Legally Have a Couple Beers?

I have heard of no companies that "allow this." That would open them up to a major lawsuit and put them out of business in no time at all.

If you are assigned to a truck and on duty you may not have any alcohol in your possession. All alcohol on a cmv must be in the trailer and have a proper manifest or bill of lading for it.

If you elect to go to a bar and drink then return to your truck to sleep then you better not have the keys in the ignition nor have the truck running.

If you do have the keys in the ignition and the truck is runnning and a cop checks on you and discovers you are "under the influence" you will lose your job and be incarcerated.

I am sure there are lots of drivers out there that "get away with it" all the time, but ask yourself; "is it worth losing my job over for a couple of beers?"

Better to leave the booze alone until you are "off duty at home." This way you are relieved of all responsibilty for your truck.

 

Not to mention the way they are getting about making you move your truck. Or If someone backs into you and you have to file a report and you have alcohol on your breath.

 

dont forget too that even UNOPENED bottles of beer or liqour are illegal in a commercial motor vehicle. much the same rules apply as with firearms and firworks too.

 

and yet a thousand guys every year loose their CAREERS over a brew or two...


we lost a guy at my terminal last may for a same type mistake - he threw away a 100K a year position because he "had" to have that beer with lunch - (left the restuarant and was tapped by a 4 wheeler who was texting.... they blood tested both drivers and TA DAAAA he had alcohol )

 

Even if you are off duty and you are at home and under the legal limit and get tested for alcohol they can still put you out of service for 24hrs.
You have a CDL and you are subjected to get tested at any time for drugs and alcohol.

EXAMPLE: You are at home off duty and out with your buddy he his driving and he gets pulled over. You get mouthy with the police officer and he sees that you have a CDL and gives you a drug test. Even though you are under the legal limit they can still put you out of service for 24hrs.

WHY: Because if you have any trace of alcohol in your system they have that right. You carry a CDL and everything counts against you now, fines are doubled and you are found at fault a hell of a-lot easier now. Just remember they can do just about anything to you if they want to be a hard #ss!!

 

yep... you have to protect your cdl with YOUR LIFE in most cases....

 

Dude, where are you getting this misinformation from? If a driver is at home drinking a beer, he is safe. You imply that someone is going to come to this drivers house, while he's off duty, then test him for alcohol, and then shut him down while he is off duty at his own house?

Now were said driver to climb into his CV with a tracable amount of alcohol in his system, hit the road, then get tested, yes you'd be correctamundo. But don't make a post implying that a driver who's at home and off duty can't drink a beer.