Nebraska Truck Driver Phone Law
The federal hand-held ban applies to you in Nebraska, and so does a Nebraska one. The car beside you is under a texting-only rule enforced as a secondary offense, cited only alongside another violation (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,179.01). You are not: that section does not apply to a CMV operator when 60-6,179.02 applies, and 60-6,179.02 bans texting and every hand-held mobile telephone in a commercial vehicle with no secondary-enforcement limit, so a trooper can stop you for the phone alone. Fines run $200, then $300, then $500, plus points (60-4,182) and disqualification (60-4,168), on top of federal 392.82.
The federal ban applies here first
Federal law rides with your CDL in every state. FMCSA 49 CFR 392.82 bans all hand-held phone use while driving a CMV: no holding it to talk, no dialing more than a single button, no reaching for the phone out of your belted seat. A separate rule (49 CFR 392.80) bans texting and manual data entry. Only hands-free counts as compliant (mounted or in close reach, one-touch or voice, no reaching), and the only exception is calling 911. "Driving" includes sitting at a red light or stuck in traffic; you are clear only once fully off the road and stopped. Penalties run up to $4,812 per violation for the driver and $19,246 for the carrier, the inflation-adjusted maximums in 49 CFR 386 Appendix B. It is a CSA serious violation: two convictions in any 3-year period disqualify your CDL for 60 days, three or more for 120 days (49 CFR 383.51).
Nebraska’s rule for all drivers
The federal hand-held ban applies to you in Nebraska, and so does a Nebraska one. The car beside you is under a texting-only rule enforced as a secondary offense, cited only alongside another violation (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,179.01). You are not: that section does not apply to a CMV operator when 60-6,179.02 applies, and 60-6,179.02 bans texting and every hand-held mobile telephone in a commercial vehicle with no secondary-enforcement limit, so a trooper can stop you for the phone alone. Fines run $200, then $300, then $500, plus points (60-4,182) and disqualification (60-4,168), on top of federal 392.82.
- Hand-held: Texting ban only
- Texting: Texting banned for all drivers but secondary enforcement only for the general public (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,179.01), and that section expressly does not apply to you when 60-6,179.02 applies. Nebraska bans texting and all hand-held mobile telephone use in a commercial motor vehicle under its own law (60-6,179.02), and that section carries no secondary-enforcement clause, so a trooper can stop you for the phone alone.
- Fine: $200 first offense, $300 second, $500 third and after, plus 3 license points (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-6,179.01, 60-4,182).
- Points: 3 points per violation on a Nebraska license (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-4,182); 12 points in 2 years suspends it. Federally it is a CSA serious violation: two in 3 years disqualify your CDL for 60 days, three for 120 (49 CFR 383.51).
Nebraska Truck Phone Law FAQ
Can truck drivers use a phone in Nebraska?
What is the phone fine in Nebraska?
Is texting while driving illegal in Nebraska?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://codes.findlaw.com/ne/chapter-60-motor-vehicles/ne-rev-st-sect-60-6-179-01/. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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