Owner-operators push for FMCSA medical examiner extension

   Saying there is a shortage of medical examiners signed on the national registry, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to extend the registration deadline.
   The FMCSA called for a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to be in place with 40,000 registrants by May 21. By that date, truckers will have to be re-certified by the examiners in order to be on the road. The organization said that 25 percent of the examiners needed have signed up, and it is concerned that truckers will face a costly and burdensome certification process if the deadline is not extended.
   “The artificial shortage of examiners could mean that many drivers will have to drive a few hundred miles out of their way to complete their certification,” according to the organization. “Fewer examiners could also lead to longer wait times for drivers and no opportunities for walk-ins.”
   OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer said it’s concerning that “so few examiners have registered so far. And it should be a source of serious concern for the agency.”