FMCSA seeks medical examiner rule comments

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking comments on a modification of the proposed information collection request related to rules for certified medical examiners.

FMCSA has proposed to establish and maintain a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. All medical examiners who conduct medical examinations for interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers would have to complete certain training concerning FMCSA physical qualification standards, pass a test to verify an understanding of those standards, and maintain competence by periodic training and testing.

In comments on the notice for proposed rulemaking in December 2008, a commenter inquired as to what a motor carrier had to do to verify a medical examiner’s certificate had been issued to a commercial motor vehicle driver by a medical examiner listed on the proposed registry. In response to this and other comments, FMCSA is considering whether to require employers to verify the medical examiner is listed and to place a record of such verification in the driver qualification file.

To submit comments on the latest document, go to www.regulations.gov; the docket number is FMCSA-2008-0363.

Interstate commercial driver’s license holders subject to the physical qualification requirements of the federal safety regulations will have to provide a current copy of their medical examiner’s certificates to their state driver licensing agency. FMCSA’s final rule took effect Jan. 30, 2009. States must comply by Jan. 30, 2012, and all CDL holders must submit their self-certification by Jan. 30, 2014, as to whether or not they are subject to the physical qualification rules.