NTSB seeks to address sleep apnea in truck drivers

By Amy Sienicki A October 22, 2009 A WHITE CITY, Ore . - A sleeping disorder is raising concerns about safety on the road.

[Federal-gov-at fault]

the reason truck drivers r getting sleepy on the road is very simple.... you are given a 14 hour window in which you must complete your shift.... no allowances for rest (extension of drive time after rest )....SO DRIVERS KEEP DRIVING instead of stopping to take a break INSIDE their 14 hour window in which they may drive 11 hours.... OUR GOVERNMENT is run by criminal minded idiots who are 100 PERCENT AT FAULT and they KNOW this.

[GaiaGirl]

While some valid points might have been made by "at fault," the real responsibility for drivers not taking proper sleep breaks rests with both company dispatchers and the drivers. My son has been a truck driver for 15 years and has had to fight with a dispatcher who set up a loading/ unloading time which would not allow my son enough sleep time for safety. My son would tell the dispatcher the schedule would force an illegal and unsafe situation and his life was more valuable than the load he was carrying or picking up. He always documented every instance and it took a couple of certified letters to various dispatchers (which also warned them my son could not be fired for "whistleblowing") to make sure they understood the law. Most of them would weigh the problem of changing the load/unload appointment with fighting with the federal or state DOT on the matter. So drivers have to stop being afraid of the dispatchers and stand up for themselves. It isn't worth risking your life to get a load to a dock or to pick up a new load.