivers have been required to pass a regular health examination from a medical professional. Commercial drivers are also required to carry proof that they passed their exam (usually a certificate) whenever they operate a commercial vehicle. The medical exam requirement itself isn’t changing. But, the way that a driver obtains that certification is being tweaked.

The previous rules and regulations

Previously, drivers were allowed to use any doctor they wanted to perform their exam. It didn’t matter what kind of doctor signed off on the exam, and it wasn’t a matter of concern for the FMCSA. Their only concern was that a driver could provide proof that they passed the DOT (Department of Transportation) physical exam. This meant that a doctor, a dentist, or even a podiatrist could issue the exam.  

There were also no limitations on how frequently an exam could be administered. That meant that if a driver failed an exam, they could just go to a different doctor the next day for a passing grade. Some doctors even allowed drivers to retake the exam multiple times before giving the final grade. So, drivers with borderline medical conditions like high blood-pressure could fail and then pass on the same day or very soon after.

New rules and regulations

With the new rules, the process of giving and receiving a physical exam has gotten more difficult. The FMCSA is taking more control over who can perform the exam. They’ve created the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. This is a list of licensed doctors who have been certified to administer the test. Drivers who need to find a licensed doctor can find a complete list here:

Since doctors need to be registered, drivers also have to register their certificates with the state that issued their license. Failure to register could result in suspension or revocation of the license. Drivers must also report to the state whether they’re operating in interstate or intrastate commerce. They also have to indicate if they’re an exception to the exam. Exceptions usually include individuals who drive fire trucks, school busses, etc.  

If a driver fails the physical exam the FMCSA requires that the problem be corrected before they can drive again. The driver may have to report to their personal physician for help correcting the issue.

Â鶹AV is Maine’s only locally owned & operated career school as well as the state’s only Nationally Accredited truck driving school. Most programs at Â鶹AV average tens of thousands of dollars less than many other schools in the state while taking literally a 10th of the time on average to complete. And the big difference between Â鶹AV and the rest? JOBS.

Recently, Maine Medical Partners hired 4 graduates from the Clinical Medical Assistant and Medical Office programs, while other graduates have acquired positions at NorDx, Healthport, Orthopedic Associates and Maine Centers for Health.

Â鶹AV’s Information Technology (IT) students are securing employment in many cases before they graduate, with current students launching IT careers at Time Warner Cable, Bell Techlogix, Metrocast, and contract work for Google through MarketStar.

Â鶹AV has experienced tremendous success placing HVAC/R graduates in heating and refrigeration technician positions throughout the state. Hiring companies include: Atlantic Comfort, Pine State Heating, HVAC Services, Comfort Systems, Fontaine HVAC, Northeast Mechanical, Estes Oil, J. Hannah Mechanical, Gelinas HVAC, and reVision Heat.

At Â鶹AV’s Bangor campus, more than 20 recent graduates found employment with regional employers. An additional 12 students were accepted into the externship program at various healthcare organizations where Â鶹AV graduates continue to hone their career skills while gaining valuable real-world experience in the medical industry.

All of Â鶹AV’s programs as short as 5 weeks for CDL trucking, and even our IT, Medical, and HVAC programs can be completed in about 6 months or less. All programs lead to national certification (or Licensure) and the school has partnered with and placed their graduates with many of Maine’s top employers in the Medical, IT, HVAC, and transportation industries.

As a career training school, Â鶹AV teaches valuable hands-on skills that are in high demand throughout the medical industry. This has helped Â鶹AV establish lasting relationships with clinical externship sites at some of the largest medical facilities in the state and laboratories such as NorDx. This externship program provides students with real-world “on-the-job” training which can often lead to employment. Recently, Â鶹AV has partnered to create additional externship site opportunities with Central Maine Medical Center and Women to Women in Yarmouth.
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Â鶹AV is a career school with campuses in Bangor and Scarborough. They attract a diverse student base seeking training in highly employable fields like Allied Health, Commercial Drivers’ License, Information Technology and HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration). The school offers job placement assistance, flexible scheduling, and federal financial aid for most programs and for those who qualify. For more information, go to .
For more information please contact:
Jennifer Thompson, Campus Director
jthompson@ntinow.edu
207-883-5130