4 Things Every Trucker Should Do Before Driving with a Firearm
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about how a CMV driver can legally carry a gun on the job. It’s important to know, because a lot of these drivers travel across the country and through rougher areas. They are often isolated and interacting with strangers. Personal protection is a must.
So is it legal? Yes.
The basic DOT rules are that any driver can carry a gun in the car. For interstate travel, it has to be locked away and unloaded. Concealed carry licenses might give exceptions to that rule, but a driver should always do these four things before taking a gun on the road:
- Check the concealed carry and open carry rules of the states you will drive through. If you know your route, look online at the states and big cities on your route and check if they have any particular rules about carrying.
- Keep your gun locked away if possible. Unless you are fully confident that you can legally carry the weapon on you, keep it locked away with the ammo separate.
- Make sure you have all permits with you at all times. Carry as much paperwork as you can about the gun and your certifications to carry and use it. The more you can prove by paperwork, the easier it will be to smooth over questions by police officers.
- Ask your carrier if they have any rules about guns. Your safety manager should know if the carrier you run for has any internal policies about firearms.
You shouldn’t be afraid to give yourself protection on the road. The better equipped you are to deal with any problem, the better off you’ll be. Gun carry laws can be complex for over the road truckers because they change state-to-state. But if you plan ahead, you can drive your route with confidence.
