A professional driver must have an awareness of the environment, the movement or intended movement of other vehicles sharing the road, as well as the potential hazards that can arise in certain situations out on the road. This begins for the prospective CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) driver even before they approach the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Ohio BMV). A major requirement that must be met before a CDL can be issued is passing the medical examination and there is good sense in addressing this before going through the process of knowledge and skills testing at the BMV.
If there is any doubt in passing the medical exam, then the applicant should address this prior to moving on to the next steps of obtaining a CDL. While this is a thorough medical examination, the most common elements of concern are a satisfactory standard of hearing, 20/40 vision (with or without corrective lenses), a 70-degree field of vision in each eye and proof that the applicant is not colorblind.
However, it is important to view the whole form as other matters that can lead to exclusion from obtaining a CDL will be assessed and applicants should be aware of them prior to examination. The form for this examination (form BMV 2058) will be provided as part of the Medical Packet and must be completed by the examining doctor.
Further information on the Medical Examination is available at this website:
www.fmcsa.dot.gov
There is no point progressing through the process only to be denied by a medical examination, so it is worth either passing the medical examination in the earlier stages or at least checking the areas that will be assessed to be sure that it will not present a problem.
All licensed drivers will be required to pass a similar examination every two years to maintain their CDL.
Once the applicant is confident he or she can pass the medical exam, the next step is obtaining a CDL permit. Get more information on preparing for the CDL permit test.
