Friend is mildly bipolar, can he drive?

BiPolar is not an illness that will keep your friend from driving per DOT. Each company has different requirements, so he should check with prospective employers first.
Basically, it will take a letter from his doctor (phyciatrist) confirming his med compliancy, his stableness over the last several years and the doctors opinion that he will likely remain stable.
He will need to submit this letter to a prospective employer with his job application after a phone confirmation that this is acceptable.
It may take a bit more time to process his application since they will likely contact his doctor to confirm the letter. Make sure, once he's made his application, he submits a letter to the doctor, authorizing him to speak with ABC trucking company regarding his diagnosis and prognosis. This will ensure a speedier processing.
Lastly, I would recommend he recieve back (via snail mail) a written confirmation that the trucking company has reviewed his file and his diagnosis won't affect his being employed.
Keep in mind, other factors may send him home such as any that affect any other person, but this way he won't arrive for orientation and find himself on med hold or worse... being sent home because some idiot failed to vet his application properly.
Feel free to contact me for any particular questions.
I have been a volunteer in this field for more than 20 years.

 

If he's getting laid off, now may be the best time for him to look into what he WANTS to do, vs just looking for another J-O-B, like trucking. Depression can quite often stem from doing things one doesn't want to be doing, such as working a job you don't want to be working.

Just my $0.02.

 

Wouldn't it depend on the meds he is taking ???

 

It very well could depend on the meds he is taking as well as the daily dosage. My suggestion would be not to worry about the illness so much as what meds he is taking. Also have him talk to his doctor WHILE doing some research talking to a company to find out if any of his meds would hold him back, if so is there a possibility of switching to a different medication (there has been alot of breakthroughs in the last couple of years).

 

Most stablizers, for bi-polar d/o have a pretty strong sedative effect to them.