Fuel and a Physical: Urgent Care Now at Pilot Flying J

SAN DIEGO — Urgent Care Travel said it expanded its availability of medical services to professional drivers by locating exclusively at Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J Travel Plazas.

Urgent Care said during American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here on Oct. 7 that convenient health-care access is key for drivers who spend so much time on the road.

“The records are electronic and in a centralized system to link different clinics, so as drivers go from state to state their records can be obtained,” said Mitch Strobin, vice president of service management for Urgent Care Travel.

The facilities, which are staffed with nurse practitioners, are close to highways, have truck parking and take walk-ins.

The nurse practitioners in the clinics are certified to do physicals required by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Rules that require commercial drivers to use certified medical examiners for mandatory physical examinations went into effect May 21.

In order to maintain a commercial driver license, a person needs a valid, two-year medical certificate after completing a physical examination.

Now drivers can get a physical while they fuel. Current locations are in Knoxville, Tennessee, Oklahoma City and Cartersville, Georgia.  There will be five to seven locations by year end.

The goal is to have 15 to 18 by the end of 2015. Others are planned for Dallas, East St. Louis, Illinois; Waco, Texas and Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

DOT physcials cost about $95.

If drivers are members of the company’s membership program, then they pay $20 per clinic visit and $10 per call for phone consults, Strobin said.