Wendy Lee Sullivan - Comments

Thanks to all for your focus on this important health and safety issue; sleep apnea. It is easy to forget that while I so dearly appreciate the safety concern of untreated sleep apnea, we need to improve the health of our drivers at the same time ( driver shortage etc etc). Treatment of OSA if compliant, does wonders for such things as cardiac disease/hypertension to name a few. Please consider: 1 BMI alone can not/ should not be the only consideration. Comorbidities contribute to risk assessment along with age/gender etc. With a BMI of 35, while a great place to start, that can change and many drivers will be missed. 2. 60 day card-- many carriers have a 90 day waiting period (especially for new hires) of 90 days before they are eligible for health insurance...a way some carriers may want to pay for testing and treatment. 3. DOT examiner focus on compliance ( to help out the carrier) is critical or all of this is for nothing. Asking drivers if they have ever been treated, advised to get tested, have a CPAP or refused a CPAP and then ask for at least a 30+ days snapshot of the drivers adherence to therapy. 4. Have always been a bit concerned about the 4 hour compliance 70% of the time guideline. Carriers do not have the ability to determine who is on therapy when they are dispatched. If an accident occurs during the 30% of the time it is OK NOT TO USE-- how will that protect the carrier or the motoring public. For health and safety reasons, it should be every time the driver is sleeping while or before going out on the road....at least that should be the position of the recommendations. I understand you can not tell a driver what to do while at home, but it has to at least be addressed by the DOT examiner ( yes and the carrier as well) until more drivers are held accountable for their actions. Yes, I have seen some drivers brought up on charges due to their actions, but usually the carriers are the deep pockets. Happy to help anytime if needed.