DOT Physical Drug testing?

It depends on what path of training you take. Your first drug test is administered through your first employer. Though there are some third party schools now that drug test as a pre-employment agreement with the mega carriers they affiliate with.

DOT themselves doesn't require a pre-CDL drug test, only a pre-employment drug test by the employer. Let's say you went to a community college. You would get a normal DOT physical with no drug test. Towards the end of school you would book, obstacle course, road test and get your CDL. Then when you find a job and get hired the company will bus you in. In the first 2-3 days you will get another company paid DOT physical and drug test at that time.

A third party school might drug test right away so in case someone test positive they didn't waste time training them when they won't recoup their money.

 

in every company I've ever work for the 22 years I've been driving I've never told them about any of my medical conditions it is not their business it does not hinder me from driving

 

If you take a prescribed drug that will cause a positive result on the ua,you will get a call from the medical review officer (MRO - a Doctor) before the results are given to the employer, who will go over your medications, ask for documentation on the prescriptions, and make a determination on whether the prescriptions given could cause the positive result.

The difference with trucking from other professions, is that many of those same prescriptions will also disqualify you from trucking.

 

You are required to disclose your medical problems on the DOT physical long form. Failure to do so will make your CDL null and void if caught. Such as a drunk driver crossing the median and hitting you head on and he's killed. Clearly it's his fault but an investigation will ensue and it will be found you hid information. The tides will change and they'll say you shouldn't of been driving a truck at that place and time. Then you will be fined and sued for everything you own. You can hide stuff but you are playing with fire. It's best to be up front and honest. If you can't pass a physical one doesn't need to be driving.

Penalties start at $2500.

I don't have a clue of your problem but for easy elimination nobody will let you drive on narcotics or medical marijuana. Hide them facts and you can get a DUI on top of things. Like NCC said many conditions, treatments and drugs doesn't mean you'll be disqualified. It all depends on what your problems are.

 

You should be alright then if you fall within the medical guidelines.

I take it you want confidentiality so you can read this page and on the right side you'll find the medical report and guidelines(pdf format). Also the FAQ's on the top right answers a bunch of questions

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/medical.htm

You should be able to find what you need to hear from that page.



Here's some shortcuts.

Report: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safetyprograms/Medical-Report.pdf

391.41 is at the bottom of the report.


Medical FAQ's: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/faqs.aspx

 

great info condo.

 

...and what happens today when they take your medical card? It's not like the old days anymore where you run around doing what you want. You have to give most state DMV's your medical certificate to keep your CDL even if you aren't driving. If you don't they downgrade your license to a class C. Effective Jan 2014 all states will have that requirement. You are not your own doctor. They have minimum health guidelines to keep everyone safe. I know first hand, my medical certificate was taken from me. If you are in one of them states that have the self certification already and you haven't gave them a copy of your certificate you might already be downgraded and don't know it yet.

There are proper avenues to take. If you have a doctor of 10 years saying you are okay to drive then you get a letter from him stating so and you take that letter with you to your physical. Then you will get approved unless you are taking a medication the DOT doesn't allow or need a waiver approved by a specialist. Your doctor is clueless to DOT regulations unless he gives DOT physicals himself. Them type doctors are clueless to what happens on the interstate and base their judgement on their own personal driving which isn't much. I've seen many doctors that drive like idiots. The DOT medical panel spends everyday researching all this stuff. They want you to drive if it's possible. But if you are not then you have to accept it instead of the old bullheaded I'm going to do it anyway.

A 15 minute consultation is nothing but gathering your medical history and seeing if they are within the guidelines. He's not doing any diagnosing and treatments. So telling the guy to ignore the DOT and not disclose what they say you have to disclose is good advice? Good luck hoping nobody crosses the median or runs a red light. That stuff never happens. Then you will find out the hard way. The one thing about today's trucking is to CYA!