The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering changing its medical qualification standard to allow commercial motor vehicles drivers with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus to engage in interstate commerce.
The agency published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the proposal in the March 17 Federal Register. Currently, drivers with this condition are required to obtain an agency exemption, but upon completion of this rulemaking, these drivers might not have to apply for the exemption.
The FMCSA will consider public comments and the advice of its newly appointed Medical Review Board when weighing any changes to the existing medical standards. This consideration would be extended only to drivers whose physical conditions are adequate to allow them to operate safely and without negative effects on their health.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Docket Management System website at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number for the ANPRM, which is FMCSA 2005-23151, must be included. The deadline for comment is June 15.
