The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has denied applications from 17 diabetic drivers seeking exemptions from federal medical restrictions.

The agency began accepting applications for exemptions last September but none of these applicants met the established criteria.
FMCSA says it will consider each application on its own merits but, generally, applicants must have a valid intrastate CDL or license to operate a commercial vehicle and must have operated a commercial vehicle, while using insulin to control a diabetic condition, for three years immediately preceding the application.
The three-year driving record can’t have any suspensions or revocations, no convictions for disqualifying offenses, no more than one serious traffic violation, and no accidents where the applicant contributed to the cause or received a citation for a moving violation. Applicants cannot have other disqualifying medical conditions and must provide certification that they meet diabetes-related qualifications. Those who are granted waivers must comply with special recordkeeping rules and undergo periodic medical examinations.
Most of the unsuccessful applicants lacked the required driving experience. Two did not meet the medical conditions. One, a driver from Canada was denied because the medical reciprocity agreement between the U.S. and Canada prohibits insulin-using diabetics from trans-border operations. FMCSA also noted that an exemption is only valid within the U.S. and not bordering jurisdictions.