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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations set a blood pressure standard for drivers of commercial motor vehicles as part of the overall physical qualification standards.
Scope
The standard for blood pressure is “general” in nature, in that an individual must have “no current clinical diagnosis of high blood pressure likely to interfere with the driver's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.”
Regulatory citations
- 49 CFR 391.41 — Physical qualifications for drivers
- Appendix A to Part 391 — Medical Advisory Criteria
Key definitions
- Commercial motor vehicle (CMV): Any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle:
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or
- Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
- Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
- Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding.
- Driver: Any person who operates any CMV.
- Medical examiner: An individual certified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
Summary of requirements
To provide more specific guidance, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration prepared the Medical Advisory Criteria to aid the medical examiner in making a physical qualification determination. The medical criteria for blood pressure are far more detailed than the regulation. The steps to follow for the three recognized stages of hypertension are outlined as follows:
| Reading | Category | Expiration Date | Recertification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140-159/90-99 | Stage 1 | 1 year | 1 year if ≤140/90. One-time certificate for 3 months if ≥141-159/91-99. |
| 160-179/100-109 | Stage 2 | One-time certificate for 3 months | 1 year from date of exam if ≤140/90. |
| ≥180/110 | Stage 3 | Disqualified until ≤140/90 | 6 months from date of exam if ≤140/90, then every 6 months if ≤140/90. |