Starting September 1, 2016 Class 3 Alberta drivers will need medical documentation to enter the US.
According to the United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the new requirement is for all professional carriers crossing the border onto American soil, and stipulates they must have a medical examination for Motor Vehicle Operators on file with their jurisdiction.
The Alberta Government does not have a similar requirement for Class 3 driver’s license holders, but Class 1, 2 and 4 licences already have medical exams on file, and thus, are not affected. Drivers with a standard Class 5 licence are not affected.
At the beginning of next month, all commercial and professional drivers with a Class 3 Alberta driver’s licence will be specifically required to have a medical confirmation letter from the Government of Alberta to enter the United States. They will have to keep the letter within their vehicle while driving south of the border. Class 3 drivers who don’t have a medical exam on record could be subject to a fine, a vehicle seizure or denial of entry into the U.S.
As the change is introduced, any enforcement and penalties will be at the discretion of U.S. officials. Effective April 1, 2017, drivers in this category who do not have a medical exam on record will be subject to full enforcement of American penalties.
In Alberta Class 3 drivers can drive any motor vehicle that the holder of a Class 5 license may drive, as well as a vehicle with 3 or more axles; a vehicle with 3 or more axles that is towing a trailer with one or more axles; a Class 2- or 4-type vehicle without passengers (i.e. bus, taxi, ambulance); and a Class 1, 2, or 6 vehicle as a learner.
Class 3 driver’s licence holders seeking more information can contact Alberta Transportation at 780-427-8230 (toll-free in Alberta at 310-0000), between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.