Duties & Demands of a CMV Driver
What the FMCSA requires all CDL drivers to be able to do — regardless of your current job, route, or situation.
The FMCSA Standard
“All drivers of commercial vehicles must be treated as if they are driving an 18-wheeler weighing 110,000 lbs. from coast to coast.”
The role of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) driver is considered “hard work.” This is the standard the FMCSA sets for every CDL holder — and every DOT physical is evaluated against it.
It Does NOT Matter If You:
- Have “easy” driving duties
- Are currently employed
- Are currently driving
- Only work “part time”
- Only drive locally and don’t do “long distance hauls”
- Just want to keep your CDL privileges current
- Are retired and want to keep your CDL “just in case”
- Need a medical examiner’s certificate for a non-driving position or employment
You are still held to the full 18-wheeler standard.
Why the Standard Is So High
Driving a 5-ton — or more — large truck or bus is fundamentally different from driving a passenger vehicle. The physical differences are significant:
- Stopping time and distance — a fully loaded 18-wheeler at highway speed takes the length of nearly two football fields to stop
- Blind spots — large CMVs have multiple large blind zones on all four sides
- Limited maneuverability — making corrections in tight spaces or emergency situations requires full physical capability
Drivers must be alert to changes in traffic and able to make quick decisions, because making the right decision saves lives.
Physical Duties & Demands of a CMV Driver
The following duties are listed in the FMCSA Medical Examiner Handbook. Every CDL driver must be physically capable of performing all of them:
- Coupling and uncoupling trailer(s) from the tractor
- Requires strength and full range of motion
- Involves climbing, balancing, turning, gripping, and pulling
- Lifting, installing, and removing heavy tire chains
- Requires pulling and lifting motions
- Weight range: 50 to 90 pounds
- Performing pre-trip and post-trip safety checks
- Requires climbing, bending, kneeling, crawling, reaching, stretching, turning, and twisting
- Must be performed before every trip and after every trip
- Handling and inspecting cargo
- Requires lifting and climbing up and down perpendicular ladders
- Entering and leaving the cab or cargo body multiple times per day
- Inspecting the vehicle
- Requires climbing, bending, kneeling, crawling, reaching, stretching, turning, and twisting
- Must evaluate the condition of: tires, brakes, suspensions, engines, and cargo
What Happens If the Driver's Medical Certificate Expires?
- When a driver’s medical certificate expires, their state driver’s licensing agency (SDLA) will downgrade their CDL to a regular license
- Each state will decide how it will comply with the downgrading and upgrading of CDL licenses
- Each state DMV will decide:
- How long a certificate can be expired before the license is downgraded
- How long a license can remain downgraded before the driver must re-test to reinstate their CDL
General Consequences of Letting Your Medical Certificate Expire
- In general, a state will wait at least one month before downgrading the CDL to a regular license
- The driver usually has up to one year to provide the state with a new medical certificate before re-testing is required
- If a new medical certificate is produced within that timeframe, the license will be upgraded back to a CDL
Florida CDL Medical Certificate Rules
Does the State of Florida accept:
- Mailed-in Medical Certificates: NO
- Faxed Medical Certificates: NO
- Emailed Medical Certificates: NO
How to Submit Your Medical Certificate in Florida
- You MUST submit your medical certificate one of two ways:
- Online at flhsmv.gov/ddl/cdlmedicalcert.html
- In-person at any Florida Driver License Issuance Office (DMV office)
- You can only submit online if your current certificate is still valid and has NOT expired
- If your medical certificate is EXPIRED:
- You MUST submit it in-person at a Florida DMV office
- You must pay the fine/penalty for letting your certificate expire
- There is NO other method Florida accepts for expired certificates
- Florida CDL Helpdesk contact:
- Phone: 850-617-2606
- Email: NONE — Florida does not accept CDL communication via email
Major Medical Events and Full Duty Clearance
Drivers who have undergone a major medical event or procedure must be released to “full duty” before they can be medically certified. This includes:
- Hospitalizations
- Broken bones
- Heart attack or stroke
- Surgery, cast, or brace
- Any other significant medical event or procedure
A CMV/CDL driver who has not been released to “full duty” with a letter from their treating doctor — specifically stating they are cleared to operate a commercial motor vehicle — will be disqualified.
If Your License Has Already Been Downgraded
- There is a possibility you will be medically certified before your license is downgraded, depending on your state’s procedures
- Even if your CDL license does get downgraded, it is very likely you will be able to acquire a new medical certificate before the state requires you to re-test
- Act quickly — the sooner you get your DOT physical, the better your options
Remember the Standard
“All drivers of commercial vehicles must be treated as if they are driving an 18-wheeler weighing 110,000 lbs. from coast to coast.”
This standard applies to every CDL holder at every DOT physical — regardless of current job duties, employment status, or how long since you last drove commercially.