The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) June 27 announced that 8,000 more health professionals have been added to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) since the new system for USDOT medical examinations launched last month with 22,000 providers.
Another 22,500 medical professionals have also initiated the process for gaining their certification. All interstate commercial truck and bus drivers must pass a USDOT medical examination at least once every two years in order to obtain a valid medical certificate and maintain their commercial driver’s license (CDL).
As required by federal regulation, effective May 21, 2014, all new USDOT medical examinations for interstate truck and bus drivers (both CDL and non-CDL drivers) are required to be performed by a medical examiner who has completed the required training and passed a certification test.
The USDOT medical examination looks at a range of conditions to assess a driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory and muscular functions, vision, and hearing. To meet the needs of professional drivers throughout the country, there are certified examiners in every state, and dozens or hundreds in most cities that can be located by visiting http://nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/.