Guns, tazers, other self-defense items--legal?

For OTR drivers, is it legal to carry a (licensed) firearm, either on the driver or in the cab (or, I guess, how about in the trailer or in a hidden, locked compartment outside the cab)? How about other self-defense items, like tazers, stun-guns, pepper spray, knives, batons, baseball bats, crossbows, or anything else you can think of? Also, do trucking companies often have policies about this; if so, is there really a way to check for violations, unless the driver gets arrested for something?

I guess I'm mostly talking about federal, trucking regulations, since the driver undoubtedly has to comply with the laws of any states he passes through, as well. Illinois, where I'm from, has, the last time I checked, quite restrictive laws about transporting firearms outside the home; something along the lines of the gun must be in an inoperable state--I don't know if this means disassembled or just unloaded--and I think inaccessible by the driver. Something like that.

It seems like OTR drivers are perfect targets for violent crimes. They sleep in their cabs, in plain view of anybody who just climbs up on the rig quietly. They carry weeks worth of supplies, certainly including SOME cash. Etc., Etc. Is an OTR driver being the victim of a violent crime a common occurrence? Is this something everybody has a story about having happened to them or at least a friend of theirs (as is the case with taxicab drivers)?

Drivers, it seems to me, should be able to defend themselves. I don't really follow the gun policy debate. I'm actually a liberal, in general, but I totally disagree with them on almost all gun issues, with one glaring exception: I will not engage in hunting (for sport). (Please don't make this thread a debate about hunting.) I've been told by a very anti-gun attorney, who is by no means an expert in this field, that every state but Illinois now allows concealed carrying by the general public. Anybody know about this? On this topic, this attorney should not be considered a reliable source (unless he were to research the issue for a client, which he hasn't).

Are weapons (not just gun) laws more or less restrictive for OTR drivers than for the general public? Are there (legal) ways around these restrictions? If anybody knows anything about particular states' laws on guns in trucks (and motels, too, I guess) or about other self-defense weapons, please share your knowledge? If you know any good websites that deal with weapons laws, especially state-by-state coverage, I'd be very interested in those URLs. I'll start you off: http://home.nra.org/#/ila (point to a state, and click "Gun Laws").

Any factual information, verified or not, would be most appreciated. Can I discourage people from just offering opinions about the justness/injustice of existing laws; this thread will take forever to read, and people will stop adding additional facts.

Thanks.

 

One more thought. How about an air gun or BB gun? Non-lethal, but might be enough to scare off an assailant. Bummer if he then pulls out a real gun. Still, legal issues? Company policy issues?