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XPO | DOT required sleep study?

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Went to renew my medical card today and aced the physical with flying colors. At the end of the physical the dr informed me that she would only be certifying me for 3 months as I fit the criteria for possibly having sleep apnea and would have to get a sleep study done. Apparently this is the law now. Anyone know who foots this bill? With my huge insurance deductible I'm a little afraid of getting stuck with a $2,500 bill which I certainly can't afford. I'm going to contact hr Monday and see what they say but figured I'd see if anyone had any info or suggestions over the weekend.
 
I cant think of a name said:
Went to renew my medical card today and aced the physical with flying colors. At the end of the physical the dr informed me that she would only be certifying me for 3 months as I fit the criteria for possibly having sleep apnea and would have to get a sleep study done. Apparently this is the law now. Anyone know who foots this bill? With my huge insurance deductible I'm a little afraid of getting stuck with a $2,500 bill which I certainly can't afford. I'm going to contact hr Monday and see what they say but figured I'd see if anyone had any info or suggestions over the weekend.
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Its been going on now with our drivers for about a year. There is a series of questions your asked and the answers could throw up red flags. The other part is on like 3 things with your body: neck size, BMI, and forget other. Basically, fail one your going for sleep test.

The requirements are to use machine and there is chip on machine that you have to take to doctor every so often. They can tell if you been using it.

We pay for it, not sure about you guys.
 
I cant think of a name said:
Went to renew my medical card today and aced the physical with flying colors. At the end of the physical the dr informed me that she would only be certifying me for 3 months as I fit the criteria for possibly having sleep apnea and would have to get a sleep study done. Apparently this is the law now. Anyone know who foots this bill? With my huge insurance deductible I'm a little afraid of getting stuck with a $2,500 bill which I certainly can't afford. I'm going to contact hr Monday and see what they say but figured I'd see if anyone had any info or suggestions over the weekend.
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Conway let's you use your own doctor, if they do DOT physicals. A lot of guys at our place use their own doctors. That way you don't fall prey to that sleep study scam.
 
beerfd said:
Conway let's you use your own doctor, if they do DOT physicals. A lot of guys at our place use their own doctors. That way you don't fall prey to that sleep study scam.
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Why do you think it's a scam? A scam is the fingerprints , which don't change , yet we have to "renew" them.
 
Just went in for mine yesterday, took the survey, answered no to everything and he sent me on my way, he did say however by may of 2014 everything will change and a lot of guys won't pass their physicals, it will be overseen by the Feds and only certified doctors will be able to do DOT's, so all those guys sliding by going to chiropractors to get their cards won't be passing anymore, he also said there will be a huge shortage of doctors that can do them, going from 900,000 to about 400,000 so the system will be back logged, he also said it will cost companies double what it does now to send a driver in for an exam.
 
fren1 said:
Just went in for mine yesterday, took the survey, answered no to everything and he sent me on my way, he did say however by may of 2014 everything will change and a lot of guys won't pass their physicals, it will be overseen by the Feds and only certified doctors will be able to do DOT's, so all those guys sliding by going to chiropractors to get their cards won't be passing anymore, he also said there will be a huge shortage of doctors that can do them, going from 900,000 to about 400,000 so the system will be back logged, he also said it will cost companies double what it does now to send a driver in for an exam.
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I wish all drivers well. For those that pass through the BS it makes you more valuable to your employer.

The harder it is to become/stay a qualified driver , the fewer drivers will be available. If demand is high for drivers HOPEFULLY the pay will be high too.
 
It's clear now why the company has been pushing so hard for everyone to get in shape. I had my suspicions as to why and it wasn't because they care about you or me. It's because they know what's coming and know they will get caught with their panties down if they don't take action now to lose the lard. This seems to confirm what I had been thinking might be coming. Good luck to all.
 
Unless your a smaller type person your going to do a sleep study(sooner or latter) so get ready because its comming, and yes it is a new scam!:moon2:
 
Blue67 said:
It's clear now why the company has been pushing so hard for everyone to get in shape. I had my suspicions as to why and it wasn't because they care about you or me. It's because they know what's coming and know they will get caught with their panties down if they don't take action now to lose the lard. This seems to confirm what I had been thinking might be coming. Good luck to all.
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If that is the case why don't just come out and say it? Oh yea, this is beat around the bush, tell half the truth Con-Way. Look at it this way. I bet they are thinking that they are going to save some money because those people that fail and be disqualified will not qualify for unemployment.
 
Dodge Ram said:
If that is the case why don't just come out and say it? Oh yea, this is beat around the bush, tell half the truth Con-Way. Look at it this way. I bet they are thinking that they are going to save some money because those people that fail and be disqualified will not qualify for unemployment.
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If that's the way they're looking at it, they're going to have another thing coming in another 5-10 years when they won't be able to buy a truck driver 'cause there will be so few left!
 
The thing about it is this, the trucking industry does not exactly promote a healthy lifestyle, we eat terrible food and sit inactive for hours at a time, that's just the nature of the industry, but if they think they are gonna tighten the regs to eventually pull everyone who is 30 lbs or more overweight out of the trucks then who is gonna pull the freight? They are gonna come out great guns on this and revoke a bunch of medical cards to try and send a message then when they realize they just pulled half the drivers off the road and nobody new is getting into the industry they will have no choice but to loosen the restrictions because the freight won't move and the economy will be affected. Just my opinion but that's how I see it playing out
 
nncnwydude said:
If that's the way they're looking at it, they're going to have another thing coming in another 5-10 years when they won't be able to buy a truck driver 'cause there will be so few left!
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There are new drivers born everyday....and most work here for a few months.
 
fren1 said:
The thing about it is this, the trucking industry does not exactly promote a healthy lifestyle, we eat terrible food and sit inactive for hours at a time, that's just the nature of the industry, but if they think they are gonna tighten the regs to eventually pull everyone who is 30 lbs or more overweight out of the trucks then who is gonna pull the freight? They are gonna come out great guns on this and revoke a bunch of medical cards to try and send a message then when they realize they just pulled half the drivers off the road and nobody new is getting into the industry they will have no choice but to loosen the restrictions because the freight won't move and the economy will be affected. Just my opinion but that's how I see it playing out
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Just shape up a bit (i'm not saying your not, I don't know you), and let the other drivers worry about it. Everybody should want to live atleast a half-way decent lifestyle.

Don't drink, smoke, eat fastfood, watch TV, take vacations, surf the internet all day, %@&#, drive too fast. Don't do any of that stuff, and you'll be fine.
 
While I agree truck drivers should be held to higher standards than the regular driving public I think some of these restrictions are bull. There are plenty of overweight unhealthy truck drivers with 1 million+ accident free miles. A true professional driver knows his or her limits and will react accordingly to any situation that arises. ex: If I find myself tired I pull over for a nap, alongside a million of my fellow truck drivers. As with any industry you will find a small percentage of workers who behave horribly irresponsibly and create accidents or dangerous situations. Being preventative is fine as long as you aren't affecting my livelihood by telling me I need to go take a $3000 sleep study because I have a big neck. I'm a former athlete, 200 of my 250 lbs is muscle (yes I can back that up through a lean body mass test). I may have sleep apnea and I may not, it has not affected my ability to drive a truck.

On another note the dot is still handing out licenses to every 16 year old in the country with minimal training and never retesting anyone. I know plenty of 4 wheeler drivers who can't back out of their own driveway without hitting something. I also see plenty of impaired, sleeping, cell phone using drivers out there every day. Not to mention elderly drivers who can barely see 4' in front of their face. So sure hold us to a higher standard, I'm all for that, but you also need to bring up the standard of people we have to share the road with. Then we may have some semblance of safety on our roads.
 
well it's happening at odfl to.we have had a few guys that are doing it. Asked one said he got better sleep however he said that if the mask moves when he is sleeping they call him and ask him why so they monitor it when you sleep.
 
You can look on the FMCSA website under medical qualifications, I don't see anything about sleep studies or sleep apnea. Even the actual physician report that is filled out, doesn't say anything about it. If somebody can find the rule on the website, please post the link. And please not a news article.
 
the sleep study is still up in the air. the FMSCA wants it but it is in the courts now. there is really no documentation on sleep apnea causing accidents. A fatigued driver is not just from lack of sleep. Mostly they are from being up too much. mostly working too many hours or playing and tring to work and not getting the proper rest. just keep your finges crossed that this legislation does come to pass. Hopefully Ray Lahood will retire and we can get back to real life and just truck.
 
I cant think of a name said:
On another note the dot is still handing out licenses to every 16 year old in the country with minimal training and never retesting anyone. I know plenty of 4 wheeler drivers who can't back out of their own driveway without hitting something. I also see plenty of impaired, sleeping, cell phone using drivers out there every day. Not to mention elderly drivers who can barely see 4' in front of their face. So sure hold us to a higher standard, I'm all for that, but you also need to bring up the standard of people we have to share the road with. Then we may have some semblance of safety on our roads.
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The problem is the general public see's a drivers license as a right instead of a privilege. In Germany, when I was in the army in 1980, It cost $500 to get a license and $500 for the 4 year renewal. Plates on the car was $500 a year. They new it was a privilege. It also kept alot of people off the road that didn't belong there.
 
Dodge Ram said:
The problem is the general public see's a drivers license as a right instead of a privilege. In Germany, when I was in the army in 1980, It cost $500 to get a license and $500 for the 4 year renewal. Plates on the car was $500 a year. They new it was a privilege. It also kept alot of people off the road that didn't belong there.
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Plus they have to pay for all those awesome socialist nanny programs somehow right?
 
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