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Q&A
What are the hearing requirements for a DOT physical?
Can I get a DOT medical card if I use a hearing aid?
What are the hearing requirements for a DOT physical?
The driver must be able to perceive a forced whispered voice in one ear, the better ear, at not less than five feet with or without the use of a hearing aid. If the driver fails the whisper test, the medical examiner will refer the driver to have an audiometry test. The driver must pass an audiometer test before the medical certificate can be considered.
I’m a CDL driver and my concern is I’m getting hard of hearing as I get older. If I’m unable to hear a whisper at 5 feet, will I be unable to drive a commercial vehicle? Is there a waiver I need to get? What do I need to do that will allow me to continue driving?
All you will need to do is get hearing aids and the examiner will indicate you need to wear your hearing aids to pass the DOT examination. This does not place a time restriction or limitation on your DOT certificate and you won’t need an exemption.
Can I get a DOT medical card if I use a hearing aid?
Yes, as long as you can perceive a forced whispered voice in one ear, the better ear, at not less than five feet with or without the use of a hearing aid. If you use a hearing aid for the DOT physical, then you must wear that hearing aid and have it in operation at all times while driving. Also, you must be in possession of a spare power source for the hearing aid while driving.
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how do you obtain the fmcsa waiver for the hearing requirements to maintain a cdl license in pennsylvania
@Eugene
There is no FMCSA waiver program for hearing.
You might want to double check on this, because after doing some reading I have found that they supposedly have an exemption for deaf drivers so they can get their CDL, as of about September 2014.
I’m sorry Trucker Docs, but this is incorrect. FMCSA are indeed issuing hearing exemptions. This actually went into effect in Feb. of 2013 with 40 exemptions initially issued. That number has now increased to more than 300. Please see: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/medical/driver-medical-requirements/driver-exemption-programs
Can I pass the hearing test wearing an amplifier? I lost my hearring aids and use this to hear the TV better.
@Angie
If your amplifier does not interfere with the operation of a commercial motor vehicle, then you shouldn’t have any issues.
I do hearing test and see driver that have passed a forced whisper test but can’t pass an aurio metric test to qualify with a 25db loss in the good ear. Why is a whisper test excepted as a good test to drive but to get a job with the prison sysyem there has to be and audio metric test.
Because that’s the way FMCSA says it ought to be. Check with them.
Is there any requirement that states a driver must wait 3 months after getting a hearing aid before he can be certified?
No, there is no wait time.
At the DOT physical exam you must be able to meet the hearing requirements with your hearing aid.
I have a bad infection in my good ear, hear better from ear that does not pass exam. Am i legal to drive?
@Jon
If you can not hear a forced whisper at five feet from either one or the other ear, then you are not legal to drive.
what if you wear the hearing aids and you’ve already told the audiologist you have to pass but still fail, then what recourse do we have.
This is a setback, as the gentleman said earlier this is our liveihood
@ Rudy
The basic test for hearing is a forced whisper at five feet. Your hearing aids with new batteries should help you pass. Also, if a woman administers the test, you may be missing her speech because you are not hearing high frequencies. Have a man with a lower voice do the hearing test. If all that fails, then you may need to check with the FMCSA regarding the hearing waiver, it’s somewhat new. I don’t have any experience with this yet, so FMCSA will be the go to guys here.
I passed the audiometry test and they still would not give me a dot card because of wisper test!! How do i go about getting a waiver! I’ve had a very safe driving record for 30 plus years!
@jimmy
If you passed the audiometry test, I do not understand why they would want to do a whisper test. The first test over-rides the second test.
But you could check with the FMCSA about the hearing waiver.
I went to take my physical, had trouble with the whisper test. I wear my aids all the time, but could not pass the whisper test this time. Is there a waiver form I might get to be able to get my card. This is my livelyhood and my only source of income, surely there is something that can help me with this issue. I am scheduled for a hearing test with my ear doctor, is there something he could do as to help in this matter, respectfully, Dave T
@David
Before I resorted to a FMCSA waiver, I would followup with your hearing doctor and let him know that you need to be able to hear a forced whisper at a distance of five feet or better. If he is unable to get you to that point, then there is a hearing waiver from FMCSA. I am not sure how long the process takes to get the waiver.
Can you be deaf in one ear and still pass the DOT physical?
@ A H
Yes. As long as you can hear a forced whisper at 5 feet in your good ear, you will pass the DOT examination. If you need to use a hearing aid, make sure you are wearing the unit and that the power source is operating normally.
Thanks for the question. Trucker Docs