Trucking and regulatory
DOT medical card (DOT med card)
A DOT medical card is the common name for the Medical Examiner's Certificate. A certified medical examiner issues it to a commercial driver who passes the federal physical. FMCSA requires it for drivers of vehicles over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating that operate in interstate commerce.
Why it matters
A delivery company must check that each driver has a valid card before the driver takes a truck out. The card has an expiration date, so an operator needs a simple tracking system. A common mistake is to assume the card matters only for CDL holders. FMCSA ties the rule to vehicle weight and interstate operation, not only to the license class. A driver with a lapsed card can be pulled out of service during a roadside inspection, and the company may face penalties. State rules for drivers who stay inside one state can differ, so operators should check state rules too.
Read: Safety and compliance for container delivery: DOT, FMCSA, CDL and OSHA
Definition source: fmcsa.dot.gov
Related terms
FMCSA
FMCSA is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. It writes and enforces safety rules for commercial motor vehicles and carriers, and it handles registration for interstate carriers. Its rules are in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
CDL
A CDL is a commercial driver's license, required to drive certain commercial motor vehicles. A driver must pass knowledge and skills tests. States issue CDLs. FMCSA sets the federal standards and does not issue them. Some vehicles also need extra endorsements.
interstate commerce
Interstate commerce is trade, traffic or transportation in the United States between a place in a state and a place outside that state. It also covers trips between two places in one state that pass through another state. FMCSA uses this definition to decide which federal motor carrier rules apply.
hours of service (HOS)
Hours of service are FMCSA rules on how long commercial drivers may be on duty and how much rest they need. They set limits on driving time and rest periods to help keep drivers awake and alert. The rules are in 49 CFR part 395.
drug and alcohol testing
Drug and alcohol testing is the federal program that tests safety-sensitive transportation workers. For commercial truck drivers who must hold a CDL, FMCSA rules in 49 CFR Part 382 set who is tested and when. The DOT-wide rule in 49 CFR Part 40 sets how each test is done.
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