I had talked to my terminal about the testing and such before my physical. They said pretty much the same thing, their getting ahead of the rush because once the DOT mandates it (and it's not an "if" but a "when"), there will be huge backlogs of drivers waiting to be tested and getting results, then many more waiting for CPAPs if needed. I take my hat off to Crete for testing early and at least paying the cost of testing. The terminal couldn't tell me if the cost of any CPAP equipment was covered, if it was needed that is. It doesn't matter to me, I won't under any circumstances use a CPAP...PERIOD!!! And before anyone bothers to tell me about the health risks involved...Save your breath. I am among the growing number of people out here that believe whole heartedly that you are going to die when it's your turn, not a minute before, not a minute after. You could live a healthy life, diet, exercise... have a <1% body fat... Heart of a marathon runner. Walk out the door of the gym, and be run over by someone who was talking on his/her cell phone, heard some news that shocked them, dropped their cigarette in their lap which cause them to spill their beer into their super sized bucket of biscuits and gravy and looked down for a minute to make sure their pants weren't on fire and ......squish...your healthy butt is dead. My father could snore the siding off the house, smoked unfiltered cig's, chewed tobacco, drank, ate what he liked - and like Larry the Cable Guy says, 'would eat gravy on everything but b##bs'(profanity filter won't let me say ##### ---see----), and he was in his mid 70's when he died...and could out work most of us until his last dying breath. Never once fell asleep at the wheel, and he traveled quite a bit. He didn't die because of a heart attack or cancer or high cholesterol...he died 9 months after burying his 2nd wife...basically of a broken heart. They couldn't find any medical reason for his death...so they can take this sleep apnea crap and shove it where the sun don't shine, and I don't mean Seattle, WA!!!

I eat what I like, don't drink (very often) don't smoke, don't take medications unless it's the rare occasion I need antibiotics. I don't take prescription pain medicine period. My BP(believe it or not) is in the middle of the 'normal' range, and don't snore (I stayed up all night once to check, never snored once) Basically I'm healthy. But according to these legal drug pushers (A.K.A. Physicians) I fall into several categories that would put me at risk for apnea... I have a BMI in the mid 30's (it's either 26 or 29 that is the highest acceptable range) my neck is 17 inches, and I have family history (grand parents) with diabetes, and have had dental problems since I was a baby. But my blood sugar test's under 115 every time, my A1C is 5.8, my blood work always comes out normal, (no heart or cholesterol problems) and have no history of ever....ever falling asleep at the wheel, so what does that tell you about their guidelines for testing or their so called expertise in the area of apnea causing health problems, thus causing me to be classified as an unsafe driver? It's just another way for the money grubbing SOB's in the medical field to get into your pocket...they really don't have a clue.

I also talked to my terminal about the black boxes,and the paperless log systems, they said it's in the testing phase. I have talked to several drivers in the new Prostars that are using different 'paperless' systems...basically testing the system in real world use to see which works best. None of them have the 'personal conveyance' feature where you can log off and drive the truck to Wally, or like ET does, head to the movies or another R&R activity to pass the time. Another words, if the truck moves, it's logged on duty driving. But like the apnea testing, I truly believe that black boxes and paperless logging is a matter of 'when' not 'if'. Soon this industry will have more trouble than ever trying to fill trucks after they mandate and regulate us into oblivion.

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I use to think the greatest thing that ever happened in my life was when I became a father, that was until I became a Grand Father... Grandpa's rule

Super,

I agree with you on the sleep apnea thing. However, I disagree on the latter part of destiny to die. One month ago, I weighed 240. I drank sodas non stop and did not eat fruit nor veggies. I started to eat fruit, and went to a 75% caffine free diet and 25% regular soda mix. I will drop soda all together. I went down to 229. Like you I am in good health and diabetes run in my family but being more healthy can do you better. I walk everchance I get and take the stairs rather than the elevator.

KH

Are you saying that you expect your employer to pay for equiment needed to treat your medical condition?





I never said Crete would pay for the power inverter to to run a CPAP machine or the CPAP machine or any other part of the study or treatment. Why would you expect Crete or any other company (trucking industry or otherwise) to pay for somthing to treat your medical condition. I said it would be paid for through issurance based on each drivers individual coverage. Along with the cost of the sleep study. Just because the testing is being done at a Crete terminal doesn't mean the medical staff that is being brought in is working for free. I'm sure there will still be costs associated with this, but I'm assuming it will be far cheaper than going through a hospital and the driver will be able to get back on the road in less than a day as opposed to as much as six weeks.

Remember, I also said I was passing on the info as I interpreted it. I don't have anything in black and white to reference as solid fact.

What Crete is doing is footing he bill for the cost of setting up the examination rooms and working on selling CPAP machines at discounted prices though bulk purchasing and doing what they can to streamline the process.

Don't forget, the trucking companies are not the ones pushing this, it's coming from the regulation side of things and it is something every truckdriver is going to have to deal with in the near future. Like SuperSnack said, it's not if, it's when.

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"I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN" Mythbusters

Once again, I find myself sitting in a truckstop waiting to pick up a load. At least I have good TV reception and get to watch the football game.

I made my delivery this morning only to be given a 200mi run, including deadhead. My reward for such a wonderful run was to be sent a load that doesn't pick up until after noon tomorrow. So it's another day of sitting after doing the same over Labor day in GA. Then I get to run up to WY.

That's just not right, I don't usually get to go up there until the snow starts flying. I'm looking forward to WY, but it doesn't deliver until Monday.

The weekly totals won't look so good, but then I didn't get started until last Thursday morning and still ended up with about 2000mi by the time Sunday was done. For the the 7days out since leaving the house I managed to get in 3100+ mi, but if I can't swing a Tcal in Denver with this load this week is going to be brutal.

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"I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN" Mythbusters

ET, over the last two weeks I've noticed freight volume seems to be falling. With the holidays just around the corner, the industry should be seeing an increase in volume, but it's just not happening.

Freight rates continue to fall. This is causing many small companies to haul at or near a "no profit" margine. This will eventually lead to less capacity, as these companies go out of business, and hopefully an increase, once again, in "our" miles.

Capitalism/Free Market is alive and well in the trucking industry. The law of "Supply and Demand" cannot be denied!

SS, I completely agree that it should be an individual choice on the health care issues you addressed. None of us are owed anything by anybody, or government.

We should give to others, as individuals, out of compasion and mercy. No government should have the authority to force us to pay for someone elses health care.

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Thank you Christ & Veterans for the blood you shed for my freedom! Hope is knowing that Christ will not let failure be your final resutl.

jdrentzjr can you give me your honest opinion about CCC. I'm going back to truck driving school to get my cdl after 26 yrs off the road. I''m thanking about going to Shaffer since i know all about pulling reefers.

Sure they should! They are implementing a program that, at present is strictly optional. They want it, they should pay for it. Additionally, they pay for your DOT physical, so why not this testing? Thirdly, this is not a medical condition that REQUIRES treatment. Drivers have been driving for years without this treatment. It's another ######## disease created by the pharmaceutical companies to sell more drugs. Just like ADD, acid reflux, and restless leg syndrome.

If Crete spent half the energy they waste on stupid #### like monitoring logs and idle time and fuel solutions on actually hauling freight, they wouldn't be losing drivers by the busload. It's a good place for rookies, but way too much ######## for good experienced drivers.

Big Al wrote:
No one said they won't be paying for it, or will be paying for the testing. If they do, good for them, but if they don't it's ridiculous to expect a company to pay for its employee's medical treatment. What other medical bills do you expect your employer to pay for. After all, why should you be responsible for your own heath care.

Again, again and again. Even if Crete doesn't pay for the entire cost, if you have health insurance it will be paid for per your plans coverage.

Regulators and activists groups will argue that point to the ends of the earth with the trucking industry. Guess who's going to win that battle. You can run for now to a company that chooses to turn a blind eye to the inevitable, but you will be dealing with this issue no matter where you go (at a substantially higher price), it's just a matter of time and Sleep Apnea isn't even going to be their biggest gun. Hypertension regulations and diabetes will be the two that destroy huge numbers of driving careers.

That's going to be the main argument against the truck drivers. Followed by accident and fatality figures. It doesn't matter if they are relative to the argument or not, they will make them look like they are.


I'm not so sure that someone who would make such a statement should be putting themselves in the category of a "good" driver.


Listen, I'm not trying to say that this sleep apnea testing is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hate it as much as the next guy. It's nothing more than another pain in the back side regulation being handed down by the bureaucrats so they can go back to their constituents and say, "See, I'm saving the world" while ignoring the fact that a huge percentage a truck related accidents are caused by 4wheelers and they do absolutely nothing about it.

Politicians have always taken the path of least resistance and gone after the easy targets and we have a very large bullseye on our foreheads.

It's just like everything else in this awful business. Things change and this is just one more item to add to the list. You can either stick your head in the sand or accept reality. Crete is doing what is necessary while looking into the future. That is why they are one of the very few trucking companies that remain debt free and continue to thrive while countless others close their doors.

With that, I think I will draw a close to my particularization in the Sleep Apnea debate and Big Al's push for socialized medical reform. I would imagine there are other threads on this fine board that address the subject.

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"I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN" Mythbusters

ET, I really enjoy your ongoing posts.
When you refer to a customer in Maquoketa, IA are you by chance at "Family Dollar"? Were you there on Weds, 08/05?
I also tried to get unloaded early however, was turned down and told to return one-hour prior to my scheduled appointment time. I must admit that once you get backed into a door, they are very efficient. I was in and out in less than 90 mins!!!
I have been at this location four times in the last three months and have not had a bad experience.

You know ET, your credibility would be higher if just for once in your life you would post something that you were truly not happy with Crete. You have been sounding like a PR person for sometime now. I swear they must be paying you somehow or you are hoping that this will get you better miles. You may have all the newbies snookered but the veterans out here know better.

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