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Tuesday, July 1, 2025

New Rule for Diabetic Truckers Take Effect

 

An updated rule regarding the allowance of diabetics to get behind the wheel eliminates a typical two-or-three month delay for drivers with diabetes to request an exemption from the FMCSA after being automatically disqualified for having the condition.

In a statement supporting the new rule, the American Diabetes Association said, โ€œThe old rule contained a blanket exclusion against insulin use regardless of how well a person managed his or her diabetes. In 2003, FMCSA began granting exemptions to individuals who could satisfy criteria and wait out a long and cumbersome application process.โ€

Under the old regulations, diabetic drivers were not allowed to drive while waiting for exemption resulting in a loss of income that could last up to 6-months.

Dropping the exemption process under the new rule essentially moves the decision-making process from the FMCSA to the driverโ€™s medical examiner, who determines whether or not the individual has his or her diabetes under control.

โ€œIt was not something that we asked to do; it was something FMCSA wanted us to do,โ€ said Brian Morris, a Doctor and FMCSA Medical Review Board member. โ€œWe put a lot of work into this, and in my opinion, we didnโ€™t really have a level of comfort doing it. What it does, in essence, is shift the responsibility and liability on diabetics who use insulin from the FMCSA to the certified medical examiner.โ€

On the other-hand, FMCSA Administrator, Raymond Martinez said in a statement, โ€œThis final action delivers economic savings to affected drivers and our agency and streamlines processes by eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens and redundancy.โ€