63 Drivers with seizure histories keep trucking jobs

For 63 drivers, the decision means they can stay on interstate roads instead of losing work because of a seizure history. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of the Department of Transportation, issued a final disposition notice exempting them from the rule that normally bars interstate commercial motor vehicle, or CMV, drivers with epilepsy or any condition likely to cause loss of consciousness or loss of control of a CMV. The exemptions cover drivers who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication.

They were applicable on March 4, 2026, and expire on March 4, 2028.

A narrow exception, not a new standard

FMCSA says the waiver is not a broad rewrite of the medical rules. Instead, it is a case-by-case judgment for these applicants, based on their medical information, seizure history and driving records. The agency said the 63 drivers had been seizure-free for periods ranging from 2 to 38 years while on anti-seizure medication, and that their treating physicians supported their ability to drive commercially.

For carriers, the practical effect is simple: these drivers can remain part of the interstate trucking workforce under federal conditions that still require annual medical exams, yearly physician reports, updated driving records and prompt reporting if a seizure occurs.

The conditions that keep it alive

The exemption is time-limited and carries conditions that keep the agency in the loop. Drivers must remain seizure-free, keep their treatment stable, report certain crashes and convictions, and have the exemption document with them while driving. If they do not follow the terms, FMCSA can revoke it.

That makes this less a permanent reset than a controlled allowance. Federal safety rules can make room for individual medical exceptions, but only when the agency is satisfied the driver can operate safely under a tighter watch.