Does a bipolar diagnosis disqualify me from truck driving?

even if it dq's you from driving i believe it perfectly qualifies you to be a terminal mgr or fleet mgr

 

Call the trucking companies first and find out if you would be able to drive for any of them.

 

The very first consideration they would have is legal.
If you happen to hurt someone while driving and (not if, but when) the lawyers find out you're on medication that "might make you drowsy" or other side effects, it is party over in any civil court. Not to say you'd be any less "drowsy" than half the drivers on the road right now, but civil court is not fair and jurys typically lean towards awarding the victim vs. the big bad trucking company.

 

At least we can spell psychotic.

 

pretty sure most dispatchers are bipolar

 

Phillyguy,

(I grew up in Malvern and so greetings to someone from the "old neighborhood")

I currently live in SC and have been on disability for a number of years as well having been diagnosed bipolar. I very much want to get back to work and have been thoroughly researching trucking as a solution. I am scared to death that if I go through the entire process of training, getting approval from DOT Doc, etc. that absolutely no one will end up hiring me because I have been disabled with a mental illness for a number of years.

I saw that you and I are in the same boat. From what I could tell, you have already begun the process of training. I would be very appreciative if you would pass on to me your experiences regarding training and getting hired. (or of course anyone else for that matter)

 

Ouch. So why was he not disqualified at orientation?

 

My wife drove for 9 yrs and she is Bi-polar and on meds.
She drove for Jim Palmer and P
rime to name a few.
It was 10 yrs ago though so maybe things have changed.
I am hoping that after I have driven for a while and when my son Graduates from high school that she can come back and drive with me.

 

Where did the op say he was on "psychotic drugs??" Or are you trying to embellish your story? And where did he say that the catering truck he drove was a roach coach...or that it was crappy? Sounds like you're are putting words in the mans mouth.

Care to elaborate? A bipolar person on several medications usually is pretty level headed. Either he was a bipolar off of his meds, or he wasn't bipolar.

See?? There you go putting words into people's mouth's again. Nowhere in his post did he sound like a doctor. I do believe that a person can smoke weed at one point in their life, and then quit...just like alcoholics, drug addicts, and tobacco users. Hell, I smoked a ton of pot in H.S, but I haven't touched the stuff in 12 years. Same with smoking. I smoked for 15 years, quit 2 years ago, and haven't thought about it since.

This shows just how uninformed and uneducated you really are about this topic. A person that needs antipsychotic medication and isn't on them is dangerous. In fact, I would wager that a bipolar on his/her meds is more sane than 85% of the truck drivers out there.

I don't know where your intolerance for people with mental disorders comes from, but it is borderline bigoted. The way you treated the op is ridiculous. He came on here and asked a legitimate question. He was friendly, and even gave his First name. Yet you felt compelled to lambaste him for absolutely no reason. That's ridiculous in my book. I certainly hope that you are in excellent health and have no predispositions for any disorders.

Stop trolling.

 

I find a strange that most here will put down the OP for being on meds and at same time claim that a former president who was on Alzheimer meds while in office was one off the great presidents the USA ever had.(now,where did it put that briefcase with the nuclear button?)

Now i don't want to turn this in a political debate,just wanted to show the different standards used.

I think a doctor with DOt approval is the best to judge if the OP can do the job safely.