GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. – A foundation run by a trucking association representing small carriers is once again taking on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
This time the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Foundation is disputing FMSCA’s increased scrutiny of drivers with obstructive sleep apnea.
In its white paper, “The Truth About Obstructive Sleep Apnea,” the foundation argues that sleep apnea is a medical condition that’s been common for many years, yet FMCSA’s own statistics don’t support the sudden need for increased scrutiny in the form of a new federal regulation.
FMCSA and the Federal Railroad Administration proposed a rule last year concerning the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and its potential consequences for the safety of rail and highway transportation.
FMCSA’s Medical Review Board found that sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness, making drivers more likely to have accidents, and last year recommended sleep studies for certain drives with risk factors.
“Both FMCSA and proponents of screening fail to recognize that sleep apnea is not a new disorder, but a condition that has affected millions of people over several decades and yet there has not been the carnage and devastation on our roadways that FMCSA would have us believe is inevitable without stricter mandatory OSA screening regulations,” the white paper said.
