TORONTO, (Oct. 21, 2004) — Commercial drivers aged 45 and under will be required to file a medical report every five years instead of every three years, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation said recently.

Drivers between the ages of 46 and 64 will still be required to file a medical report every three years and drivers aged 65 and older will continue to require to medical reports annually. This change will make Ontario’s medical reporting requirements consistent with the recommended frequency for medical reviews contained in the National Safety Code, the Ontario Trucking Association said.

The change went into effect on October 1, 2004.

The MTO has also revised the Medical Waiver Program, after the OTA raised concerns expressed by drivers about the inconvenience and additional costs associated with the previous process.

Now when a driver applies for a medical waiver, often following a disqualification for a medical condition related to the heart, the driver’s family physician will now be able the certify the medical fitness of the waiver applicant, without further reference to an MTO medical specialist and possible additional tests. MTO will continue, however, to reserve the right to require additional tests, the OTA said.