Cars and other vehicles play a vital role in getting from place to place, for transporting goods, getting people where they need to go, and just commuting back from work. These massive, complicated machines also pose a public hazard on the road when people are not safely able to drive them, leading to avoidable accidents that cause millions of injuries and fatalities.
If you drive a commercial vehicle, you need skills, alertness, and the right temperament to drive safely, beyond just going back and forth to the store. To ensure you have the physical, emotional, and mental capability to manage driving commercial vehicles safely, you need to take a Department of Transportation (DOT) exam.
Dr. Andrew Nangalama and the medical team at American River Urgent Care in Orangevale and Rancho Cordova, California, help individuals navigate new hire requirements, including DOT physicals.
To obtain a license to use the trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles within the necessary safety parameters, you have to take a DOT exam. Passing the exam qualifies you to drive vehicles for several jobs, including those that carry hazardous materials, hold more than eight people, or have a gross combination weight of over 10,000 pounds (5 tons) on the interstate.
To qualify to drive a commercial vehicle, you must have a DOT medical card. Our medical examination encompasses all necessary components, including obtaining a detailed medical history, performing a physical exam, and blood and urine screenings.
Before taking the exam, ensure that you keep all your prescriptions up to date, manage your weight, and avoid diets that raise your blood pressure or spike your blood glucose levels. If you wear glasses or contacts, keep the prescription updated, don’t abuse alcohol, or take illegal drugs.
On the day of the exam, bring in your list of doctors, all the medications you take, glasses, contacts, hearing aids, and a letter from your doctor if you have work restrictions or take medicines that can affect performance or test results.
We also assess any underlying conditions or habits that may disqualify you from obtaining or holding a DOT license, which include:
You require a DOT exam to obtain a commercial license, but if you already hold one, it needs to be renewed every two years. If you have medical conditions that affect your performance, they can happen more frequently; chronic problems like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease will need annual physicals. Major medical issues like extreme hypertension need medical treatment and physicals every three months.
Transporting people, food, and equipment in commercial vehicles is crucial in our society, and we need qualified drivers who can perform their jobs effectively. To get your DOT exam, make an appointment with Dr. Nangalama and his team at American River Urgent Care today. We offer DOT exams Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
