? About DOT physicals (Sleep Apnea)

I agree that there are a lot of drivers who probably shouldn't be behind wheel. That said people who are young, active and slender aren't too interested driving a truck. So I would say that what is needed are some common sense guidelines that allow doctors to get sick drivers off the road and keep those of us who are healthy but have a few issues driving without breaking the bank.

 

As Long as the Young,Slender ,military Are willing to Drive a Truck.......Its going to push guys that are 40-50-60 years old OUT!

I truly Believe an executive study was performed by analysts from large Carriers,The FMCSA and corporate Guru's on this Subject.

"Its a Winner-Winner for us" Says The Large Commercial Carrier....

"we Will NEVER have a problem of Young Recruits in trucking..They Haver No where else to go"....

"All the Good,steel,Automotive,oil jobs are soaked up too fast......There are Less retirees every year as opposed to Young 21 y/o people entering the workforce..So Trucking They will go" Says a major analyst from a fortune 500 company in the transportation Sector

"lets Get the young,Obedient,Mis-understood individuals Behind the Wheel Of a Brand new Luxurious Freightliner Tractor....even if its for a Short time...Its a winner-Winner Chicken Dinner" Says The Overpaid-Representative from the American Trucking Association

"See,Ladies and Gentlemen, With instituting a Path of a 'new' generation of Trucking personnel, I believe our highways and roads will become a safe and tolerable place for the motoring public"..Sayds Anne Ferro of the Federal motor carrier safety administration














I So Hope to God this so Backfires on Everyone involved in this......


LEAVE SEASONED,EXPERIENCED, SAFE DRIVERS ALONE!!!!!!!

Leave us alone..We Dont bother you, Dont Bother us.

 

Ann Ferro was quoted in a recent trucking article I read and she actually knows her drivers are being misused and abused per a short ride along she made with a trucker a few months ago. The question is what for or when is she going to make and effort to end said practices.

 

This is my first post so I hope it is ok if I post this link. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel...lemaking-will-require-much-more-research.aspx This article is from December 2013, I could not find anything more recent.

Quote from article: President Obama yesterday signed a bill saying that any changes in federal requirements for handling truck driver sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, must come through the rulemaking process, rather than guidance to medical examiners.

I have read the article and I was wondering if anyone here could explain what this means? Does this in fact state that companies are to start requiring more testing for sleep apnea, or that more rules must be passed before this testing should be done? Or is this old news anyway?

I find it interesting the uproar about sleep apnea. It does seem to be a way to single out those by BMI. And if the concern is safety and health then I have to wonder why people who smoke, people who use cell phones, etc, are not being targeted with the same vigor? I do find it interesting that something that has a VERY expensive treatment is what is chosen as the target. Those DME salespeople must be loving this!! The more we can get our society wrapped around an idea, criminalize a group of people, use fear, the more we can sell! I remember when Phentermine was the stylish thing to do. Everyone was getting it, and the pharmaceutical companies were reaping the reward. Pills and Medical equipment sell! Usually by fear. But, historically, anything related to fat really sells. It is big business.

I am aware that people do need CPAPs BiPaps, etc. But, my concern is that an entire profession is allowing the doctors, government and employers to step over boundaries that I think should not be stepped over. If you can physically do the job, then there should be no further invasion of privacy. If this is permitted, things will continue to get worse. More and more liberties will be taken by the government, doctors and employers. This is setting precedence and the over reach of the government will just keep reaching as long as it is allowed.

I would be curious just how many accidents they can prove have been avoided by this overstepping of power? Perhaps there is data. I have not found any yet. The problem is road safety and fatigue of drivers. Trying to find a machine to fix this problem is really just like throwing a pill at every illness that walks in the door. Telling someone to be tested for sleep apnea is ok, having them seek out their own physician is ok. But, I am hearing about companies taking over the treatment plan and then asking to see the machines history, this is really invasive. And I cannot see how this is ok. So, if someone has high blood pressure do they count their pills and make sure they are taking them? Do they force them to take the pills that have markers and can be traced? If someone needs contacts to drive, or glasses do they have proof that the driver is always wearing them? I mean really? How degrading.

[h=1]Studies Regarding the Danger of Smoking While Driving[/h] The National Institutes of Health recently published a report which thoroughly examined the impact of smoking while driving and its consequences on road safety. The study found that on average, people who smoked while driving were even more distracted than people who used a cell phone. Cigarette smokers averaged 12.0 seconds of distraction (equitable to traveling 525 feet without looking at the road), while cell phone users averaged 10.6 seconds of distraction (traveling 492 feet).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration strongly discourages smoking while driving in its training material for CDL drivers. The FMCSA conducted its own half-decade study into the dangers of smoking while driving a truck and found that smoking was a source of distraction in 0.9 percent of distraction-related crashes, which equates to approximately 12,780 crashes over the five year period examined.


I guess I am wondering how these actions regarding BMI are not discriminatory if they are not actively pursuing others with health issues.

I guess if it is not a federal regulation to single people out by BMI then the companies who are doing this, in my opinion (which means very little really), but, in my opinion these companies seem to have another agenda. It cannot be safety or the health of an employee unless they also choose to start weeding out potential employees who smoke, drink excessively and have elevated liver function test, perhaps they need to screen every applicant through a psychiatric exam to see if they have rage issues? How many trucks on the road have someone taking speed, going without sleep, etc... I mean really, there are a lot of things that contribute to accidents and higher insurance premiums. Are those who are overweight just the easiest target and the least likely to fight back?


I guess in a perfect world, I believe that if they think that a sleep study and treatment will fix all of the driving issues then every company should test EVERY potential employee, just like they test every employees bp, just like they weigh everyone, they check everyones eyes. So, if a sleep study is needed, then it is needed by all. I mean, if we really care about safety, then we care about the safety of all employees, not just the overweight ones. Right? So, if they do not want these requirements to be discriminatory, then test everyone. Lots of normal weight people have sleep apnea.

 

Most regulatory, compliance mandated type issues come down the pipe via the mega carriers as to add more cost, expense to the bottom line of the O/O- small fleets. Large carriers with 5000 drivers can negotiate much better deals on all these issues than the aforementioned. And most are self insured. It is my understanding that the sleep apnea issue has not been mandated as of yet and yes more studies are planned.

 

The new FMCSA rules went into effect May 21, 2014. All drivers must go to a certified medical examiner and the screening will include tests for vision, hearing , blood pressure, and Obstructive sleep apnea. The criteria set forth by the FMCSA are BMI (Body Mass Index), Neck size over 17 inches I have included a link from the FMCSA that explains some of the rules. If you think you will qualify, don't wait until the last minute to get tested so that if you need cpap therapy you will have time to get adjusted to it. Check for lower cost options other than a hospital based lab(always the most $$$)

https://nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/mehandbook/respiratory4_sleep_tests_ep.aspx

 

I have searched the Examiners Handbook here:

https://nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/FMCSAMedicalExaminerHandbook-2014MAR18.pdf

I am not finding anything about 17 inch neck, BMI, or sleep tests. I see several references related to ASKING the driver about sleep disorders, sleepiness, such, but not the actual neck/BMI thing.

I followed a link, in your link "For Additional Information"... and of course, I get: "Page Not Available".

Do you have any other references?

I am due to renew my card. If he is going to breakout the tape measure, I want to see THAT requirement in writing...

Thanks.

 

I looked at what I believe is the current long form right off the FMCSA website.

There are boxes to fill in specific measurements of vision, hearing, blood pressure, urinalysis, Height and weight. There is nowhere to record neck size or bmi.

So I doubt that is a current requirement.

 

There are regulations then there are recommendations. So it's a coin toss depending on who does the examination. If you go to a private doctor not affiliated with any trucking company you have a better chance of not being tested versus one of these mega carriers which have a say in the physical. You do what we want and in turn we'll send the cattle through you type deal.