What Are Trucking Companies Policy (in General) On Taking Anxiety Medication?

I'm sure this has been asked before but do any trucking companies allow you to be on anxiety prescription meds (like celexa, etc). I'm considering swift or would they not allow any anxiety meds. I am gonna talk to my doctor to get clarification if taking these meds would be a problem (for driving). But if the trucking company says no, then I would assume I would have to be off them with documentation in order to work for them. I do plan on asking a Swift recruiter that question on anxiety meds if they would know — but from what I've heard, most companies want you to be off them?

I’m not an authority on this subject, but I’ll tell you what I do know. When I started driving I was taking Effexor. The company required that I get a letter from my doctor about this. My doctor had prescribed this to help me with a low energy situation and he stated that I was not being treated for depression and was safe to drive. The company accepted my use of this prescription. Then I stopped using Effexor several years ago, so now it’s a non-issue.

I think that there might be prescriptions that are totally unacceptable to any company. But from what I understand, each company maintains the right to evaluate each prescription and each applicant. A letter from your doctor stating that you can take a particular prescription and drive safely may be required.

If you need to take medication for anxiety, driving a CMV is not going to be something you will want to pursue. This can be an extremely stressful situation at times.

It depends on the particular medication. Anything that has drowsiness as a named side effect is a non-starter. The best thing to do is contact companies directly about specific medication you are taking to find out if the company has a policy on that medication. As BK noted, you may have to obtain a letter from your prescribing doctor stating that you are not a public danger by driving with the medication in your system.

Thanks everyone for the replies!

If you need to take medication for anxiety, driving a CMV is not going to be something you will want to pursue. This can be an extremely stressful situation at times.

Either way I'm gonna still pursue it, anxiety or not. Yes I know there will be many stressful situations but that comes with any career you do. I've done my research and concluded this is what I want to do. I don't have high anxiety, some occasional general anxiety but I get what your saying.

The company required that I get a letter from my doctor about this

Yeah, I plan on calling the company to find out their policy and go from there. I'll get a letter if that's the case.