The FMCSA recently denied 70 epilepsy exemption applications for commercial truck drivers after nearly two years of consistent approvals, reversing a trend.
The brief
On June 23, 2026, FMCSA denied 52 exemption applications, followed by 18 more on July 17, 2026. This marks a shift from their previous pattern of approving new requests and renewals since September 2024. This change introduces uncertainty for carriers relying on these exemptions to maintain driver pools, impacting fleet management and recruitment strategies.
Takeaway
Assess your driver pool's medical exemptions, particularly those related to chronic conditions, to anticipate potential FMCSA policy shifts and their impact on driver availability.
Read the original at FreightWaves
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-says-no-to-epilepsy-exemptions-after-years-of-yes