01626645

Component

As a result of H.R. 3095, referred to as the “Sleep Apnea Bill,” the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is required to undertake a formal rulemaking process prior to implementing sleep disorder regulations, in particular focusing on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), FMCSA asked stakeholders to provide input on commercial driver experiences with sleep apnea screening and treatment. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) conducted a survey for drivers who have been tested for OSA, collecting data from over 400 commercial drivers. Of the drivers surveyed, 64 percent would require treatment for medical certification. The primary treatment regimen for drivers diagnosed with OSA in this sample was use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device to manage their OSA (94%). The prevalence of CPAP treatment was also observed in driver respondents with mild OSA – a level of severity not currently requiring treatment per prior FMCSA guidelines. Ninety-one percent of drivers with mild OSA reported treating their OSA with CPAP therapy. Drivers in this sample with mild OSA often did not experience improved sleep from CPAP treatment, most frequently reporting no change in sleep or worse sleep. Conversely, drivers with moderate-to-severe OSA were likely to report experiencing improvements in sleep, and some other health conditions, after starting CPAP therapy. Drivers reported paying an average of $1,220 for a sleep study, a significant cost relative to a driver’s average weekly income, $835.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB70 Standing Committee on Truck and Bus Safety.

01618707

17-00704

English

12p

2017

Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Apnea; Commercial drivers; Costs; Medical treatment; Sleep; Surveys

U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Freight Transportation; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2017 Paper #17-00704

PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 8 2016 10:09AM