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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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I failed the whisper test wearing hearing aids and when they performed the audiometric test they had me remove my hearing aids so naturally I failed that also. I am in the process if getting new hearing aids. Will a audiometric report from my audiologist showing my hearing correction with new hearing aids be acceptable to get certificate. Or can the doctor doing physical do an audiometric test on you while wearing hearing aids?
@Lee
If you go in with the report in hand, you should be good to go.
I thought that to,but when I couldn’t understand the forced whisper they just gave me one yr on my card
@ Kevin
Did they also recommend the use of a hearing aid? Forced whisper done by a female examiner is much more difficult to hear than when done by a male examiner.
What is the qualified reading from the test from the audiologist in il. I had a hearing test today but the gal couldn’t tell me what the IL standard is.
@Ross
FMCSA wants a five foot forced whisper understood. Now that can be with the use of a hearing aid. If you want to know about what your state parameters are, you’ll need to check with your state DLD.
Was wondering, I only have one hearing aid, do I need to have two hearing aids?
@Caleb
Not if one allows you to hear without any problems.
Make sure you carry a spare set of batteries.
Went for DOT physical and failed hearing test. I went to Audiologist and confirmed that I require hearing aids. If I am unable to rectify the problem before my present DOT medical card expires. What would happen to my NYS CDL license ? I am presently out of work from my employer until it is rectified. Can I postpone the physical with an expired medical card? And for how long?
@Vito
Your CDL license is separate from your medical certificate. So you should be able to get your hearing situation rectified and then get a new medical certificate without worrying about your CDL. But check with your state to confirm that you have a window between medical certificates.
I live in California, and have a Medically restrictive Class B. license, for a vision issue. ( for the vision restriction I need at least 20/40 vision combined in both eyes, mine is at 20/25 in case your wondering).
For the past 8 years I have been slowly losing my hearing. And so I wear hearing aids when I am at home sometimes. On March 16, 2015, I failed both whisper test without my hearing aids, and and an audio-gram test, with my hearing aids on. I had them turned down because of a feed-back issue, I passed with my left ear failed with my right ear, he laughed and told me that I was as deaf as a post in my right ear and so I failed my hearing test. OK that is the history, here is the question. Why is he applying a Non-Restrictive Class B Commerical hearing requirement, to a California Restrictive Class B License with a Medical Waiver? Already in place?
@Bob
Not real sure why they would have failed you.
FMCSA states that if a driver can pass the hearing test, with or without the use of a hearing aid, in one ear, then he passes the examination.
Best bet is to question the examiner. One ear hears OK with the use of a hearing aid passes the test.
I just failed my whisper test. The “doctor” did not speak in a forced whisper, and I could barely hear him in a regular voice. This test is insane. Whispering could not generate more than 30 decibels, but a car horn is above 100. What is the rationale behind this silly test? I know my hearing is not perfect, but I can converse on a phone and talk to most people if they speak in a normal voice. Paying a fortune for hearing aids is crazy.
Update: Today, after failing the hearing test administered by two more doctors, I passed using the audiometric test. Humans are inconsistent – machines don’t lie. Shop around for a price – I was quoted $90 by one hearing place, but only paid $19 today for the same test. The doctor today was also cheaper, and more professional. He also passed me on the eye test (which an eye doctor had done yesterday). I would be careful of these “truck stop” docs in the future.
At my recent physical I was NOT given the whisper test first, they just used the testing device that measures to the 25 decibel range. I failed the test because of a head cold I had at the time. I have gotten over the cold and am hearing just fine but now they are telling me that Federal guidelines say that if I fail the test initially I must see an audiologist and pass a test with them before I can get my medical card. If this is true and there are no provisions allowing for temporary hearing loss because of a head cold these regulations are laughable. My question; Is it true that I must now see an audiologist?
@Mike
This is not a regulation/law, just a guideline. If they won’t provide you a re-test then go somewhere else.
Does the person taking the CDL hearing test need to know the words that are whispered or just know that something was whispered and where the whisper is coming from?
@Jessica
In most cases the examiner is asking a question or making a statement that requires an answer.