There have been many questions lately about DOT sleep apnea regulations and what impact they might have on passing the medical examination. The FMCSA physical examination is required to help ensure that a person is medically qualified to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. In the interest of public safety, commercial motor vehicle drivers are held to higher physical, mental and emotional standards than passenger car drivers.
Following are a few of them most frequently asked questions. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration DOT sleep apnea regulations state the following:
Will Sleep Apnea disqualify me from passing the medical exam?
Drivers should be disqualified until the diagnosis of sleep apnea has been ruled out or has been treated successfully. As a condition of continuing qualification, it is recommended that a commercial motor vehicle driver agree to continue uninterrupted therapy such as using a CPAP machine, monitoring and undergo objective testing as required.
A driver with a diagnosis of (probable) sleep apnea or a driver who has Excessive Daytime Somnolence(EDS) should be temporarily disqualified until the condition is either ruled out by objective testing or successfully treated.
Narcolepsy and sleep apnea account for about 70% of EDS. EDS lasting from a few days to a few weeks should not limit a driver’s ability in the long run. However, persistent or chronic sleep disorders causing EDS can be a significant risk to the driver and the public. The examiner should consider general certification criteria at the initial and follow-up examinations:
- Severity and frequency of EDS
- Presence or absence of warning of attacks
- Possibility of sleep during driving
- Degree of symptomatic relief with treatment
- Compliance with treatment.
Can a driver who has a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness be certified?
Narcolepsy and sleep apnea account for about 70% of EDS. EDS lasting from a few days to a few weeks should not limit a driver’s ability in the long run. However, persistent or chronic sleep disorders causing EDS can be a significant risk to the driver and the public. While most of these diseases are usually disqualifying, The examiner should consider these general certification criteria at the initial and follow-up examinations:
- Underlying condition causing the EDS.
- Severity of and frequency of EDS
- Presence or absence of warning of attacks
- Possibility of sleep during driving
- Degree of symptomatic relief with treatment
- Compliance with treatment
After the initial evaluation, the examiner can decide if additional testing is required. Generally, drivers with excessive EDS need further evaluation to determine the cause and certification.
The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 created the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. The primary mission of FMCSA is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses by making sure all drivers adhere to the DOT sleep apnea regulations. FMCSA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and employs more than 1,000 individuals in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.