DOT Physicals

We are proud to announce that Dr. Woods is a Certified Medical Examiner with the  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation!

Get your DOT Physical Exam/DOT Medical Certificate and DOT Alcohol & Drug Screening done at BACK ON TRACK!

Yes! We offer Fleet Discounts!

*No Appointment Necessary *Walk-Ins Welcome  *Call (662) 890-6000 to Schedule an Appointment

“Dr. Woods here,”

“Most drivers just call me “Doc”. I’ve been here at Back On Track Chiropractic working with commercial drivers for many years, so I understand the importance of the DOT Physical exam for your livelihood and the importance of your health for your life.”

“We do our best to make the DOT Physical exam as hassle-free as humanly possible for you. We do this in 3 Simple Steps: 1.  Brief Health History 2. Medical Exam 3. Complete DOT Medical long form. We give the Drivers a copy that they can carry with them on the road.  We also strive to bring you world class service at a price that you deserve.  We will gladly fax or email a copy of the form to your employer if necessary.”

DOT Physical Exam:

• The Day of the Exam:

1. Bring Medical Records, if necessary
2. Bring a list of current medications
3. Bring eye glasses/contact lenses
4. Drink plenty of water; a full Urinalysis is included

• Medical Records: Things to Plan in Advance:
  • Diabetic Condition – Bring a list of medications and name of  prescribing doctor.
  • High Blood Pressure – Bring a list of medications and name of prescribing doctor.
  • Heart Condition – If you’ve had a heart attack or cardiovascular disease, you’ll need to bring a copy of your last stress test.
  • Sleep Apnea – Bring a copy of your latest sleep test results, if you have one.
  • Medications – List all the prescription medicines you take, including strength and dosage. If you regularly take over-the counter medications, such as antacids or allergy pills, list them, too.
  • Contact information – Have names and phone numbers of your doctors in case you need to call and have them fax missing information.

•  Helpful Hint: Things To Help Manage Your Blood Pressure:
  • Make sure you don’t run out of your prescribed blood-pressure medication.
  • Remember to take your  medication on schedule. If you forget, most doctors recommend taking your medication as soon as possible.
  • Cut back on Caffeine and Nicotine.
  • Reduce the amount of salty foods you eat; avoid adding salt to your food.
  • The week before your DOT physical exam, cut back on coffee, sodas, energy drinks, potato chips, etc., and other salty foods. Reduce your use of nicotine as much as possible. Doing this can help lower your blood pressure.
  • Get a Chiropractic Full Spine Adjustment.  Receiving 1 Adjustment every 8 weeks has been proven more effective than the top 2 leading Blood Pressure Pills taken every day.

DOT Alcohol/Drug Testing:

Drug and alcohol testing is not required as a part of a DOT physical exam, but your Company may request to have drug and alcohol test be done at the same time. DOT drug testing and blood alcohol testing are separate tests and separate charges.

• Types of DOT Alcohol/Drug Screens:
  • Pre-Employment
  • Post-Accident
  • Reasonable Suspicion
  • Return to Duty
  • Follow-Up
  • Random

•  DOT FMCSA Alcohol/Drug Testing Services:
  • Back On Track offers breath and saliva alcohol tests, 5 panel and 10 panel drug tests. All tests comply with, and exceed, Federal Government DOT and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) rules & regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers.
  • Our SAMHSA Certified urine drug test is evidential and supportive enough to be used in a Court of Law.

• Costs:  Call for pricing.
  • SAMHSA DOT 5 Panel drug test (urine)  
  • SAMHSA 10 non DOT Panel drug test (urine)/ Lab Verification Fee if applicable  
  • SAMHSA 5 Panel drug test (urine), *collection only* (Employer to provide Chain of Custody form and overnight shipping/billing information)
  • BAT – Breath Alcohol Test (saliva)
  • BAT – Breath Alcohol Test (breath)

Employers may set up a billing account with Back On Track. Contact us at 662-890-6000. We have a number of payment options for your convenience.

• Results:
  • Confirmation of all test results is given to the Employer as soon as the process is completed.
  • All tests will be processed in the most expedient manner possible.  Rapid Results within 15min to 30min.  Lab tests take minimally 48hrs depending on Transits and MRO review. 

Back Pain? Neck Pain? Shoulder Pain? Leg Pain? Headaches?

Repetitive strain injuries build up over time, especially in long distance drivers!

Many drivers come to Dr. Woods with back pain, hip pain, and leg pain. With regular Treatment, Dr.Woods can alleviate the pain that many drivers deal with on a daily basis. This allows their ability to perform their work to impr ove greatly! 

To learn more about Chiropractic Care click here.

Let us take you from Pain to Performance!

Our goal at Back On Track is: To support you in protecting your livelihood, and to help you with improved lifestyle choices for your health and for your life.

FAQ’S

We hope this helps your search to understand what is required to meet FMCSA & DOT physical regulations and get your DOT Medical Card with as little hassle as possible.

Who needs to get a DOT Physical?

• Commercial drivers who operate vehicles that require a commercial driver's license (CDL) are required to get a DOT physical.

What are the DOT physical requirements?

• The best way to understand the DOT physical requirements is to go through the checklist that the medical examiner goes through to conduct the physical exam.  Here is a link to the FMCSA Medical Examination Report form.
• To view the  FMCSA Rules and Regulations click here.

Does a DOT physical include a drug test?

• Drug testing is not part of a DOT Physical exam but your Company may request to have drug-alcohol testing done at the same time. DOT drug testing and breath alcohol testing are additional charges.

What drugs are tested for, if a DOT drug test is requested?

• The 5 Panel drug test analyzes urine for the following drugs: see also (Drug Screening) 
  • Marijuana (THC metabolite)
  • Cocaine
  • Amphetamines
  • Opiates (including heroin)
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)

What happens during a DOT physical?

• During a DOT physical, a licensed medical examiner will review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and conduct tests to assess your vision, hearing, blood pressure, and overall physical health.

Can I go to any doctor for a DOT physical?

• No, only licensed medical examiners who are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) can perform DOT physicals.

Why Must I Be Required To Have A Urine Test?

• The urine test is just a kidney screen to test for pH, Specific Gravity, sugar/Glucose, Protein, and Blood (upon request). It is done to determine that there is no early onset of conditions like High Blood Pressure, Kidney Dysfunction/Infection, or Diabetes.

Can I obtain a copy of my DOT physical form?

• Yes. Dr. Woods gives you 1 copy of the long-form and 1 wallet-form for the driver. To better serve you, we will fax or email the DOT form to your company. Back On Track Chiropractic keeps a copy of the form for our office records.

How often do I need to get a DOT physical/Medical card?

• A DOT medical card is good for two years, if you have no restrictions. A history of high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medications, and/or taking oral medications for diabetes can restrict the medical card to one year.

How many 3-month DOT medical cards can you have?

• Only ONE. You should have the condition, which caused the restriction, under control by the end of the 3-month window.

What medical conditions could disqualify me from getting a CDL?

•  Medical conditions that could disqualify you from getting a CDL include high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and certain heart conditions.

Is there a difference between a DOT medical and a DOT physical?

• NO. They are the same. They are most often referred to as a DOT medical when referring to the DOT medical card, and DOT physical when referring to the DOT physical exam, and sometimes drivers refer to them as a CDL physical or CDL medical.

How long does the DOT physical exam take? 

• The length of the exam can vary, but it typically takes around 30 minutes to an hour.

If I don’t have medical insurance can I still get a DOT physical?

• Yes. You do not need medical insurance to get a DOT Physical. Insurance is not a part of our DOT Physical exam service. Payment for the exam is your responsibility at time of service. We can check to see if this is covered as a general health physical from your insurance for you.

How much does a DOT Physical cost without insurance? Call for pricing.

• Insurance is not applicable to DOT Physicals.  Payment options are cash, credit card, check, or pre-authorized company account.

What happens if I fail the DOT physical?

• If you fail the DOT physical, you may be required to get treatment for any medical conditions that are disqualifying, and you will not be able to operate a commercial vehicle until you pass the exam.

How do overweight truck drivers pass the DOT physical?

• Being overweight is not a restriction to passing the DOT Physical exam. It is the medical conditions that being overweight eventually leads to, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney disease, that may affect your ability to safely drive a commercial vehicle. That is what the DOT Physical exam will determine – whether you have any of these restrictive medical conditions. Getting healthy and staying healthy is your best guarantee for your life and your livelihood.

What are the DOT physical blood pressure requirements?

• Here are the medical guidelines according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Note that employers are allowed to impose more stringent medical requirements.
• A driver with a BP of less than 140 systolic and less than 90 diastolic may be medically certified to drive for a two-year period.
• A driver with a BP of 140 – 159 systolic and /or a BP of 90-99 diastolic, has stage 1 hypertension, and may be medically certified to drive for a one-yearperiod. Certification examinations should be done annually thereafter and should be at or less than 140/90.
• A driver with a a BP of 160-179 systolic and/or a BP of 100-109 diastolic, has stage 2 hypertension, and is a candidate for antihypertensive drug therapy. The driver is given a one-time certification of three months to reduce his or her blood pressure to less than or equal to 140/90. Provided treatment is well tolerated and the driver demonstrates a BP value of 140/90 or less, he or she may be re-certified for one year from the date of the initial exam. The driver is certified annually thereafter.
• A driver with a BP at or greater than 180 systolic and / or 110 diastolic has stage 3 hypertension and is disqualified. The driver may not be qualified, even temporarily, until blood pressure is reduced to equal to or less than 140/90 and treatment is well tolerated. The driver may be certified for 6 months and biannually (every 6 months) thereafter if at recheck BP is equal to or less than 140/90.

Drivers with  Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or kidney disease require treatment if their blood pressure rises above 130/80, since they already have a high risk of heart disease.

Can a driver with mild sleep apnea get a CDL?

• Obstructive sleep apnea does not necessarily disqualify you for a DOT medical card. Treatment with a CPAP machine and some basic lifestyle changes can help you get a restful sleep and maintain your commercial drivers license. For more information on what is currently required for DOT physical certification click here.

What are the truck driving vision requirements?

• A commercial driver must have distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye. That means without corrective lenses, or with corrective lenses, you must be able to see 20/40 or better, with each eye individually as well as together. Your  field of vision should be  at least 70 degrees horizontally, and you must be able to recognize the standard traffic signal colors of red, green and amber.

What would cause me to fail a DOT physical?

• Over all of the years we have been working with drivers, the biggest cause for concern we see is high blood pressure. Another concern is uncontrolled sugar in the urine. There are ways you can manage your blood pressure and blood sugar.  Click here  for more information.
• Any condition that would cause a loss of ability to control, operate, or drive a commercial vehicle safely – loss or impairment of limbs, poor visual acuity, insulin-controlled diabetes, high blood pressure (more than 180/110), heart disease, respiratory disfunction, epilepsy, mental disorder, use of certain drugs, alcoholism.
• What if the DOT drug screen tests positive? Click here for FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Rules.
• If the urinalysis is positive for one or more of the drugs on the 5 panel drug test, then the driver will be contacted in person by the Medical Review Officer. The MRO will interview the driver to determine if there is an alternative medical explanation for the drugs found in the urine specimen. If the driver provides appropriate documentation, a confirmation test is performed for each identified drug using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. GC/MS confirmation ensures that over-the-counter medications or preparations are not reported as positive results. If the MRO determines that it is a legitimate medical use of the prohibited drug, the drug test result is reported as negative to the employer. Otherwise the drug test will be reported as positive.

If I am a school bus driver, do I need a DOT Physical/Medical Card?

• Yes. If the vehicle weighs more than 10,001 pounds or carries more than 8 passengers, you must have a DOT Physical and Medical Card to drive the bus legally.

Do I need a medical card if I’m a local driver?

• We’ll answer this question as it pertains to the state of Mississippi, as we’re located in Olive Branch, MS (the fastest growing city in the USA)(Memphis TN Area). For other states please check with the Motor Carrier division of your state. For Mississippi, the full documentation is available at the Motor Carrier Division MS DOT.
• In summary, a driver qualifies under MSDOT, and must carry a valid medical card, if driving a commercial vehicle that:
  • Has a gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 10,001 pounds or more
  • Is designed or used to transport more than 8 persons for compensation
  • Is designed or used to transport more than 15 persons not for compensation
  • Is used in transporting hazardous material