For employers with CDL drivers, things just got shaken up a little with changes to medical card filing requirements. In short, med cards have gone fully online, and while paper copies may be used by drivers as a backup documentation, everything will now be confirmed online. Let's break down the new process in terms of how it affects both employers and drivers.
Employers
So far employers have kept a current copy of drivers' med cards in their driver files. With this new change, this is no longer a requirement, but it also makes it so employers need to keep an extra close eye on annual driver motor vehicle records (MVR's), which will list the CDL expiration date on the document. While this is nothing new and has always been a requirement, make absolutely sure to request those records annually as this will now be the only way to verify drivers' CDL expiration dates.
With this change employers are also released from checking that the medical examiner is on the national registry for CDL medical examiners.
Drivers
Your med card doctor is no longer required to give you a paper copy of your medical card record, as they submit this information directly to the state. However, it's recommended that drivers still ask for this paper copy for their own records and to have a record of their expiration date.
While this is a pretty small change in the grand scheme of things, it's still one of those things to keep on top of. If you have any other questions about DOT compliance, feel free to reach out to TT&S for help.
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