If you have a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon then you should do so. Make sure that you practice with this weapon often so that your aim is true even in a panic situation. Trust me, it is difficult and needs to be automatic muscle memory to be really effective. Practice, practice, practice and unless in a life or death situation, keep it concealed and simply don't tell people you are armed unless you are talking with an officer.

The previous replies pretty much say it.  Practice, articulate, practice, articulate, etc, etc.

Good advice already given here, not much more to add. Good luck!

Holy-Moley, he's a lawyer now or is that trucker,  what? Let me ask you this SMARTZ. If DOT is federal why do the officers have to go through state training. ? Also since highway patrol enforces interstate routes for the most part why isit that they can do inspections etc. and issue cites?  Now as far as a firearm in Canada or Mexico get caught whether truck driver, civilian , cop ccw or no and you are going to ojail in those countries. Get a clue there bud.

The DOT in every state is also federally regulated. A truck driver is a Federal driver. Highway patrol and local authorities can issue cites for speeding, etc but cannot open a trailer, etc without a federal marshal or DOT officer present. Loads are sealed. Also, if a local officer wants to make a driver move a truck and that driver is out of hours for the day, the only person authorized to make him move is a DOT officer or federal marshal. Truck inspections, weight checks, cab inspections, etc must be done by DOT or Federal Marshals. Do you get it yet? The only time a local law enforcement officer can enter a truck cab or trailer is if there is an immediate threat to innocent people, ex: the driver is high and trying to run people over, or the trailer is on fire, etc. Anything beyond a traffic ticket for a moving violation, etc requires federal authority. I have driven, I have gone through inspections, I have had local PD try and make me move my truck, and I have been through customs, hundreds of times. I may know something about it......

smartz says ...

The DOT in every state is also federally regulated. A truck driver is a Federal driver. Highway patrol and local authorities can issue cites for speeding, etc but cannot open a trailer, etc without a federal marshal or DOT officer present. Loads are sealed. Also, if a local officer wants to make a driver move a truck and that driver is out of hours for the day, the only person authorized to make him move is a DOT officer or federal marshal. Truck inspections, weight checks, cab inspections, etc must be done by DOT or Federal Marshals. Do you get it yet? The only time a local law enforcement officer can enter a truck cab or trailer is if there is an immediate threat to innocent people, ex: the driver is high and trying to run people over, or the trailer is on fire, etc. Anything beyond a traffic ticket for a moving violation, etc requires federal authority. I have driven, I have gone through inspections, I have had local PD try and make me move my truck, and I have been through customs, hundreds of times. I may know something about it......

Please come to my state and pull any of this shit with me.  I love to impound Big Rigs.  Do You Get IT?  

smartz says ...

The DOT in every state is also federally regulated. A truck driver is a Federal driver. Highway patrol and local authorities can issue cites for speeding, etc but cannot open a trailer, etc without a federal marshal or DOT officer present. Loads are sealed. Also, if a local officer wants to make a driver move a truck and that driver is out of hours for the day, the only person authorized to make him move is a DOT officer or federal marshal. Truck inspections, weight checks, cab inspections, etc must be done by DOT or Federal Marshals. Do you get it yet? The only time a local law enforcement officer can enter a truck cab or trailer is if there is an immediate threat to innocent people, ex: the driver is high and trying to run people over, or the trailer is on fire, etc. Anything beyond a traffic ticket for a moving violation, etc requires federal authority. I have driven, I have gone through inspections, I have had local PD try and make me move my truck, and I have been through customs, hundreds of times. I may know something about it......

Smartz, you should know what you are talking about before posting like this. IF you think A trooper in Va can't open your trailer and inspect the contents, and it doesn't have to be a DOT trooper, bring your trailer on down here and try to refuse entry!  I carried for years, as a supervisor, metal tags to reseal trailers where we opened to inspect the contents, I've inspected hundreds of them, and there were several like you that were educated by the court for believing such nonsense. Virginia has several DOT troopers, that's troopers specializing in DOT inspections, that daily do truck and trailer inspections, we have Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers that do portable scales and work the weigh stations.  There are no Federal people on any Va Permanent Scale site unless there to do a "duel" inspection with Va Troopers.  Seems to me you're just another trucker who thinks he's an attorney also because of all the garbage talked on the CB radio, and the number of tickets recieved!

Robocop33 says ...

smartz says ...

I am an ex-trucker. I have been off the road for a few years now but when I was driving, a CDL is a Federal license, not State. It is issued by your home State but it is regulated by the Fed's. That is why alot of enforcement has to be done by DOT and Federal Marshals. FIREARMS are prohibited in commercial vehicles according to Federal Law a few years ago. I seriously doubt they have changed. Most truckers, I included, keep a "tire-thumper" in their truck...it's really a baseball bat. I also kept a knife that was used for cutting tie-downs and seatbelts in accidents, yeah that was why I carried it....lol I can tell you, if you are stopped for an inspection at a weigh station or by customs coming back to the US from Canada or Mexico, and they find a firearm, permit or not, your going to jail. Regardless of your CCW permit, Federal Law forbids it. You can double check here: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrguide.asp?section_type=A this link is to the DOT's website and lists the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. It should be in there somewhere....unless the laws have changed recently. Perhaps email the DOT to ask them....

You are full of the brown liquid dummy. A CDL is a State Issued DL that conforms to the standards of training that is required to operate a commercial vehicle of certain weight and components etc based on a Federal requirements. It IS NOT issued by Federal Agents nor is it enforced by Federal Agents. It is all done but the State Highway Patrol or Troopers or whatever the State Traffic agency is and issued by them and in addition there are certain State Officers designated as working for the STATE Department of Transportation who inspect, stop, ticket, check weights and loads etc of trucks and other Commercial Vehicles.

Crap how did I miss this?

Thomas281 says ...

I have a Valid Texas CHL. I don't travel all over anymore, Only driving in Houston. A friend of mine and I have a running discussion going about carrying in the truck. My company frowns on weapons, However... I am only asking about carrying, as far as Law Enforcement goes,  YES or NO. Some of the places I go to are questionable at best. And I feel alot safer with my Para with me. I would much rather look for another job, than have my daughter deal with a phone call saying I had a license and couldn't defend myself...Can someone PLEASE answer this for me. 

FYI For everyone on PL~

If you hold a current CCDW (Concealed carry permit) in any state KY will honor it. Otherwise the weapon must be carried in the open, in the glove compartment, or in a cargo area.

Robocop33 says ...

Sorry ya'll. I think I'm PSMing or something. In a foul mood anyway. This clown pushed my button when he smart-mouthed KSP and I fired off a couple like this before I read father down where Sarge had dumped him.

I appreciate you having my back

If there should be a Troll that you folks find in western KY let me know. Because driving to their house and busting them in the mouth will be worth 90 days without pay.

smartz-

Virginia must be the exception rather than the rule based on what you're saying.

§ 46.2-341.4. Definitions.

The following definitions shall apply to this article, unless a different meaning is clearly required by the context:

"Commercial driver's license" means any driver's license issued to a person in accordance with the provisions of this article, or if the license is issued by another state, any license issued to a person in accordance with the federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, which authorizes such person to drive a commercial motor vehicle of the class and type and with the restrictions indicated on the license.

"Commercial motor vehicle" means, except for those vehicles specifically excluded in this definition, every motor vehicle, vehicle or combination of vehicles used to transport passengers or property which either: (i) has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds; or (ii) has a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds inclusive of a towed vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds; or (iii) is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver; or (iv) is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section. Every such motor vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be considered a commercial motor vehicle whether or not it is used in a commercial or profit-making activity.

The following shall be excluded from the definition of commercial motor vehicle: any vehicle when used by an individual solely for his own personal purposes, such as personal recreational activities; or any vehicle which (i) is controlled and operated by a farmer, whether or not it is owned by the farmer, and which is used exclusively for farm use, as defined in § 46.2-698, (ii) is used to transport either agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies to or from a farm, (iii) is not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier, and (iv) is used within 150 miles of the farmer's farm; or any vehicle operated for military purposes by (a) active duty military personnel, (b) members of the military reserves, (c) members of the national guard on active duty, including personnel on full-time national guard duty, personnel on part-time national guard training, and national guard military technicians (civilians who are required to wear military uniforms), but not U.S. Reserve technicians, and (d) active duty U.S. Coast Guard personnel; or emergency equipment operated by a member of a firefighting, rescue, or emergency entity in the performance of his official duties.

"Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act" means the federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, Title XII of Public Law 99-570, as amended.

As far as I know, there is NO federal law prohibiting guns in CMV's. However, you still have to conform to the stricter law in each state you enter. I have driver's ask me this on a fairly regular basis.

Please correct me if you find documentation that says Im wrong. If Im wrong I'd like to know.

I'm new to this site, so I'm just catching up with this topic.  That being said, I'm glad smartz was "dis-invited" by the administrators.  I'm a Trooper in Missouri and before that I spent 5 years as a Commercial Vehicle Officer for the Missouri State Highway Patrol.  As a CVO, we were state officers with federal certification to enforce federal CMV statutes.  As far as carrying in a commercial vehicle, as others have said, you must comply with the laws of the jurisdiction you are in.  There are no Federal Regulations prohibiting carrying in a commercial vehicle.  As far as Missouri law goes, you can carry in any vehicle as long as you are 21 years old or older and not prohibited from possessing a weapon, ie. convicted felon, mentally ill, etc.