Inside this issue: CDL/Medical Card Merger Questions .

1 In the News 2 Safety Focus: Periodic and Annual Inspection Requirements .. 3 Keep Your Joints in Shape . 4

CDL/MedicalCardMergerQuestions
Generally, drivers are expected to provide the medical examiners certificate when completing the self-certification form, renewing their CDL, or applying for an initial CDL. Drivers who will not be renewing their CDL before January 30, 2014, will be To verify a drivers expected to provide the medical examiners certifimedical qualification status, employ- cate before that date. ers will instead have Again, each state has varyto obtain a copy of ing policies and procedures In December 2008, the the drivers motor vehicle when it comes to submitFederal Motor Carrier Safe- record (MVR) before alting this information. Drivty Administration published lowing the driver to drive a ers need to follow the proa final rule, requiring states commercial motor vehicle cedures as outlined by their to place each interstate (CMV) in interstate com- state of license. Commercial Drivers merce. This article addresses severLicense (CDL) holders al questions you may have medical qualification status This issue has been a source of concern for regarding the merger of the into the national commermotor carriers for two CDL and medical card. cial CDL database. reasons. First, states are Q: Several of my drivers The regulation provided a not addressing the issue in received a letter on what two year window, from Jan- exactly the same way. uary 30, 2012, to January Second, because the CDL looks like letterhead from 30, 2014, for states to our state driver licensing belongs to the driver, the obtain this information and motor carrier in many agency. The letter asks place it into the CDL data- cases is left out when it the drivers for personal base. comes to notification and/ information including birthdate, license numor instruction on how to As of January 30, 2014, ber, and the category of comply. motor carriers will no longer be required to keep a (continued on page 2)
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copy of each CDL holders medical card in the driver qualification file and drivers who possess a CDL will no longer be required to carry a copy of the document.

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September 2013

PeriodicandAnnualInspectionRequirements,continued
commercial driving they perform. Is this legitimate? If you are unsure of the validity of the letter your driver received, contact A: By January 30, 2014, a your state driver licensing agency, or verify the letter CDL holder needs to supply two types of infor- via the agencys website. mation to his/her state Q: Once a driver turns driver licensing agency. in the self-certification The first type of inforand a copy of his medimation the driver must cal card, does he have to provide is a selfcontinue to carry the certification of the type of medical card? commercial driving he/ A: Yes. Until the program she performs. The driver is fully implemented on will need to certify that January 30, 2014, the drivhe/she operates under er will still have to carry an one of the following four original or copy of the categories: medical examiners certifi Interstate noncate and provide a copy to excepted; his employer for the driver Excepted interstate; qualification file. Non-excepted intraQ: Turning in this certistate; and fication and the medical Excepted intrastate. card seems like a lot of The second type of infor- busy work. Whats the mation is a current copy end result? of his/her medical certifiA: As of January 30, 2014, cate (often called the drivers will no longer be medical card). required to carry a medical The state driver licensing card and motor carriers agency will place this in- will no longer be required formation, supplied by the to keep a copy in the drivdriver, into the CDL data ers qualification file. base. changes to the hours-ofservice regulations can stand unchanged. The only change the court has ordered has to do with short-haul drivers. According to the courts decision, the 30-minute All of this information will be included on the drivers driving record. Motor carriers will have to obtain a copy of the driving record that includes the drivers current medical card status and place this document in the drivers qualification file. Q: What if a CDL holder does not have to renew his license before January 30, 2014?

A: The driver is responsible for providing the selfcertification of operating status and a copy of his/her medical certificate to his/ her state licensing agency prior to January 30, 2014. Q: Does the driver have The driver will need to conto fill out the selftact his/her state licensing certification form every time he gets a new medi- agency for direction on how to address this issue. cal card? A: No. The new medical card must be turned in each time the driver gets a new card, but the selfcertification is only turned in under certain circumstances, including when a driver:
Applies for a CDL;

Q: How do these requirements affect non-CDL holders who operate commercial motor vehicles (meaning those who operate vehicles between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds)?

A: Non-CDL holders are not affected by these reRenews a CDL; quirements. They will be Applies for a higher class required to continue to of CDL; carry a copy of their medical exam card and another copy Applies for a new endorsement on a CDL; or will continue to be maintained by their employers in Transfers a CDL from their driver qualification another state. files.

IntheNews:CourtIssuesDecisiononHoursofService
First, the announcement: The court involved in the hours-of-service legal challenge has issued its decision (as of August 2, 2013). In its decision the court ruled that the majority of the July 1, 2013,
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break requirement cannot be applied to these drivers. The FMCSA has already come out with a policy statement clarifying who a short-haul driver is and stating that they will not be enforcing the 30-minute

break requirement on these drivers. A short-haul driver in this context is a driver that is operating under either the 100 air-mile or 150 air-mile exception found at 395.1(e) in the regulations.
September 2013

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SafetyFocus:PeriodicandAnnualInspection Requirements
This months safety focus looks at the periodic/ annual inspection requirements in Part 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). QuestionsandAnswers Q: How can our company meet the annual inspection requirements? A: Commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate or foreign commerce must pass an inspection at least annually. The inspection requirements may be met through periodic inspection programs administered by the states, or by a self-inspection, a roadside inspection, or an inspection performed by a commercial garage or similar commercial business, so long as the inspection complies with federal or compatible state standards. Commercial motor vehicles operating in intrastate commerce may also be subject to annual inspection requirements. Consult state regulations for specific details. Q: Who is qualified to conduct a self-inspection? A: A self-inspection must be conducted by a qualified inspector, whether the inspector works directly for the carrier or a third party, such as a truck stop, repair shop, or an inspection business. The inspector must have a combination of training and/or experience totaling at least one year. Evidence of the inspectors qualifications must be documented. Q: Do we need to document the inspection, and if so how? A: Yes, the inspection must be documented. The inspector performing the inspection must prepare a report which identifies the:
Name of the individual performing the inspection; Motor carrier operating the vehicle; Date of the inspection; Vehicle inspected; and Components inspected.

A statement certifying the accuracy and completeness of the inspection must be included. The inspection report must be retained where the vehicle is housed or maintained for 14 months and a copy of the inspection report must be kept in the vehicle. Q: Can we use a decal to document the inspection? A: A decal may be placed on the vehicle. The decal must include:
The date of inspection; Name and address of your company or other

entity (for example, commercial garage) where the inspection report is maintained;
Information uniquely identifying the vehicle

The individual conducting the inspection must understand the inspection criteria in Part 393 and Appendix G A certification that the vehicle has passed an of the FMCSRs and must be able to identify defective inspection in accordance with Sec. 396.17. components. Though the decal replaces the inspection report on the He/she must be knowledgeable of and have mastered vehicle, the inspection report must continue to be the methods, procedures, tools, and equipment used retained where the vehicle is housed or maintained for when performing the inspection. 14 months as discussed earlier.
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inspected if not clearly marked on the motor vehicle; and

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KeepYourJointsinShape
It has ever been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. president

For joints to stay healthy, they need to move.

moving your joints keeps Maintain a healthy You might not give your tendons and ligaments weight. Excess weight puts joints a second thought limber. stress on your joints, and until they make their prescould be a risk factor for ence known with a twinge Choose the right exercisdeveloping arthritis. Losing of pain or a bout of stiffes. Put some variety into a pound of weight can take ness. Whether your joints your exercise routine to several pounds of stress off are feeling out of sorts or strengthen different muscle your knees. are working just fine, its groups. If your joints bothimportant to take steps to er you, try swimming and Eat a balanced diet. keep them in the best bicycling, which allow you Choose fruits, vegetables, shape possible. Practicing to exercise without jarring whole grains, lean meats, good lifestyle habits will your joints. Also, talk to and dairy products with promote good joint health your doctor about other little or no fat. This will and can also prevent exercises that take it easy help your weight stay at a further damage. on the joints. healthy level. To keep your joints in Warm up. Before a Know your limits. If peak shape: workout, warm up with youre new to exercise, some easy aerobic exercise dont overdo it. Start slow Dont sit still. For such as running at a slower ly, and build strength and joints to stay healthy, pace or cycling in a lower endurance. Avoid intense, they need to move. gear. This gets your body strenuous exercise on conSitting for long periods ready for more intense secutive days; vary your of time prevents the activity. Then, do a few workout and let your body synovial fluid inside the stretches to help prevent recover. If a joint begins to joints from circulating, and results in joints feel- injury. If parts of your body hurt while youre exercising, have been previously indont push through the ing creaky and stiff. By pain. Take it easy and check contrast, regular activity jured, spend extra time with your doctor for exerstrengthens the muscles warming up those areas. cises that are right for you. around the joints, and
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