Houston runs on freight: the port, the refineries and the warehouses along I-10 and the Beltway keep thousands of trucks moving every day. To drive one of them, federal law requires a medical card, the certificate you earn by passing the DOT physical. This guide covers what gets checked, how to avoid being handed a short certificate and what to expect at our clinic.
Who needs the exam?
The FMCSA, the federal agency that regulates carriers, requires it for anyone driving in interstate commerce a vehicle that:
- weighs 10,001 pounds or more, alone or with a trailer;
- is built for 16 or more passengers including the driver, or 9 or more when the ride is paid;
- hauls hazardous materials that require placards.
It also applies if you're getting your CDL for the first time, renewing it, or your employer asks for it.
What's checked, item by item
Health history. You complete the first part of form MCSA-5875: surgeries, medications, conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea or heart problems. Leaving something out can void the certificate.
Vision. At least 20/40 in each eye and with both, with glasses if you wear them, a 70-degree field of view on each side, and the ability to tell the red, green and amber of traffic lights apart.
Hearing. Hearing a whispered voice at 5 feet with the better ear, with or without a hearing aid.
Blood pressure. The most common reason for a one-year card. At 140/90 or below, the certificate can run the full term.
Urine. It screens for protein, blood or sugar as a sign of kidney trouble or diabetes. It is not the drug test; that one is separate and ordered by the employer. If you're asked for it, we also do alcohol and drug testing.
Body check. The examiner listens to the chest, feels the abdomen, looks at the spine and tests strength and reflexes in the arms and legs.
How long is the card good for?
Up to 24 months when everything is in range. The examiner can issue it for less when a condition needs monitoring, high blood pressure or diabetes for example. A short card isn't a denial: it means coming back sooner to show the condition is still under control.
How to prepare and save time
- Don't skip your treatment, especially blood pressure pills. Stopping them "so nothing shows up" pushes your pressure up and shortens the card.
- Wear the corrective lenses or hearing device you normally drive with.
- Bring your medication list, with names and doses.
- If you use insulin, you can qualify since 2018, but you need form MCSA-5870 completed by the clinician who treats your diabetes, no more than 45 days old.
- If you have sleep apnea, bring your CPAP usage report.
- Sleep well the night before and skip caffeine right before the exam.
The DOT physical at Clínica Hispana Cruz 4
We perform the DOT physical with every step explained in Spanish or English:
- No appointment, weekends included, handy for drivers on the road during the week.
- If everything checks out, you leave with the certificate the same day.
- If blood pressure or sugar comes back out of range, we explain what to do and can follow up through our chronic care program so your numbers are better at the next exam.
Find us at 10100 Beechnut St, Suite 240, with free on-site parking. Ask for the price at (281) 588-0033 or on WhatsApp at (281) 741-2157.
Need medical attention?
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