A Department of Transportation data-collection request on the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among truck drivers and other transportation workers– as well as the potential impact of any future OSA-related regulatory actions– has been filed with the White House Office of Management and Budget. Issued jointly by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration as an Advance Notice or Proposed Rulemaking, a.k.a. a “pre-rule,” the request could be the first step toward federal regulation of the testing and treatment of truck drivers and others for the sleep disorder, which is often viewed as a safety concern because it can cause general fatigue and result in drowsy driving.
