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Transportation Companies

As a leading transportation company, your organization is committed to keeping your team of drivers─ and other motorists─ safe on the road. At Colorado SleepCenter of the Rockies, we understand the unique stresses that weigh on professional drivers. It’s estimated that 15-20% of all motor vehicle crashes can be traced back to drowsy driving, often caused by a range of sleep disorders.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a disorder that affects an estimated 20 million Americans. It is a leading cause of drowsy driving and it is no doubt a critical public safety issue.  It can also cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in health care costs, equipment damage and much more.

When you have obstructive sleep apnea, it is caused by the collapsing of the throat during sleep, which in turn blocks your airway and prevents air from getting into the lungs.

Normal Breathing

Airway is open Air flows freely to lungs

OSA

Airway collapses Blocked air flow

Causes

The following are common symptoms when sleep apnea is present.

  • Being overweight or obese (although 50% of people are not obese)
  • Large tonsils or adenoids
  • Large neck size (greater than 17" in men and 16" in women)
  • Nasal congestion or blockage (from colds, sinusitus, allergies, smoking, etc.)
  • Throat muscles or tongue relaxes more than normal during sleep

Effects

Consider this - individuals with sleep-related disorders have a 3x greater incidence of motor vehicle accidents, than those without. For a transportation company like you, not only does this means huge effects on your bottom line, but it also means your drivers could be a danger to themselves and the general public.

Individuals with OSA also suffer from:

  • Lower quality of life
  • Lack of alertness
  • Depression, memory loss, lack of concentration
  • Poor performance and productivity at work
  • More challenging social and family relationships

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

It’s important to note that new compliance recommendations by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, will likely require transportation organizations to take on greater responsibility to ensure the health and safety of employees and other motorists.

Proposed Requirements

Proposed requirements from the FMCSA include screening, testing and treatment of OSA for Commercial Motor Vehicle (MCV) drivers. If diagnosed, an individual with OSA be certified to drive CMVs if certain conditions are not met, including:

  • Has untreated OSA with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≤ 20, AND
  • The employee has no daytime sleepiness, or
  • Has OSA that is being effectively treated

Solution

Meeting these new compliance standards starts with the Sleep Center of the Rockies. Through a collaborative effort between your organization, SleepCenter and your insurance provider, we can develop a comprehensive and cost-effective strategy for managing sleep disorders. Not only will you be giving your employees a better quality of life, it’s makes business sense.

Your Plan for Healthy Employees and a Healthy Bottom-line

  • SleepCenter of the Rockies will consult with your insurance provider and determine a strategy for meeting federal compliance standards
  • We’ll schedule and conduct sleep studies for your team of driving professionals
  • This process will give doctors important information about how individuals sleep and breathe
  • They’ll determine cost-effective diagnosis and treatment options
  • You have more productive, healthy employees, lowering insurance and liability costs and keeping individuals safe on the road

Forget what you’ve heard about other sleep centers. The Sleep Center of the Rockies is not a laboratory; instead we offer a 5-star hotel experience that happens to be staffed by skilled sleep experts and outfitted with superior sleep diagnostics equipment.