Commercial Vehicle

A commercial vehicle is any type of vehicle that is used to move or transport people or goods. Transportation may or may not be for payment. Common commercial vehicles include semi-trucks. In 2000 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was established to regulate trucking in the United States. This organization employs an estimated 1000 workers. The headquarters for the FMCSA is located in Washington, D.C. The goal of the FMCSA is to increase safety in the commercial trucking industry. The FMCSA has established rules for disqualification of a commercial driver's license. Commercial drivers who are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may face additional penalties, which are greater than those faced by non-commercial drivers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also requires driver's employers to perform random testing which can be done before, during or after driving a commercial vehicle, and commercial drivers may face immediate firing in certain states if they test positively for drugs.Unlike non-commercial drivers who can not drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, a commercial driver can not drive with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.