The United States Department of Transportation, or DOT, requires that truck, bus, van, or other commercial vehicle operators undergo a DOT physical exam every two years to remain compliant, but many employers require their employees to be examined more frequently than the minimum DOT standard. The exam consists of various components including:
- Health history
- Vision exam
- Hearing exam
- Blood pressure/pulse rate
- Physical examination
In the US you must have the following criteria to receive your DOT certificate and license.
- Vision must be 20/40 (glasses or contacts are accepted)
- If you have diabetes, it must be controlled through diet or oral medication (needle injected insulin is not permitted)
- For a 1 year certification, your blood pressure must be 140-159/90-99
- For a 3 month certification, your blood pressure must be 160-179/100-109
- Blood pressure higher than 180/110 is not permitted (prescription medication to control blood pressure is accepted)
- Blood sugar must be below 200
Fox Medical Centers work with both small and large companies to test and process DOT certifications for drivers seeking to obtain or revalidate their commercial driver’s license. We provide efficient and convenient physical examinations to ensure that you meet DOT requirements and keep working out there on the road.
BREATH TESTING DEVICES
Our physicals also include drug and alcohol testing. A Breathalyzer test will be administered using evidential breath testing devices (EBTs) with gas chromatography technology. A reading of the device’s internal standard will be available.
Accompanying the breath test is a drug-screening test cultivated to determine if a patient has any form of drugs in their system by analyzing the blood and urine of the patient. This is the most commonly used test by most major corporations, as well as the Department of Transportation. During the test, all samples are run on an automated screen. If the sample passes the screen, the testing process is done and the individual is given a passing status. If the sample fails the screen, it moves on to the drug test or confirmation test. For a test to be labeled “Drug Test” a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) has to be performed on all positive screens. GC/MS is an extremely precise piece of equipment, which measures the molecular size, charge, and weight of the atoms in the drug metabolites. Due to the precision of the machine it can tell the difference between poppy seeds and opiates, ibuprofen and THC metabolites, nasal sprays and amphetamines.
Taking care of your DOT physical has never been easier than with Fox Medical Centers. Truck drivers must pass all of their DOT physical requirements to be approved for their CDL medical card. It is not uncommon as a truck or bus driver, to spend an inordinate amount of time and miles on the road. We don’t want to take any more of this valuable commodity from you than we have to.