DOT PHysical and hearing aids

midnitexvz

New Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I think i may have posted something a few months ago. But I just got 2 new hearing aides. Now, I can hear ALOT better, still have a hard time actually understanding words themselves, but i can hear people talking.
I drive trucks for a living and it came time to get my DOT PHysical done. They started out with the forced whisper test. I can hear the nurse when she whispers, but can't understand every word, so i just told her when i heard her. She said that wasn't good enough that I needed to repeat her words. So, that didn't work, my first question is, do i HAVE to repeat the word? is it the law? or is just a dr's preference.
so on to the audiometric test. Which didn't get very far because when they put the headphones on , all i got was tons of feedback, and they wouldn't allow me to move the headphones in any other position.

How can i pass the hearing portion of the physical? I know i can hear the whisper and the 40DB required with my aids, i've spent 100's of dollars on physicals at different dr's hoping i can find one who understands. but no luck so far.
 
I didn't see any requirement to understand the words, only requirement is to hear them. I think the nurse is wrong.
 
??

It was my understanding that an audiologist can give you the test and should be able to adjust your hearing aids to remove feedback. The state is giving the test? Maybe your audiologist can give the test and make adjustments?
 
There is no such a law for this one. I met a retired man who drove trucks in Florida. He drove many commercial trucks for 30 years.

Your nurse is jerk. That is definitely not her job. The only way is for you to see an audiologist and explain her/him about your DOT. However, it does not make a sense that it requires you to have a hearing test. I believe that you could report to EEO (Equal Employement Opportunity) because you have the rights.
 
There is no such a law for this one. I met a retired man who drove trucks in Florida. He drove many commercial trucks for 30 years.

Your nurse is jerk. That is definitely not her job. The only way is for you to see an audiologist and explain her/him about your DOT. However, it does not make a sense that it requires you to have a hearing test. I believe that you could report to EEO (Equal Employement Opportunity) because you have the rights.

The DOT does have regulations regarding hearing levels. That's why he needed to be tested.
 
nooo they cant do that!

ohhh no! this is grounds for a lawsuit! If you spoke italian or german, u would hear the forced whisper sound of the english word, but does that mean u would understand and can repeat it? NO! you speak another language, if your first language is ASL. they cannot do that to you.. the only think u are required to hear is the beeps, and u can have an audiologist give u a letter stating that, and you show it to them. No one is whispering to you on the road, so why should you be required to repeat a forced whisper? So what they are saying is that if you can't hear you can't drive? NO way! Don't take this one lying down, babe! That nurse is wrong, wrong, wrong!
 
Don't be so naive. They can and will do so. DOTs/DMVs have the authority and power to decide what is necessary to physically to drive CMVs. It is not about one right's as it is about safety to the general public. Go ahead sue and you won't get very far. I'm not saying that because one can't hear that one is unable to drive a CMV. In most circumstances, it is not really an issue. Unfortunately, there are circumstances where it can be problematic and therein lies the rub for these organizations.
 
Back in the 80's LMM recived her DLC... LMM had no hearing what-so-ever in her left ear & 78 dlb loss right ear. She apply to drive for a company w/her terp. but they only way the company boss would hire her is.. To prove she knew how to drive . He told her " If you can drive THAT (pointing to an old 1965 Mac truck w/ a 2 stick brownie tranny in his field) He would hire her. LMM went out to the field drove old Mac up to where he was. He climb in the co- pilot seat. They went down the road and back. Climb out of the truck, He told her terp to let her know he had to eat his words She was hire. The frist solo lady driver for his company. She drove for him almost 9 yrs, Before she had to give the road up, cuz other medical reasons. She never had an accident when she drove semi's. She did all her own labor work. She had some very good times on the road.
She has show her other deaf friends to go on the road driving semis. They are still driving. They are very exceedable in driving semi's.. If you have a goal dream go for it. nobody should STOP you . No matter how hard you have to work for it!
Best wishes
 
....If you can drive THAT (pointing to an old 1965 Mac truck w/ a 2 stick brownie tranny in his field) He would hire her. LMM went out to the field drove old Mac up to where he was.....

Oh, my mother and I went to a Mac truck show. They gave us pulldog silver pins. We still have the pins for six years. We love the Mac because it is strong and nice design. Now, I am not aware of the truck on the road somewhere. It just got me attention about your driving a Mac.
 
Speaking German or whatever....ya couldn't read the road signs.
I've heard of both ways.....hear whisper...and understand whisper....not sure.
But once again....you don't need this test if your audiologist can pass you on a test......show audiologist the required decibil ranges required and see if he/she can help you past those ranges with an aid.
The audiologist can give you a paper showing you passed the exam and are certified in the ranges.
Using an aid will be required then....and must be worn....and a spare battery available in truck.
It's not about discrimination. It's about road safety.
If a deafie caused a big accident and the hearing played a part then the company and or the federal gov would be sued by the victim.
We ain't the only people who can sue.
Myself, I don't see how hearing has much to do with driving. I'm a better driver than most cuz I am more visually tuned in as all of us are.
And the truck noises overbearing.
 
Web,
Yes The Mac trucks are know for Bull dogs. Their trucks have a Bull dog on the front of their trucks.
Trucks w/ a brownie trans. They have two sticks. When you shift, U shift both sticks at same time. You put one arm under your steering wheel,so u can shift & steer at the same time.
When LMM had to call in for loads and/or anything esle, LMM had her TTD w/her all times.
The other drivers for that company were all men. They were surprize wheen LMM drove the old Mac. They all had newer trucks. LMM kept her truck shining all the time. She took pride in driving that Mac. The boss ask her if she wanted a to drive 1 of his trucks, She refused! He was happy his old frist truck he bought was on the road. One Christmas party she was awarded for driving the most miles that year. She took loads that the others wouldn't.
She never mind of not being home. She said the ropen road was her home.

She was sickness when she had to give it up! She miss being on the road.
 
Well, my friend had the problem too. He failed the DOT physical just because he's deaf. He was gonna be a driver for picking up and dropping off handicapped people in a big van under Metro Transit. Funny thing, Metro Transit wanted to hire him, but DOT physical turned him down.
 
Its me again, i guess it's time for an update. I got my new hearing aides. They are much more powerful and so i tried the forces whisper again. I heard her loud and clear, BUT due to the nerve damage i just couldn't process exactly what she was saying, of course i didn't get passed. I have until november (i read it wrong) to get my new DOT physical. A couple months back after getting my new aides, my audiologist tested me in a "sound field"? she basically did a hearing test with me having my hearing aides on but it wasn't the traditional test, she used different equipment. DOT states that if i don't pass the whisper test, i have to be able to hear, an average totaled of the 3 levels, 500, 1000, and 2000 i think, of 40db or under. as long as they average. Well i had JUST gotten my aides a few minutes before she did the test so not only was i unused to the powerful levels, i have only worn 1 aide all my life and all of a sudden was dealing with 2. So between hearing everythign else and then not knowing what ot listen for (i had never been able to "hear" a hearing test before, in the end my average sat at 41db. Right now I have been driving my trucks now for 6 months almost. well 5 years total but 6 months in the state here in NC/ SC. i have proved that i can hear everything but yet because it's not on paper it doesn't matter. I can hear the sound, even while in the hearing aid test i didn't know what what the beep was like because my ears were ringing from the change in sound levels. Needless to say I still haven't been able to pass my DOT yet. I almost wish i had another audiologist in my "back pocket" , who knew i could hear but would fudge that paper just enough so i could get what i needed. I haven't had the nerve to go back and do it again, i'm scheduling an appt for the next week or 2 to try again with my audiologist. I'm hoping now that i've worn the aides on a daily basis and that I"m more used to the sound levels in my aides, that I may be able to concentrate better and actually heaer the beeps instead of my ears ringing. I just wish there was a way around it but obviously not. Funny thing was back in FL when i got my first DOT physical done, the nurse had NO PROBLEM with me just being able to hear WHEN she whispered. I haven't found another one yet that understands that.
 
spit on this regulation as well urining on it! :pissed:I broke it every day because I got to make my living u see I own a towing company I drove my OWN tow trucks the Federal regulation do not stop me from towing trucks or did interstate driving on my OWN trucks
I can drive my own tow truck in this state only legally or tow any vehicle that under 10k lbs but my wrecker can tow from a small car as volkswagon bettle to 26 feet single vans I can tow with my wrecker legally as long as stay under 10k lbs but I broke every day because I towed heavier than that or drove my trucks outside of this state every week:twisted:
 
I think i may have posted something a few months ago. But I just got 2 new hearing aides. Now, I can hear ALOT better, still have a hard time actually understanding words themselves, but i can hear people talking.
I drive trucks for a living and it came time to get my DOT PHysical done. They started out with the forced whisper test. I can hear the nurse when she whispers, but can't understand every word, so i just told her when i heard her. She said that wasn't good enough that I needed to repeat her words. So, that didn't work, my first question is, do i HAVE to repeat the word? is it the law? or is just a dr's preference.
so on to the audiometric test. Which didn't get very far because when they put the headphones on , all i got was tons of feedback, and they wouldn't allow me to move the headphones in any other position.

How can i pass the hearing portion of the physical? I know i can hear the whisper and the 40DB required with my aids, i've spent 100's of dollars on physicals at different dr's hoping i can find one who understands. but no luck so far.

AH!!! Same situation as mine! I posted thread in the another selection. I can't even pass the physical exam! I wants to be FEDEX Delivery, but no luck. I do have hearing aids. Dr said I've to understand the NUMBER he whisper. I could hear him but I didn't understand his whisper.
I'm wondering WHY the D.O.T. MUST to understand the "whisper" it doesn't make an sense.
 
i just use my audiologist to perform the hearing test and dr for the rest of the exam. never have any problems. i have had my cdl for over 10 yrs now.
 
Back
Top