Posted: 1/24/2025 12:31:28 PM EDT
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I'm guessing this would probably be the best place to get some info on this subject. A friend of mine, who's been a class A CDL for decades, currently driving local for a worldwide company, is having issues. (Skip to the bold section if you don't wanna read the wall of text.) A little backstory... He went through a divorce several years ago, that he didn't want, that apparently his ex wife was planning for many years before this. She had stolen his 401k from his previous job, and was stashing money into accounts that he knew nothing about for a long time. She worked, but his paycheck paid all the household bills. She ran up huge credit card debt, and pretended to be him when corresponding thru email (I have the emails as proof) with creditors that were trying to collect the debt. They almost lost the house a couple times, her dad bailed them out once, then they refinanced the house, paid off the other debt, and had some work done on the house because she convinced him that it would lower the payments and the interest rate was lower (this was probably 8 years ago or so). Their initial mortgage in 1993 was about $114k, and he still owes about $270k (maybe a little less) on the house now. On top of this, his daughter (now... 28, iirc) was highly medicated due to mental issues (mostly due to her mom), and she was used as a pawn to attack her dad and get the cops called and he got kicked out of the house. It was a total shitshow. Before this, he trusted his wife 100% with the finances, and she was actively drowning them in debt. His pay could have easily paid off the house long ago. Fast forward to the present time... He works a ton of hours to afford the $300/week alimony, pay the mortgage, keep his cars running, and whatnot. He's absolutely clueless about how interest works (doesn't understand that paying a little extra each mortgage payment will make a big difference down the road) and has no drive to do anything to clean up his house. The only reason he's working on the yard and his collection of cars (classic ones, not in good shape, not running, but they're complete, registered, and insured, not in pieces) attracted the town code enforcement and they're harassing him about the vehicles, in his driveway. His house is a mess inside, literally garbage all over the place (bottles, cans, bags mostly). He's depressed, and is afraid to get help. He's pretty much Amish when it comes to tech, doesn't understand how the modern world works, and doesn't know how to get legal help. And the question... If he seeks mental help, and is put on some sort of medication, is this going to affect his CDL? He says he feels most normal when he's driving. He's in a union, which isn't helping him at all, other than getting him really good pay and benefits. But, they don't have his back when it comes to issues with management. It seems like the location he works out of is as bad as high school. He needs help and won't get it. I've tried my best to help him out, and I realize that talking helps, but over the past few years, nothing has gotten better. He's still doing the same thing. Working. Sleeping. Walking over the garbage in his house. I was just down to his place (slept in a hotel, though) to visit (also have other friends in the area) and help him a bit with a few things. Got his water heater lit, replaced the fuel injectors on an 01 XJ (his newest vehicle), and let him talk. He'll continuously talk about the past, for hours, and when he talks, he stops working. I've been friends with him since 1992, and knew him as a bus driver when I was in high school before that. Damn, that was a wall of text, didn't mean to go on that long, but I guess I just needed to get it out, too. |
Award: 24/365 Most likely to be an appendix.
"Arfcom makes me happy. Arfcom is like a giant, heavily armed, dysfunctional family that smells like cheetos and gun oil." - Undefined
"Arfcom makes me happy. Arfcom is like a giant, heavily armed, dysfunctional family that smells like cheetos and gun oil." - Undefined
Joined:
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Posts:
171
EE: 100% (4)
TN, USA
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We all know this guy. Or one like him. He is beat down by poor women choices. He feels betrayed by the system and his family has gone to shit. All he knows is work and he talks about the past because that’s when he was happiest. Simple times. The obvious thing to do is encourage him to clean up his act. He needs hope. It does t seem he is mentally ill. Just beat down. Hopeless. Unfortunately people rarely change once in a rut. Chances are he will continue down this path until his health goes. |
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Depending on what he would get prescribed it may or may not effect his Med Card Here's what the 21 CFR says about medications (21 CFR 1308.11 (391.42(b)(12)) has a huge list of meds) What medications disqualify a CMV driver? Answer: A driver cannot take a controlled substance or prescription medication without a prescription from a licensed practitioner. If a driver uses a drug identified in 21 CFR 1308.11 (391.42(b)(12)) or any other substance such as amphetamine, a narcotic, or any other habit forming drug, The driver is medically unqualified. There is an exception: the prescribing doctor can write that the driver is safe to be a commercial driver while taking the medication. In this case, the Medical Examiner may, but does not have to certify the driver. Any anti-seizure medication used for the prevention of seizures is disqualifying. The Medical Examiner has 2 ways to determine if any medication a driver uses will adversely affect safe operation of a CMV: Review each medication - prescription, non-prescription and supplement Request a letter from the prescribing doctor What medications disqualify a CMV driver? I would look for a Doc that could issue my prescription and was a certified DOT Medical Examiner to lessen the potential conflicts of opinions 
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USN Retired: APR 1988 - MAY 2008
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
"My center is giving way, my right is falling back, situation excellent, I attack." —Ferdinand Foch
Joined:
Sep 2022
Posts:
549
EE: 100% (10)
USA
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What Seabee_Mech said. I would only add that if your friend is having thoughts of self harm or harm to others, that would tend to change the equation significantly from that if he’s just feeling ‘down’ or anxious. I know of multiple drivers who have been on various scripts for depression or anxiety for years…decades…without issue. Walking into a doctor’s office and saying ‘I’m feeling lethargic and unable to motivate myself or enjoy things I used to’ is not a risk to his CDL, assuming that his doctor prescribes him medication which is in line with DOT regs. |