Trucking Advocate and Activist Allen Smith of TruthAboutTrucking.com : Articles Current News and Information for CDL Truck Drivers and Truck Driving Students…"Raising the Standards of the Trucking Industry"
Like the movie with the same name, is the perfect storm brewing for the U. S. trucking industry? With the possibility of more than a quarter of a million truck drivers facing termination from their driving careers from the CSA 2010 initiative, coupled with the talk of changing the current HOS rules, is there a a catastrophic event heading straight toward professional drivers and trucking companies alike?
The hours of service rule for truck drivers could be looking at losing two hours of driving time, along with doing away with the 34 hour restart rule. The ATA and company CEO’s fear that these two aspects combined will reduce productivity among drivers. ATA Chairman, Tommy Hodges stated that the CSA 2010 will be a “free agency for drivers.” He went on to say, “a driver that knows he’s got a good record, he knows how to abide by the rules, and he knows and understands his value to your company, (is) going to come in and say, ‘look at my score, you’re going to pay me 50 cents a mile or I’m going to go to XYZ,’ and he will.” He went on to comment that productivity loss could be as high as 18 percent if the changes are indeed made.
No doubt that losing two hours of driving time and the 34 hour restart will change the way trucking companies operate, but could not adding additional time for rest also increase productivity by eliminating much of the “pushing of drivers” to run further and harder? The industry sees the loss of revenue coming by not being able to push their drivers beyond their physical and mental limits in order to get the freight delivered and move on to the next load. Are the industry leaders more concerned with the loss of dollars than the safety of their drivers?
Truck drivers operated under the former set of HOS rules for years and did just fine.The new HOS rules, if they occur, will basically return nearly as they were before.Is the industry fearful of losing their ability to push their drivers’ work loads, or more afraid of the good, safe and professional drivers gaining more control over their own careers?
Often truck drivers can find themselves in trouble when it comes to the required DOT medical drug screen. A legal, prescribed drug from your family physician can lead to termination from the trucking company if you fail to follow the correct procedure. Many times in the trucking industry, problems that arise that can cause a driver to lose his or her job could have been avoided.
The DOT drug screen looks for the use of a Schedule 1 drugs : amphetamine, narcotic or any other habit forming drug that is not legally permitted. They also check for the usage of illegal narcotic drugs including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates and phencyclidine (PCP). Very often, drivers who have received a legal prescription from their doctor fail to understand that this information should be provided to the motor carrier, especially when facing a DOT physical or drug screening. Most importantly, the information must be provided to the medical examiner before the screening takes place.
As an example, often truck drivers can be given a legal prescription for Lortab which is a combination of a narcotic painkiller and cough reliever with a non-narcotic painkiller for the relief of moderate to moderately severe pain. Since it contains hydrocodone, the hydrocodone is a narcotic, which is one of the things they look for from a DOT drug test. Therefore, if the driver fails to tell the company or medical examiner about the Lortab, the drug test will come back as a flagged and failed screening.
Most truckers understand that this type of prescription, though legal, contains a narcotic. By telling the trucking company that they are on this drug or others like it, they face the possibility of their employer telling them to take the two or three weeks off until they are better . . . or however long their doctor has prescribed the medication. This simply is not worth the chance of losing your job. If you are called to take a random drug test . . . you will now find yourself in a tough situation.
I am hearing more from drivers who have found themselves in this position. Don’t take the chance. Random drug tests could become more random in the future. If you have to be on a prescribed narcotic . . . tell your company immediately. It’s better to follow company policy and be told to take the required time off, than it is to be terminated for not following the correct procedure.
The lifestyle of truck drivers can lead to many health problems and many drivers are looking at the new safety initiative, CSA 2010 as focusing on the problem of obesity and sleep apnea. Actually, it has more to do with the DOT, however, the concerns drivers are having is due to the following statement, found in the CSA 2010 document which states:
“Driver Fitness BASIC—Operation of CMVs by drivers who are unfit to operate a CMV due to lack of training, experience, or medical qualifications.” The “medical qualification” that many drivers are concerned with, is the possible disqualification due to being overweight.
Concerned about the BMI tests and the costs of the CPAP, as well as the possibility of losing their jobs, many truck drivers are investigating the option of gastric sleeve surgery. Furthermore, many truck drivers with a BMI of 30 and over are looking at CSA 2010 as the incentive to lose the weight that they have been wanting to lose anyway, but due to the trucking lifestyle, never had that “push” they needed to do so.
We have done exhaustive research into this procedure and wanted to share what we have discovered with our readers :
Gastric sleeve surgery in the United States will cost between $18,000 and $35,000 and many insurance providers will not pay for the procedure unless the patient has a BMI of 40 or more, or if there is a health risk involved such as diabetes or heart disease. With the average long haul truck driver making $32,000 per year, it is nearly impossible for them to have the Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure. More truck drivers across the country have discovered another alternative with incredible results.
To learn the truth, we went directly to the source :
Almater Hospitalis a private hospital with state of the art equipment, located in Mexicali, Mexico. Dr. Alberto Aceves specializes in the gastric sleeve surgery and has performed nearly 1000 surgeries. His credentials include:
Member American College of Surgeon
Member American Society for Briatric and Metabolic Surgery
Current President of the Mexican Association for Bariatric Surgery
Member International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity
Member Mexican Association of Endoscopic Surgery
Member Mexican Association of General Surgery
Member General Surgeons College of Mexicali
FACS (American College of Surgeons)
Dr. Aceves and Staff
We contacted Dr. Aceves’ staff to discuss the gastric sleeve surgery and to learn more about him and the Almater Hospital. The biggest concern with a sleeve surgery is having a leak. Dr. Aceves has never had a leak with any of the sleeve surgeries he has performed. The Almater Hospital is above the statistics for this procedure and no other doctor in the United States or Mexico has this great of a record with this number of surgeries performed.
In the U. S. most sleeve surgeries are done as an out-patient procedure. Dr. Aceves keeps his patients in the Almater Hospital for three days for recovery. He and his staff’s biggest concern for American patients is that they will get trapped in attending one of the many facilities in Mexico that offer the procedure at a very low price, but in return, they are having a great deal of complications, including infections and poor sterilization. Dr. Aceves and the Almater Hospital believe in not sacrificing quality to lower prices. Speaking with Nina Eguia, patient coordinator at the hospital, she told us:
“The doctors in Mexico doing surgery at lower prices are having a lot of complications and sacrificing quality. It is a shame that patients go to them to save money and end up with complications they really cannot afford or having to stay off work for months to recover, because procedures are not done correctly or with sanitary standards.”
The Almater Hospital in Mexicali, Mexico are seeing and hearing from more American truck drivers and we wanted to research this more. What we found is an excellent hospital and staff with exceptional standards. As the U. S. is charging $18,000 to $35,000 for the gastric sleeve surgery, Dr. Aceves total cost for the procedure, including the hospital stay and everything . . . is $9,500.
As CSA 2010 grows closer and truck drivers are threatened by their BMI in regards to a possible positive sleep apnea diagnosis, they are questioning the use and cost of forced and expensive sleep apnea testing and a CPAP machine. Instead of only treating the effect of the problem, why not treat the cause? The cause being the overweight issue that they feel they may be flagged for . . .
I feel that this information on Dr. Aceves and the Almater Hospital in Mexicali, Mexico is imperative for truck drivers facing this problem to be aware of . . . in fear of losing their jobs and the fact that they look at CSA 2010 as the push they needed to do something about their weight and to become healthier . . . if there is another reliable, trustworthy and safe solution that will save them thousands of dollars . . . then we wanted to provide this information for them.
Let’s face it . . . how many truckers can afford $18,000 to $35,000 even when their livelihoods are at stake? Dr. Alberto Aceves and his professional staff at Almater Hospital are making the impossible . . . possible.
For more information contact:
Mexicali Bariatric center
Madero 1119-2, Colonia Nueva
Mexicali, BC 2110
U.S. TOLL FREE : 1-888-344-3916
Allen Smith
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio show discussed the safety and health concerns that truck drivers face with the no idle law, on Thursday, July 29th, 2010.
Rules and policy makers suggest that professional truckers can simply “plug in” at the truck stops or get a motel room . . . the problem, however, is that the majority of truck stops across America do not have plug in locations and those that do charge a fee which comes out of the drivers’ own pocket. Furthermore, the reason semi tractors have a sleeper, is so the driver does not have to obtain a motel room . . . which, by the way, also would come out of their pocket.
Theno idle law is being pushed by the Smart Way EPA program and many trucking companies are beginning to instigate their own policies on this issue, placing all of the burden and expense on the truck driver. Is it really all about the green movement and protecting the environment, or is it more about greed?
Any driver who has been driving long enough has experienced the ordeal of spending a night in the sleeper birth with no air or heat until they could get to a repair shop and have the problem fixed. Try sleeping in 100 degree heat or -25 below zero, without the proper comfort devices . . . at the same time, truck drivers are expected to get the rest and sleep needed . . . after all, this year has been declared as the “Year of Safety,” right?
Some drivers have pointed to an amendment to the no idle law which allows the truck to idle if the driver has a pet in the cab of the truck with them. Perhaps this is the way for truck drivers to get around this law? It is OK for the driver to suffer in immense heat or cold, but for an animal . . . absolutely not! However, this may not be the case in all states. California, for instance, has stated that as of January 1st, 2009, that a driver can no longer use a pet for an excuse to idle.
All of the shows are archived, or in case you missed it . . . you can catch it here:
The July, 2010 edition of Truckers News has a great article by Carolyn Magner and Misty Bell about the generation gap between the modern day truck drivers. Looking at trucking through the eyes of veteran road warriors versus the “newbie” truck driver, the article, “Clash of the Generations” gives an insight into how the two generations of truckers see each other.
The article also made me think about how long haul trucking has changed through the years and how this generation gap plays into the factor of any sort of truck driver shortage. Although there is no such thing as a truck driver shortage, the Truckers News article unknowingly touches on another facet of this newer face of trucking, one which trucking companies would be wise to pay attention to.
As with any new and upcoming generation, changes are expected to be made. The newer generation of workers today are more apt to get a college degree than prior, older generations that grew up in the belief of a blue-collar work force era. In relation to trucking, many of the newer young guns of the highways reject the fact that a professional truck driver must live out on the road for months on end. This is one reason trucking companies tend to experience a more difficult task of retaining truck drivers in their employment. In years past, the old dogs of trucking accepted the quality of life for truck drivers. As with any newer generation that is set in their own way of thinking, this quality of life will have to change in order to meet the newer demands of today’s younger drivers.
For the trucking industry to continue down the same old path of years past, they will discover that times are changing, like it or not. Many are beginning to understand that the old school of OTR trucking is just not cutting it with a newer generation of truckers. Some trucking companies are working to build more of a regional operation to meet the wants and demands of theseyoung guns. For those companies who choose to stick to the old way of doing things, they will continue to fight the constant battle of truck driver retention.
Due to the hardships of the long haul trucker lifestyle, American truckers life expectancy drops by 15 years, compared to the rest of the work force. Many of the up and coming newbie drivers believe that their quality of life and having a life, is more important than running themselves into the ground for an industry that shows no care or remorse for doing so.
Even as I write, veteran truck drivers are struggling with paying their bills and keeping food on the table for their families . . . many owner operators caught in the company lease programs are not getting enough miles to meet their truck payment . . . professional truckers face newer and tougher regulations, always aiming at their pocketbooks . . . and recent CDL graduates are running all 48 states for as little as .13 cents per mile. This is the old school . . .
Perhaps the newer breed of young guns truckers have it right . . . work smarter, not harder and still have a life to enjoy.
The last year for the professional truck driver has been filled with many challenges. The recession has caused many drivers to take a significant cut in pay, drivers still endure negative retaliatory DAC comments by former employers, “fleecing” scams still exist, owner operators maintain their struggle with high fuel costs, HOS rules that cause conflict with shipper and receiver appointment times (creating fatigue from lack of sleep), the talk of new DOT medical requirements, and lets not forget CSA 2010, which has the entire industry buzzing.
With all these issues to contend with, I find none more inhumane than the “no idle” and “limited idle” laws and rules which are being enforced for large trucks by either the states or the trucking companies. These regulations are disguised as “being green” and “environmentally friendly,” attracting praise and recognition from the general public towards the trucking companies who voluntarily enforce them.
These trucking companies are more than happy to enforce such idling regulations, as it not only gives a positive recognition from the general public and the conscientious “go green” advocates, but it also creates a larger profit and bottom line. How perfect is that?
Trucking companies are so concerned with the environment that they have teamed up with the Smart way EPA program, creating their own strict limited idling rules for their drivers. This program gives awards to companies that are most compliant and “eco friendly”, and many times you will see these company trucks proudly displaying their partnership with Smart Way, sharing their enthusiasm for caring for “Mother Earth” and fuel conservation….But here comes the truth….the other side of the coin.
What the general public doesn’t realize is that by carriers creating limited idling rules, truck drivers health and safety is being placed in harms way. I don’t need to tell you what it feels like to be in your vehicle when it is either extremely cold or hot. Many of us turn on the ignition and cannot even wait the 5 minutes that it takes for the air or heater to work, and yet these laws and “carrier idle driver rules” are being enforced against their drivers, expecting them to sleep in 90+ degrees and sub-freezing temperatures without air or heat.
There are some companies that have trucks with an APU ( Auxiliary Power Unit) on board for their drivers, but not all companies and not all of their trucks. If you think about it, why would they? The APU’s are too expensive. After all, they do not have to sleep in these inhumane temperatures, right? It is only the dog sleeping in there, I mean the driver . . . wait, I forgot, you are not allowed to have an animal in the truck under those conditions . . . drivers ok, pets not ok . . . what’s wrong with this picture?
Many of the Smart Way Partners are winning awards for being the “best ” in compliance ( SMART WAY EPA AWARDS), by forcing their drivers to abide by limited idle rules so they can receive and be recognized for their gallant efforts towards improving the environment and conserving fuel. Yet, they are risking the health and safety of their driver employees.
So the next time you see a truck proudly displaying their Smart Way Partnership, give them a call and ask them what percentage of their trucks have an APU for their drivers, ensuring their drivers’ health and safety? It is just another way of asking them, ” Do you treat your drivers humanely?”
Many others within the trucking industry are concerned about this limited and “no idle” enforcement. Here’s another post by TruckerDesiree of RealWomenInTrucking who has also written in detail about it.
Also Rhianna Weir, the Madison Trucking Examiner, has an interesting challenge for those of you who may or may not believe just how serious a problem this is.
The article explains new rules in the state of North Carolina: The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission now requires that operators of heavy-duty trucks refrain from idling their engines. I wrote a lengthy response to the article, however, it was not posted, so I’ll post my response here.
Response 7/17/10 by Allen Smith
“I find it always amazing that those who wish to appear to be advocates of various causes or missions, will often do so at the sacrifice and expense of others, not to mention the total lack of respect and the disregard of another human life.
I wonder if Sheila Holman would be quite as emphatic and passionate about her remark, “Exhaust from idling trucks is a significant source of air pollution that we can’t ignore,” … “The idle rule will help improve air quality while conserving large amounts of fuel”, if she or her family and friends were the recipients of the sacrifices required to reach these goals. In other words, I would like to know how she would feel if she and her children were made to sleep in a 100 degree closed truck ( 60 days consecutively) and then be expected to work a 14 hour day, driving 80,000 pounds down the highway safely and alertly.
Tell me Ms. Holman, would you be quite as worried about the air quality or saving fuel then? Answer: I DOUBT IT. How easy it is though, for Sheila Holman, National director of the NC division of Air Quality, to so boldly, proudly and confidently share this air quality improvement solution with so many, accepting applause and recognition for doing such a marvelous and sacrificial job as she rides off in her air conditioned car and sleeps in her air conditioned home.
My suggestion to her is that if she truly believes this is the way to improve air quality, then she should request that herself, her staff, her family and friends, refrain from turning on the air at night, so they may also share in this much needed conservation and sacrifice.
Now, as far as the other statements:
“The EMC points out that some truck stops have power connections, so truckers can plug in their rigs and not have to idle the engine to keep warm or cool. The release also points out that a truck can have more than one source of power installed.”
Let’s start with the “some stops have power connections”. Well EMC, that means that “some do not. It also means that the driver pays for that, not the trucking company. . . Which brings up another fact that the general public should be aware of . . . drivers continually survive on limited wages, which by the way, the trucking companies have significantly reduced further because of the recent economic recession. Many of these drivers are new drivers, receiving sometimes as low as 18 cents per mile (between 200-400 dollars per week, depending on how many miles they drive). Figuring that many send home most of this to their families, how much do you feel they would be able to spend keeping themselves cool or warm, depending on the weather? I doubt many can even afford the 10-15 dollars per night for these luxuries of heat and warmth, let alone a motel room, which some extremely ignorant and naive folks have even suggested.
Let’s move on to the APU units which would solve all the idle problems, right? Well yes they would, in a perfect world that is. Company drivers have no authority over this. The Carrier decides whether or not they want to place APU’s in their trucks in order to accommodate their drivers health and comfort. MOST DO NOT!! Yet, many of these companies are receiving awards for their “green efforts” again, on the backs and sacrifices of others while they themselves enjoy the comforts and luxuries of daily life.
I will end with this: It is this kind of inhumane thinking and treatment which contributes to the former 128% turnover rate of drivers as an ongoing problem. Many people do not stay in trucking, or bounce from company to company, hoping to find a “good company”. What is ironic, is that they define good as one which will not exploit or abuse them.
What keeps the trucking industry moving is the continuous influx of new drivers, those who do not know that they will be treated badly because they have been told the sugar coated “happily ever after” recruitment story. Many of these drivers leave the industry, and so the truck driver turnover rate continues. One day, drivers may get fed up . . . and God help us all if that happens. Think about it, and then be concerned: No food, medicine, NOTHING!
What’s the saying? “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Furthermore, stop telling truck drivers want they can or should do, until you have lived their life.
Trucking Hero Jazzy Jordan Runs for St Christopher Fund
As a native New Yorker I have to tell you that the finale of trucking hero Jazzy Jordan’s 3200 mile run couldn’t have ended in a better place. The excitement of NYC is nothing like anything else, and unless you’ve been there to experience it, it’s hard to describe. Jazzy is scheduled to enter NYC sometime late morning/early afternoon on Tuesday June 15th. We’ll be giving you an update after we talk to her dad later in the day.
Now I know that the biggest nightmare for a truck driver is having to drive through the city, but if you’re on foot, it’s spectacular. Now what can be more spectacular, than a 17 year old girl entering the city, finishing up her 9 month run from Los Angeles, California into Time Square in NYC…for the sole purpose of helping others!
We’ve recently been conversing on FaceBook and Twitter withPeter Thorne of WPIX in NY, and it’s appearing quite hopeful that the crew will be there covering the event. Growing up as a kid in NY, WPIX was (may still be) the official Yankee baseball TV station.
Now, for those who may not know, Jazzy was motivated and inspired to begin her run when a close friend and driver of her family’s trucking business, Shelia Grothe, passed away on April 17th, 2009, after having a 2 year battle with cancer. From that day forward, Jazzy vowed and was determined to make a difference in the lives of those who could not afford medical insurance or coverage. She then began a rigorous training schedule and on September 1st, 2009, she began her “run across America”, with all donations going to the St. Christopher Trucking Fund.
In her own words, Jazzy states: “My goal is to raise attention to the growing problem with people who have medical issues who are under insured and insured. We have all seen how generous our country has been in the past. I believe even in economic hard times we still make a big difference. Will you help me make the difference that is so needed? Together, we will change the future for the better.”
The 3200 mile run has not been easy to say the least. Jazzy ran many days with severe pain, however, her determination and dedication was that of someone with many more years, displaying so much compassion, wisdom and discipline. Just this past October she escaped what could have been a fatal injury, when a vehicle crashed into the truck that her dad, Lee Jordan, was driving. Fortunately, Jazzy was riding in the truck as a passenger at the time, a true blessing we are all grateful for.
So, we trust that NYC and my fellow New Yorkers will honor one more hero down the road leading to Times Square, Jazzy Jordan, the hero for truckers from all over the country. She is the youngest woman to run across the country; not for a record, not for fame or glory , but with the hope to benefit and aid in the well being of those who are less fortunate.
We love you Jazzy. You are an inspiration to all of us, and a reminder to keep doing what we are convicted to do, no matter what obstacles we face.
Truckers keep our country moving and Jazzy Jordan has moved truckers.
Hope Rivenburg and Congressman Paul Tonko in Washington DC
Hope Rivenburg notified us a few days ago that the official day designated to call your Senators and Congress Representatives for the support of more Safe Truck Parking would be set for June 28th, 2010.
We’ve discovered that the bill, Jason’s Law, has been stalled in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where James Oberstar of Minnesota resides as the Chair and John Mica of Florida is the ranking Republican. There is absolutely no apparent reason that this bill should not pass, especially since 2010 is “the year of safety”, which has been displayed by the enforcement of CSA 2010, an all out campaign by the FMCSA to improve highway safety by implementing stricter rules and regulation on both drivers and carriers. Presently, there are over 40 co-sponsors for the bill.
It only stands to reason, that Jason’s Law would go hand in hand with all the new safety mandates since it would be a major positive step to improve the safety of the general public and professional truck driver. Jason’s Law, H.R.2156, would implement more safe truck parking which would serve two- fold:
Create more parking for tired drivers to stop and rest, thus eliminating the danger to both themselves and the general public for the need to keep driving until they can find available parking.
Would reduce the need for drivers to seek and use secluded parking spots for them to park and rest. These secluded parking spots are open invitations for criminal acts of violence, which was proven by the senseless murder of Jason Rivenburg, of whom this bill is named.
First ask for the staffer in charge of transportation.
Then ask them to please ask their boss to co-sponsor H.R. 2156 known as Jason’s Law.
Explain that you live in their state and are very concerned about the risk of highway safety caused by the inadequate number of available parking facilities for professional truck drivers.
Also, explain that the drivers of these massive trucks are forced to drive tired until they can find accessible parking, causing a major safety risk to themselves and the general public. You can then go on to explain that the bill was named after a truck driver who could not find safe parking, and parked in an abandoned gas station where he was shot and killed for a measly $7.00
James Oberstar, the chair of the transportation and infrastructure committee, has a FaceBook Page. We also ask that you please state your plea on his page today. Only when we let this committee know that we are dissatisfied with the stalling of this bill, both through social media postings and flooding the phone lines on June 28th, will we be able to ensure that this bill will be passed.
In that article we discussed how Truck Driver Fatigue was being used almost synonymously with the condition called sleep apnea. We showed how the data of the study was not truly representative of the results that were being spread around the various media sites.
We also discussed in that article and a follow up article what the real major reasons for truck driver fatigue were caused by.
On May 19th we had a Blog Talk Radio Show, “Truck Driver Fatigue and the Sleep Apnea Deception,” discussing these finding and results, and discussed the many reasons and major causes of truck driver fatigue…and it was not sleep apnea as so many would have you believe. We did however on the show demonstrate that sleep apnea is a real and serious condition which should be treated, just not the major cause of driver fatigue which seems to be the latest and greatest “ alarm for a new mandate driver screening.”
During the show that evening, less than halfway through the show, a caller called in, defending the statistics and study conducted by the FMCSA. The call was from Bob Stanton, a speaker from the recent Sleep Apnea and Trucking Conference 2010 which was held just a few days prior to our Blog Talk Radio Show. Mr Stanton said that there were newer studies performed by the FMCSA, including ones still in process, that indeed did correlate with the FMCSA’s figure of 30% of truck drivers have sleep apnea. He also stated that the study and data we used was a different study. Basically, the call was to rattle or intimidate us, not to mention an attempt to discredit our research and information. Fortunately, we had done extensive research and felt confident to discuss the topic, and rightly so.
After the show I wrote Mr Stanton and requested that he email me links to the information regarding the new studies on sleep apnea which would support the 30% of drivers have sleep apnea figure which is being so loosely stated as concrete fact.
I did receive an email back. The first paragraph was an apology for the way he spoke on the radio show, commending our research on the topic. He went on to state that it’s not the % that matters, but rather the correlation between untreated sleep apnea and the increased risk of crashes by CMV drivers. Well, if it’s not the % that matters, why is everyone who is supporting mandatory screening using % to have law passed….give me a break!!
"To me the real issue is not what % of drivers
may have sleep apnea.
The real issue is ... Is there a clear coorelation beteween
untreated sleep apnea and an increased risk of crash in
CMV operators in studies done in the US."
Mr Stanton also sent me a few attachments and an article ,which included a bibliography which may support further findings and possibly add to our research. He also sent the pdf which was utilized to support the “30% of drivers have sleep apnea rage”, FMCSA driver 28% more likely to have OSA.pdf( Again, notice who’s making a big deal over the %?)
After carefully reviewing everything, I could not find data which correlated CMV crashes and drivers with sleep apnea.
Also, the PDF of the new study FMCSA driver 28% more likely to have OSA.pdf, which was suppose to support that high % driver with sleep apnea figure, was actually based on the original pool of 1391 drivers study within a 50 mile radius, and did not equal the exaggerated 28% figure of both the FMCSA and ATA ( according to my math anyway) but rather indicated the following: 9.8% drivers had mild sleep apnea ( not 17.6%), 3.2% had moderate sleep apnea ( not 5.8%). and 2.7% had severe sleep apnea ( not4.7%)
So rather than 28% having sleep apnea as suggested ,the number is reduced to 15.7%, with the majority of those figures displaying mild sleep apnea.
You may wonder why these %’s are so different?
Simple. It appears that when the calculation were made, the total # of drivers was not included in the calculations when deriving the %’s, but rather just the drivers which had been screened through the questionnaire. This is apparent by reading the part that says,” based on the results of several tests” Remember, only the drivers that were screened to possibly have sleep apnea were tested in the study ( not the entire 1391 drivers), therefore the % concluded are not a true representation of the entire pool of random drivers. ( You really can make numbers say anything you want!)
These kinds of calculations were explained in detail on our Blog Talk Radio Show and also in the first article
FMCSA Finding from ” A study of Prevalence of Sleep Apnea Among Commercial Truck Drivers”
“A major goal of the study was to determine the prevalence of sleep apnea in
commercial truck drivers, based on the results of several tests conducted on
a random sample of commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders living within
a 50-mile radius of the University of Pennsylvania.
The results of the study revealed that 17.6 percent of CDL holders had
mild sleep apnea, 5.8 percent had moderate sleep apnea,
and 4.7 percent had severe sleep apnea.”
I believe by modifying the questionnaire which was given to the 1391 drivers who responded for the study, a higher number of positively screened applicants through the questionnaire were tested this time ( 406 screened positive the first time and 778 the second. ) This appears to be the major modification in repeating the study , not an entire new random pool of drivers which the caller suggested : ( unless by a huge coincidence, the same exact number of 1391 drivers responded to the study? I doubt that seriously)
I will say this, I do agree that it would be important to see a correlation between sleep apnea and truck crashes. So far I have not seen data to support this. If anyone has a study to prove otherwise, please reply to this post with the link to the study.
Finally, let’s not lose sight of the purpose of these posts. We are NOT saying that sleep apnea isn’t a serious condition that one should not be treated for. We are saying that truck driver fatigue is a serious problem that can not be solely blamed just on sleep apnea. As long as we’re all on the same page with safety and truck driver fatigue, let’s investigate everything involved in driver fatigue that can be attributed and possibly cause danger to all of our safety.
Driver lifestyle, sleep patterns, hours of continuous driving, lack of quality sleep, interruptions of sleep from qualcomm, shippers and receivers not keeping appointment time, drivers forced to drive when tired or out of hours ( gotta get that hot load delivered), and the nature of the profession all play major roles. If a mandate is to be made to screen drivers for sleep apnea, then each driver should also be required to fill out a truck driver fatigue questionnaire asking :
Have you ever been forced to drive by your company when you were either out of hours or too tired? If so, how often, which company?
Have you been forced to stay awake and missed your sleep because your appointment time was late by shipper or receiver? If so, how often, which company?
Were you ever woken from sleep by the qualcomm to ask a question that could have waited? If so, how often? Which company?
Are you satisfied with the way the present HOS are set up?
Perhaps a study and investigation to the above questions should be conducted in order to correlate fatal crashes by CMV drivers as a result of sleep deprivation caused by trucking companies, shippers, receivers and HOS rules that are not in the best interest for the lifestyle or circumstances that exist for the professional truck driver. These causes of truck driver fatigue are equally as serious as sleep apnea. They all force drivers to drive with inadequate or lack of quality sleep and should all be addressed in equal proportion to one another.
Truck driver fatigue is always being taunted as a major problem. The NTSB, the FMCSA and the American Trucking Association are all behind the implementation of a new bill that will require truck drivers to undergo testing for a medical condition known as sleep apnea.
Media reports are stating that about 30% of all truck drivers have sleep apnea. Furthermore, it has been reported that the condition affects between 6% to 12% of the adult male population.
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio discussed the real truth behind truck driver fatigue and the sleep apnea deception on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010.
We had the reports . . . we had the data . . . we had the numbers.
When one study did not provide the data that they were looking for, then they conducted more studies until the data met their agenda.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that needs to be treated and the truck driver population needs to be made aware, but the real problem of truck driver fatigue lies with the lifestyle of the professional trucker and how the motor carriers contribute to this problem. (See our previous post: Motor Carriers Responsible for Truck Driver Fatigue).
Continually pushing the issue of sleep apnea as the major cause of driver fatigue is taking the focus off of the real problem : pushing drivers to their limit, disturbing drivers while they are trying to sleep, forced dispatch and so-forth. Sleep apnea needs to be taken seriously and those who have it should take steps in its treatment. But saying that 30% of truck drivers have this condition is just not the case, when independent studies have shown a regular percentile of around four percent.
Furthermore, if the studies conducted do not present the figures that you were hoping for, performing more studies until you reach the wanted figures only minimize the findings.
: ata, change, CSA 2010, hos, hours of service, trucking
