Will the new medical card replace the old one? Do I have to submit it to DMV?

@Moose1958

 

Once you take a 2nd physical the first physical is no further good. I HIGHLY recommend you get that BP under control or you are going to find your driving career to be very short. I can't remember how long the FMCSA allows a ME to get the physical in the system and on to CDLIS. I think it is 30 days, but most MEs get them in pretty quick. I can't stress this enough. If a 2nd ME clearly states on that medical form you are not medically fit to drive once that form hits the FMCSA your earlier card is voided.

 

I had the same problem and finally took a doctors advice and got it under control.
80 mg Telmisartin
81 mg aspirin

 

Yes you have to notify the DMV/state of your newest DOT exam. When the doctor issues the long form and short form they also notify the state of the exam. If you do not notify the state of your new exam the state will invalidate you current medical card (the newest exam) and you will no longer be legal to drive commercial vehicles. I was in this exact situation a year or so ago. I had a new medical exam, notified the state. The state acknowledged my new exam to me. I also had an older exam that was still good for another several months. The state, after acknowledging my new medical exam suddenly didn't have proof of my new exam and self-certification and claimed would be driving with no medical card if I didn't submit the exam documents in 3 days.

Your old card does not continue to be valid until its original expiration date once you complete a new exam. The new exam ends your old medical card.

 

And if you fail that third test, what is your next option?
How about the fourth?

 

To answer this question it is important to understand how this system works. When a medical examiner finishes a physical they will either say you are medically unqualified, or they will qualify you for a few months or for either 1 or 2 years based on their findings. Then they report this to the FMCSA. Then this data is placed in the CDLIS. The CDLIS is where all data about your CDL is kept. This is where your physical information is also kept. The states have access to the CDLIS in fact when you get a CDL this is where the states place that information. The FMCSA has set this up so a driver does not even have to keep a medical on them. Also at some point, the states won't have to get a copy of the physical from the driver because they will start getting it off the CDLIS.

If a driver gets a physical done and say you get a 1-year card. The ME sends that information to the FMCSA/CDLIS. If you get a 2nd physical within a year that 2nd physical once it reaches the FMCSA and the CDLIS will in fact void that first one. EVEN if that 2nd physical is a ME finding you unfit to drive. You can get a 3rd physical, but you need to make sure the 3rd ME knows about the 2nd physical. The problem comes though that most MEs won't touch you if another ME has found you unfit to drive. They will refer you back to that 2nd ME. The FMCSA if my understanding is correct has some safeguards in place to detect "doctor shopping". If they find your 3rd physical information and then see where you were found unfit to drive by the 2nd ME and this was not reported to the 3rd ME, they will void out that 3rd physical. A good friend of mine who works in the safety dept of a large mega told me several months ago they lost a driver who was charged with "doctor shopping" and lost his physical. All I know is this driver has a heart condition.


I highly recommend you NOT take that 2nd physical. It sucks, but you need to get under a doctor's care and take some time to get that BP down. Then remember, these lifestyle changes are going to be from now on. Then when you get this under control then try to get a job with Swift.