FMCSA move on sleep disorders likely soon

It’s become increasingly clear that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will make some movement soon on the issue of sleep disorders and the trucking industry.

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea are an important safety issue because they can affect the alertness of drivers. People affected with sleep apnea stop breathing for as long as 10 seconds during sleep. This interrupts rest and leaves the person feeling tired during the day, and may even cause the person to fall asleep uncontrollably.

FMCSA has studied the issue of sleep apnea for several years and related advisory committees have issued various opinions and statements about the need for some sort of screening. While FMCSA has not yet issued formal rules on the subject, there are a number of initiatives in place that suggest FMCSA may soon announce more formal efforts to put in place more competent sleep disorder screening procedures.

For more details on what may be ahead, please read my article elsewhere on this site.