October 12 marked the official end of the waiver for paper medical certificates, forcing all CDL and CLP holders to use electronic systems. What was meant to be a modernization effort instead triggered a nostalgia-driven black market.
Within hours, eBay listings appeared: “2017 DOT Medical Card, authentic, folded once, signed by Dr. Bob. Rare!” Bidding started at $50.
Truckers mourned the loss of the humble paper card. “That little piece of cardstock was part of my identity,” said Alabama driver Henry Collins. “I used it as a scraper, a bookmark, even once as emergency toilet paper. You can’t do that with a PDF.”
Officials insist the new system will improve efficiency and “reduce fraud.” Drivers aren’t convinced. “Last week my ELD glitched and logged me as sleeping for 19 hours straight,” said one hauler. “Now they expect me to trust their medical database?”
Paper mills in Wisconsin are reportedly bracing for economic fallout. “Medical cards were 40% of our October sales,” said one plant manager. “Now we’ve got warehouses full of blank cardstock.”
Industry analysts predict the nostalgia will only grow. “Give it five years and these paper cards will be sold in plastic sleeves at trucking conventions like baseball cards,” said one collector.
*All articles on this website are crafted with human creativity and a touch of AI-inspired humor. These stories are entirely fictional, written purely for fun and entertainment, and should not be taken as factual or advice. Keep smiling and stay safe! And remember – don’t read while driving; tune in to our podcast instead 🙂
