Making Phone Calls While Driving?

Hey ya'all!

I was wondering if most carriers especially the megas have policies that forbid drivers from making phone calls while driving? I know its not against FMCSA but spoke to a couple of megas that said they don't allow drivers to make phone calls, even hands free, while driving.

I'm currently in CDL school and am looking to go OTR , live in the truck, and work my but off. I was thinking it would be nice to catch up with family and friends while driving, but it looks like that won't be the case.

Any and all help is appreciated. Thank you!

I started with a mega, and I'm now with a smaller outfit. Neither one of them banned phone calls as long as it was hands free, which is why you'll need a bluetooth headset, and touch free (voice activated). I.E. "OK Google, call the old bag. (My wife, lol)

Unless it has changed, Schneider forbids phone calls while driving. Only when stopped.

Prime allows calls.

Be aware that the rule may be a difference between training or not. Make sure you ask specifically.

It's company-specific. BK told Schneider's policy of banning it and that's the only one I've heard of banning it outright. At my mid-sized carrier, the rare times safety has called me they start out by asking if I'm hands-free and safe to talk.

Yeah, the only two companies I've been able to ask directly about it so far are Melton and Werner and they both said they have a no phone call policy, even with hands free devices.

Seems like I found the couple companies that actually have this kind of policy, lol.

Thanks for the replies!

The first company I worked for, H.O.Wolding, out of Amherst, WI had a strict no-phone policy. Hands free made no difference, no phone use while driving. They have been bought out by Bison, and I do not know if that policy still holds.

My present company is okay with us using headsets and talking while driving. While it can help to pass the time, I see the wisdom of "no phone use" because it CAN be distracting to just chat with friends & family; it takes away from 100% focus on the road.

Not everyone can multi task well. I used to be on 4-6 texting chats, with females, on Yahoo back when. And kept each chat separated just fine lol....Had no issues using hands free headsets, at all 3 companies I drove for

Yes, at Schneider, we are forbidden from making any calls, including hands free, while driving. We must be stopped, brakes pulled and truck in neutral. This includes headsets as well. We aren’t allowed to wear them. Strict 100% ban on making phone calls while driving. In the end, probably for the better.

I see a benefit of being able to talk hands-free while driving. If I'm going to a customer that I've never been to before but know someone I talk to has, and vice-versa, we'll talk about it on the phone so everyone has the best info we can. If we couldn't connect prior to due to driving and sleep schedules, we might not be able to share that knowledge/past experience before the other driver arrives.