Both of us received a "CDL Expiration" letter in the mail from the State of South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles about the potential for CMV classification removal as shown here (name and address blacked out):
Due to changes that affect your credential Do Not ignore this Notice
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles{DMV) files indicate that you hold a South Carolina commercial driver's license (CDL) or beginner's permit. The state of South Carolina is implementing new federal regulations that will affect all CDL holders. DMV will be adding your medical certification status and the information on your medical examiner's certificate to your Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) record. CDL Holders are required to:
If the above information is not received by 1/31/2014 your privileges to operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle will be removed.
Please contact the CDL Help Desk at (803) 896-2673 if you have any questions regarding this letter.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Knight, CDL Coordinator
SC Department of Motor Vehicles
In a nutshell, the CDLIS requires all holders of Commercial Drivers Licenses to provide a DOT medical card by the date specified in order to keep the ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
Those who are currently driving a CMV professionally may have their companies pay for their DOT physicals.
But any person who has a CDL -- but is not currently driving professionally -- has a choice:
For over 20 years, Vicki paid out of pocket to undergo DOT physicals in order to maintain her CDL.
Sometime after moving into their dream come true home, she realized that she would most likely never drive professionally again. So, she made plans to voluntarily let her CDL go.
At the time this article was originally written, a search on the FMCSA's website for Medical Examiners Locations within 500 miles of our location yielded no results.
Even though we are well within 500 miles of Atlanta, no search results came up within those specifications.
As large as Atlanta is, there are only three examiners listed. We wonder what is going on.
Money saving tip: Some truckers may rationale that
Therefore, for folks who prefer not to experience CDL expiration, undergoing a DOT physical -- in order to get a new DOT medical card -- is one of those "expenses" that just has be paid every two years whether they like it or not. Please be aware of how long CDLs are valid in your home state.
The only other money saving tip we can think of would be finding a qualified medical certification facility that charges less money.
It is an excellent idea to keep track of when your DOT medical card expires and arrange to get a new one before the expiration date.
Use any of our free downloads on our site to help you accomplish that.
Return from CDLIS, CDL Expiration and CMV Classification Removal to our Trucker Services page or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
Reference:
1. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=21974 (no longer online)