Rolling back proposed sleep apnea regulations in transportation workers was criticized in an op-ed published in the Daily Reflector.
Federal regulators were approaching the final stages of imposing mandatory testing. But now the Trump administration has killed that effort. Testing will remain optional. So rest easy, commuters.
Trump is also backing off another federal effort to require speed limiters in the trucking industry. Why?
Because he says regulations are bad for business and hiring. But think about his alternative: To save the hassle of screening drivers for sleep apnea or limiting the ability of truckers to speed, we are all going to pay the vastly larger price — in lives and twisted metal — of the ensuing accidents.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that many of the members of Trump’s task forces dismantling these regulations have deep ties to industry. Others, his administration refuses to even name. Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the White House on Monday, demanding that it release the names of its rule-busters and their potential conflicts of interest.
Read the rest at www.reflector.com
Sorry but the op ed shows a lack of understanding of the trucking industry.
On speed limited, where they create a differential in highway speed they have been shown to INCREASE highway crashes. Cars weaving in and out of slower truck creates more interactions and resulting crashes.
The research was so compelling even the American Trucking Associations which originally optioned for rulemaking on speed limited withdrew it’s support.
The issue a on sleep apnea testing in trucking are complex and have been discussed well in article’s in sleep review.
A basic question is who pays? In rail and airlines pilots and train crews have good company subsidized health insurance. Most truck drivers if they have health insurance at all have high deductible policies.
An ATRI survey last summer found out of pocket costs for sleep apnea testing and treatment cost 2 weeks gross pay.
If you are willing and able to write a check for 2 weeks of your gross pay to keep your job… think about that when discussing mandatory sleep apnea testing and treatment for truck drivers.
The article sounds more political than objective and only erodes the credibility of the journal.