Do you feel elogs should be mandatory or optional?

Why don't you read the study and look at the conclusions... Silly huh?

 

HARDLY an "extensive" study. 80 drivers, 360 trips...comes to 4.5 trips per driver on average. Were these drivers bodies accustomed to operating under the conditions of the study? For example, if you take a person who typically drives the overnight hours and place him driving during the day, he's going to be fatigued. Likewise, a driver who is typically awake and driving during the day is going to be fighting heavy eyes if the study has him driving at night.

Seems to me that this would indicate 1) these drivers weren't accustomed to being awake when the study had them driving, thus the need for a mid-shift nap; and 2) the ability to take a break that stops the clock would ENCOURAGE drivers to stop when they perceived themselves to be tired and in need of a nap.

Seems like that might have been something that SHOULD have been considered before regulatory changes to the HOS were made.

36% were never judged to be drowsy...that's 29 drivers. I would render a guess that they were driving during hours they were accustomed to being awake. They are likely the majority of the 45 drivers who did not take any naps. The 14%...11 drivers...who accounted for 54% of all drowsiness episodes were probably working shifts they were not used to...and probably took most of the naps, too.

...but we don't know, because this "study" didn't look at those important factors.

At least they acknowledge this shortcoming....a shortcoming which pretty much renders MOST of their other findings completely useless.

With all of the hype sleep apnea is getting these days, I find this to be particularly interesting.

 

Problem is that nowadays, everything has to be put into some kind of matrix. Abject silliness is all it is.

I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP has been a life-saver for me, and has undoubtedly made me a safer driver, in my opinion, when I look back at my pre-CPAP years compared to now. This is MY experience. It won't be everyone's.

Technology has been a wonderful, astounding addition to many areas of our lives. Where it hasn't been is in such cases as this, where the conductors of the various "studies" have to buttonhole every driver into a category come hell or high water.

It's not getting any better.

 

Bravo, Pedigreed Bulldog way to think critically about the 'study'. Very well done

 

You mean the study that was never done? The Teamsters were involved fully in the tests as they were more worried about getting the hours changed than any of the bottom feeders.

 

Part of the problem is that some companies are using sleep apnea and the fact that the science surrounding it is fairly new as the proverbial "cash cow". I include my current employer, Crete, in that group (this is nothing I haven't stated on TTR previously).

IMHO, Schneider's program is the best. I got both my machines through them. They use an outside lab, not some trailer on the company lot or a local hotel room staffed by so-called "sleep technicians". I was never out of pocket a dime, although upon receiving my first machine, I had to agree to a one-year employment deal to offset the cost of the machine. Had I not completed that year, I could have still filed the cost on my insurance. This differs from other companies in that (so I have heard) that it would not be eligible for insurance coverage, which I think is a crock of excrement.

Another key difference between SNIs program and that of other companies is that there wasn't nearly the "gray area" involved. Either you needed CPAP treatment or you didn't. There wasn't any "well, you're close enough to the center line, and even though you're on the 'not needed' side, we're going to require you to use one anyway".

It is the companies that are taking the "cash cow" approach to sleep apnea that are screwing up things for the legit providers.

 

E logs its whats for dinner
View attachment 38390 View attachment 38391

 

I just lost my appetite..