DOT and does not speak English

[TWR]

if patient comes for DOT and does not speak English and you need an interpreter (Spanish) would you do the physical?  The NP did not and the SP is not happy>  The rules state the driver needs to understand and speak English to some degree.  If you do DOT's do you agree in refusing to do the exam because pt. does not speak English?

[loliz]

Do the rules of the DOT really say this? It seems to me that as a medical provider, your responsibility ends at physical exam and current labs...preferred language seems to be a licensing issue that does not concern me. I don't recall training in determining how adequate a person is in a specific language. 

[rev ronin]

From the 3/18/2014 rev of the handbook:

 

Motor carriers are responsible for ensuring that the driver meets the general qualification requirements of
49 CFR 391.11. The driver must:
[...] •    Speak and read English well enough to:
o    Converse with the general public.

o    Understand highway/traffic signals.

o    Respond to official questions.

o    Make legible entries on reports.

 

It specifically allows for the possibility that drivers could pass a DOT physical, but fail an employment process because the motor carrier has a more stringent requirement (e.g., lifting capacity) than the DOT physical requires.

 

So yes, drivers do need to be able to speak and read English... but it's not the medical examiner's problem if they do not.

[KMD16]

^ agreed.

[TWR]

The above is correct.  Rev Ronin,   So you can pass the "physical" and NOT speak English?  It sounds like you are contradicting yourself.  They need to speak English butit is not the medical examiner's problem???  I don't get it.

[TWR]

Where does it elude to motor carriers are responsible for English?

[rev ronin]

In the pdf of the handbook I have, it's on page 18, under "Part II - The Job of Commercial Driving"

 

The motor carrier is responsible for drivers doing plenty of things right, the medical examiner is responsible for only the medical (including psych, vision, hearing) aspects of fitness for duty.  Thus, no, a driver can't legally operate a CMV if he or she is not literate in English, EVEN THOUGH he or she may have a current, valid medical certificate, because that's not the examiner's job.  There's a whole realm of other regulations that aren't covered on a DOT physical but are still necessary to legally drive truck in interstate commerce.  The company is responsible for making sure all those rules are met, not the medical examiner, who is only responsible for that medical fitness for duty, and failing to speak English is not a medical problem.

 

Does that make sense?