Please be advised that OMCA has just been informed of changes to the status of medical limitation for CDL holders.
In September 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a ruling that allows those with a stable insulin regimen and controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus to qualify for a commercial drivers licence. As a result of this change, the Government of Canada has continued correspondence regarding reciprocity between the two countries and it has been determined that insulin-using diabetics from one country may operate a commercial vehicle in the other country. This means Canadian commercial drivers with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus may now operate a CMV in the U.S. In a letter sent to OMCA from the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), the following was indicated:
“In response to this change, Canadian jurisdictions are currently undertaking driver licensing system queries to identify diabetes‐related code W licence holders to be able to advise them of the lifting of this prohibition. This task will take varying degrees of time to complete dependent on jurisdiction. Additionally, Canadian jurisdictions are also all at different implementation timelines issuing new CMV operator licences without the code W designation.”
CCMTA and OMCA are encouraging operators and drivers to contact their local Ministry of Transportation to have the “code W” removed from their CDL if applicable, which will allow them to operate in the U.S.