OldIHC

I quit hauling into US when company started scrutinizing my HOS. My replacement had to do the run legal HOS..6 days! Same trip i had been running in 4 days for 3 years. No wonder there is such a shortage of drivers. If you are on long haul you just have too much downtime.

Back in '06 I had a stent put in to correct a blocked artery, been great ever since. I too now have to re-cert my medical card every year. My family Dr. no longer does dot physicals, for the same reasons you outlined. So off to another facility. On top of that, they now require a form filled out by my cardiologist no more than 30 days in advance of the Dot physical , another facility. Not sure about other states, but Pa requires current med card to be on file, no later than midnight on the anniversary date, or your CDL is revoked.To avoid the lagging Post Office and/ or the paperwork sitting on someone's desk for who knows how long, I try and get this all done early, but the new anniversary date is from when the new paperwork is rec'd, so in reality I only get 10 -11 months on my med card. I don't have a problem with the yearly physical, I get a complete one annually anyway. It's the rest of the "jumping through hoops" that's frustrating. CB, you and Lloyd are right, How DID we get to this point? It amazes me how one industry got singled out.

Nurse at pharmacy does my drivers physical, it's only $60.

Mine at the Primary health is $90. If you add other things they may require, it can get rather expensive. Insurance is another racket!

The cost of insurance is a direct relation to the risks of the insurance company betting against the insured having a payout. If one's driving record and claim record is less than favourable the cost of the insurance starts to rise and sometimes at an aggressive rate. The risk factors are much higher in this area because of traffic density and a high possibility of being hit or hitting someone.
I have a 43% cost reduction in my insurance policy cost because of safe driving, no tickets (not getting caught) and no claims. Traffic tickets make the rate go higher.

My main reference is in relation to the costs associated with the trucking, My son pays around $4700 per month for three rigs, three trailers and 6 drivers. Oh, and by the way, the insurance only wants to pay minimal on your equipment if damaged or destroyed, Irregardless of replacement costs or even "insured" amount. Yes, I understand that it is supposed to be related to risk/record, but others are charged a high price based on bad drivers. If I want to insure my own 97 Ford and enclosed trailer for commercial, my cost will be around 1200-1600 per month, and only if I have a DOT number. Yet I can insure the same through my regular insurance for $87 per month. Oh, well, that is why I do not have my own number and only drive for my son. And If I haul for a friend, it is as a private person. I will not compete with the big boys, I am after all retired.